Page 66 of Merciless

“Excuse me?”

“Sounds like you’re kissing the ground he walks on.”

“He’s a client and a friend.”

“Didn’t know Kingmaker had friends.”

“I don’t. Just him.”

“What’s he got to do with Kenny?”

“Kenny is the lead arms supplier for the Cavalno Syndicate. Cristian doesn’t want that to be the case any longer. It’s part of an overall strategic plan to oust his father from power. Taking Kenny out will send a message and deliver a powerful blow to his father’s empire, weakening it to—”

“Get it ready for a coup,” I finish for her.

She smiles. “Exactly. The kill must come from Cristian. A statement kill, if you will.”

“Never heard that terminology before.”

She shrugs. “It’s what I term it.”

“Well, it fits.”

“So? Do we have a deal? You hold off on Kenny and I’ll get it done for you via Cristian?”

“You know what that motherfucker did?”

“Yes, I’m aware. As I’ve said, he’ll pay.”

“Just not by my hand,” I seethe.

“You have the bigger picture to concern yourself with.”

I step up to her. “I don’t like people knowing too much about me.” Reaching out, I grasp her chin with my thumb and forefinger. Her breath hitches, her eyes flaming. She ain’t like nobody I’ve ever met before. She relaxes in my hold, a flash in her eyes as I tighten my grip enough for her to really feel it. She’s getting off on it. Just like I am. “What am I gonna do about that, sweetheart?”

“Make a new friend instead of seeing it as a threat.”

“Yeah, the problem is, I don’t wanna fuck my friends.”

Her hand shoots out, ripping my fingers from her. “Let’s start with dinner.”

“Dinner?”

“I would’ve suggested a drink, but you look like crap right now, you’re gonna need sustenance.”

“I don’t do the wining and dining thing.”

“And I don’t let a man treat me like a whore.”

“Not to worry. I’d never treat Kingmaker like that. There’s too much respect on my end for what you do and what you’ve accomplished.”

“So, you’re game then?”

I grin. “Hell, yeah, I’m game.”

Pulling from my thoughts of that day so long ago, I take a sip of my scotch and watch Charlotte sleeping on the couch. She won’t sleep in the spare room, citing that she wants to be on edge to stay alert with the Gatekeepers threat still out there, thinking it’s just a matter of time before they track us down at this safehouse.

At least she’s resting, even if it ain’t in the way I want her to be.

“Fuck,” I mutter.

A hell of a lot has changed since that day.

But some things never will.

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