Page 46 of King of Cruelty

“What the hell are you talking about?” River barked. “Stop talking in riddles.”

“I’m not—” He carded his hands through his hair. “I’m trying to explain!”

“Do a better job.”

I glanced at my own baby while they argued. Laurel was very happily playing with her auntie, completely unaware of the drama unraveling around her.

“—names or people,” Damien said. “I just know that the Brotherhood was founded by victims of the Merchantsforvictims of the Merchants. When I was around fifteen, I heard my aunt Della tell my mom that a woman approached her coming out of the grocery store.” Damien dragged my attention back to him. “She told her that she knew my aunt lost her father duringthe riots on the Night of Tears. He owned a jewelry store. They busted in and looted the place. He tried to stop them and... I’m sure you can guess what happened.”

We could.

“So this woman,” he continued. “She went on about it being all the Merchants’ fault. All Adeline’s fault. She ruined my aunt’s life and killed her father, and she was owed revenge. Revenge that this woman would help her get.

“My aunt said no.”

“She said no?” I repeated. “Why?”

“Because she didn’t blame Adeline or the Merchants. She never did. The store was looted by a band of violent, opportunistic psychopaths. The Merchants had nothing to do with it,” he said. “But even if she did hold them responsible, Adeline already made it right.”

River and I sat up straight.

“What do you mean?” I asked. “How—?”

The office door opened. Talia stuck her head out, found Jeremiah immediately, confirmed he was sleeping safe and peacefully, gave her husband a poisoned glare, then turned.

“Sweetie,” Damien called. “Please, let me—”

The slam and click of the lock were deafening.

Slumping over, the end of his cushy life feeding off his wife’s millions hit Damien like a battering ram.

And I couldn’t give a shit. “What do you mean?” I demanded. “How did Adeline make it right?”

“She... uh... She...” He tossed his head, fighting to reclaim some of his dignity. “Adeline Redgrave started a charitable fund laundered through Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Cathedral. That fund has been giving money and support to victims of the Night of Tears, and even victims of the ledger, for decades.

“A few months after her dad was killed, the charity paid out her mom’s claim when the insurance company refusedto. And then again, when Aunt Della got accepted into Cinco University, the charity came out of nowhere and offered her a full scholarship,” he said, blowing my brows up.

I glanced at River, but he was sitting there very still with a strange look on his face.

“Aunt Della didn’t know it was her or the Merchants who were really behind the money, but she found out.” Damien smirked. “I’ve only ever told you, Kenzie, about my sweet auntie who babysat me for free, and dropped in my dorm with care packages when I was in college.

“I never told you she runs a private cybersecurity firm and has contracts with the government.”

“No, you did not,” I muttered. “So, she dug into the records of the charity to find out who her fairy godmother was, and she discovered it was Adeline.”

Damien tipped his head. “I don’t know if my aunt ever hated the Merchants, but after seeing that name on the records, she definitely didn’t hate them anymore. Honestly, I think that’s what got to her the most,” he said softly. “That Adeline didn’t reveal herself. She didn’t shout about it, ask for credit, or try to be anyone’s fairy godmother. She just helped people. A grieving mother and daughter who had no one and Adeline just... helped them.”

We were quiet for a long spell.

“Anyway,” Damien said, tossing his head. “When the Brotherhood approached her, they didn’t have the trigger they thought they did. She said no, and then she said no again, and then again when the woman approached her a third time. Each time the woman got angrier and angrier with my aunt—going on about her being a coward who doesn’t give a shit about her own father.” He chuckled. “Aunt Della backhanded her across the face and sliced her cheek open. She told that woman she and Adeline settled their business a long time ago, and she shouldsettle her own fucking grudges instead of goading people like my aunt into doing it for her.

“That was the last time that woman ever came around.”

I nodded slow. “That woman was so persistent because she wanted your aunt in particular for the Brotherhood. Or I should say, she wanted her skills, business, and expertise.”

Damien didn’t disagree. “And all she got was my mom and aunt laughing in the kitchen over glasses of chardonnay about the time a criminal organization tried to recruit my tea-loving, sweater-knitting, computer-nerd auntie.”

“Hmm,” I hummed, looking down at the baby. “But what about the Brotherhood? If your aunt used her skills to hack into a Catholic charity, then she must’ve looked into the same criminal organization that kept stalking her.”

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