Page 44 of King of Cruelty

“That’s not—” He flipped through the folder, bug eyes darting back and forth among the pages. “I didn’t—”

“I don’t work for Caddell anymore, so prosecuting you for your theft is up to them— Oh, I mean, it’s up to Talia,” Icorrected, grinning away as he flinched. “I just want to know how and when the Brotherhood got involved.”

Damien’s head snapped up. I saw in his eyes that he recognized the name, but just as quickly, his face shuttered closed. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” He tossed the folder back at me. “I didn’t bully anyone, and I certainly didn’t embezzle from my own company. You have the wrong guy—which you should’ve figured out on your own. It’s not my name on those documents.”

“No, it’s Sunny’s name on those documents.” I shook my head. “Actually, it’s his misspelled name. Seriously, Damien, you really should’ve looked up the correct spelling of Sole before you forged his name.”

He shrugged. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. I did no such thing.”

I folded my hands on the table, the picture of patience. “Damien, would you do me a favor and look to your right?”

Brow wrinkling, he did as I asked.

“Good. Now, do you see that incredibly handsome and sexy-ass man who is currently holding and feeding your son? He’s Adeline Redgrave’s brother.”

Façade crumbling, Damien turned an unhealthy shade of purple jumping up from his seat.

“Calm down,” I said, crossing into his path. “River would never hurt Jeremiah. Why would he? When he’s here to hurt you if you don’t. Stop. Lying?” I hissed through gritted teeth. “Stop fucking around, Damien, and tell me everything you know about the Brotherhood.”

“I—”

“Do it fucking now, or Sienna and I will take the babies for a little stroll through the park and let you finish this conversation with River.”

We both turned to look at River—who was currently blowing raspberries on a giggling Jeremiah’s stomach. I saw an adorable scene, but Damien...

He sat back down.

Reclaiming my seat, I flashed him another smile. “Now, let’s start again. How did you get involved with the Brotherhood? What do you know about them and what they’re planning against the Merchants?”

“I...” Damien glanced at River. “I know that I’m not a part of them. Whatever you’re thinking, I’m not in the Brotherhood.”

I leaned back, studying him. “But you know who they are.”

It wasn’t a question.

“Everyone knows who they are. Everyone who needs to know,” he stressed, “knows who they are.”

“But you’re not one of them?”

“No.”

“But you did steal the money?”

Damien squeezed his eyes shut, his jaw ticcing. “Yes,” he forced out. “I took the money.”

“Why?”

He flicked up, lips twisting. “Why not? I gave Caddell House ten years of my life, I’ve won two Phenomenal Five competitions, I was singlehandedly responsible for designing a line that gave Caddell House Cinco its most profitable year in twenty years, and do you want to know how management thanked me?

“They passed over me!” Damien punched the table. “They continually refused to promote me—claiming I was doing my best work ‘where I was.’ So why not?” he cried, throwing up his hands. “Why not take money they owed me anyway? There wasn’t any harm in it.”

“No harm?” My fists balled. “No harm in threatening innocent, hardworking people and making them believe they’dbe the target of a criminal organization if they didn’t comply with your demands? You call that harmless?”

Damien shrugged. “The Merchants demand a cut of everyone’s business. They want their name on every con, bribe, and murder. They got their wish.”

To say this man felt zero remorse for what he’d done was an understatement.

“So you wanted to get caught?” I asked. “Or I should say, you wanted the Merchants to get caught stealing from one of their most profitable, and legitimate business partners. That’s why you did such a clumsy and embarrassing job coveringSole’stracks.” I threw the folder back at him.

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