Page 172 of Wanted By a King

Having a memorial is the way of the Cruz Kings, so I want to make sure it’s done correctly.

“No one will miss that crazy fucker,” Rose snarls. “We all hated him.”

What. The. Fuck.

“He scared us, Zoe,” Beth squeaks. “Gunner was… he was a fucking psycho. Why do you think we dragged you up on stage that night you were here with him? We did it to save you.”

“What?” I whisper, startled by that revelation.

Rose nods. “Okay, so we didn’t like you, and might have done it, anyway. But once you arrived with him, wehadto. Even when we thought you were part of your dad’s scheme, we didn’t want Gunner near you. He is…wasthe fucking worst.”

The way they speak about Gunner makes it sound like he was evil incarnate. Within minutes, everyone is eager to spill the tea about their encounters with him.

Alana lifts the hem of her dress, showing a scar spanning around her inner thigh. “He did this to me when I didn’t want to blow him.”

Letting the fabric fall back into place, she moves Beth’s bra strap to the side. My eyes widen like saucers as I take in the faded red cigarette-sized burn marks on her shoulder.

“He used me to put out his cigarettes when I turned him down to spend the night with Gray,” she admits softly. Then her eyes dart to me. “Sorry, Z. I know you’re with him now, but… well… we all have a past.”

Of course, I know Gray has a past. I’ve never outright asked him, but I’m pretty sure he’s fucked most of the Cruz Cunts. Not that I should be focusing on that part of what she said.

My stomach churns, threatening to send my breakfast back up as I listen to the cacophony of vile encounters they’ve had with Gunner. Tears gather in my eyes as they all eagerly show me what they call the ‘Gunner leftover’. In short, he’s marked at least half, and they all claim they never asked for it.

“But you did,” I snap, pointing at Rhiannon. “I saw you the night he had you bound and gagged. When I tried to help, you said you wanted it.”

I try to think back, wanting to make sure I recall it correctly.

She doesn’t deny it.

“What else could I say? If I outed him, he’d have to let me go because it was you.”

“I don’t follow,” I interject.

Rhiannon rolls her eyes. “If I’d admitted to you that I didn’t want to be there, you would have gone to Gray, right?”

I nod, affirming her question.

“And then what? He would speak with Gunner, his best fucking friend. Do you think he’d believe me over him?”

Right, I get it now. That would have been fucked up, and I honestly don’t know how Gray would have reacted. I’d like to think he’d believe me if I told him that Rhiannon was being used like that. But that’s not the right question to ask myself. What I have to consider, would I have believed her? I’m not sure I would have.

Now, I absolutely believe her. I’m fucking shocked and disgusted, but I believe her. After what Gunner did to Gray, how could I doubt he’d hurt other people in different ways?

“So why didn’t you tell Mama C?”

The women exchange glances, and I get the feeling they aren’t keen to answer me.

“How can we know she’d take our side?” Rose asks softly. “She knew Gunner before they started the Cruz Kings.”

“I get it,” I croak, licking my dry lips. “If I’d known… I-I’m so sorry, Rhiannon.”

Even though no one but myself and Gray knows, I’m embarrassed that after what I saw in Gunner’s room, I fucked Gray.

Fuck…ifI’d known… Ishouldhave known. But no. As soon as I left, it became an afterthought. My own pathetic attempts at revenge on Gray weighed heavier on my mind.

Shaking my head, I roll my shoulders back. I can’t afford to break down. The Cruz Cunts lost a sister, and the Kings lost two brothers. I have to stay strong.

Looking around at the Cruz Cunts is weird. They’re all dressed in the normal clothes provided by Cain, which means they are wearing dresses with very modest necklines, which is quite a contrast to their usual attire.

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