Page 86 of Wanted By a King

That’s the only response she could come up with.

Nodding, Rocco takes the book and charges out of his office and into the main room where the sounds of skin slapping, and numerous moans meet our ears.

“Everyone make yourself fucking decent!” Rocco bellows, and as I come up behind Rocco, my eyes fall over the room to see everyone obeying their President.

“Gray. What’s happening now? Has he lost his mind?” Zoe asks, gripping my bicep in a death grip.

“No, Princess. This is how things are run,” I state, looking down at her fearful expression as she watches my club brothers tuck their dicks away, and the girls cover their cunts.

“It was only a matter of days ago that I had to stand before you and deliver a banishment punishment to one of our longest members,” Rocco states and everyone shifts around the room, taking seats to listen to their ruler.

I take Zoe’s hand in mine, but remain off to the side, knowing what’s coming, even though Zoe doesn’t.

She has to learn the hard way.

“The crime was a betrayal. Helping a captive escape. And while Cara was the instigator in the treasonous act, she wasn’t the only one involved.” Rocco turns his attention to Zoe briefly, and I feel her stiffen next to me, so I run my thumb over the back of her hand, hoping it will soothe her. For now.

“There was a second person that helped Cara get Zoe out, and as such, that person must also be punished.”

The men look around the room at each other and the Cruz Cunts, while the women all stiffen, and I realize they all know who Rocco is referring to.

One look at Alana, and I see the way she shrinks in on herself, like she wants to hide.

Unfortunately, she has nowhere to run.

“Alana, please come here.”

The women cry out their protests as Zoe turns to me with desperation in her eyes.

“Are you really going to stand by and let this happen again?”

Shaking my head, I cup her jaw and angle her head up. “I’m sorry, Princess. Our rules are our laws. Don’t you think he wanted to ignore them to save the woman he loved?” I shake my head hating the helplessness in her eyes. “He had to enforce them against the love of his life. And he has to enforce them now.”

With her lower lip trembling, she snatches her hand from mine and steps back so I can no longer hold her face in my palm.

“If you let this happen, I will never forgive you.”

“I can’t change what’s about to happen, Princess, anymore than I can convince you that I’m sorry for what I did to you at that club in front of everyone.”

Her blue eyes turn stone cold as her lip curls and a look of disgust transforms her.

Fuck. I think I just lost her. But then again. Maybe I never had her in the first place.

She can try to push me away, but her fate is sealed to mine. One day, she’ll realize that fighting it is futile.

With Alana now standing before Rocco, his voice quietens the room again, everyone worried, yet eager to hear what comes next.

“Here in my hand, I hold our rules. Our laws.” Rocco holds up the book in question. “It states, that the Mama is the one that will deliver the punishment to one of her girls, and in the case that the Mama is not available to enforce the punishment, that the President or Vice President must ensure the act is completed in its entirety.” He drops the book on the table next to him, not taking his eyes off Alana. “A few days ago, you women chose yourself a new leader.” He points aggressively toward Zoe, who is now a number of feet away from me. “Zoe Miller.”

All eyes turn to her, and she glares at Rocco. “I won’t do it. I’ve already told you that.”

He nods. “Since she is too cowardly to accept the responsibility of the role you have voted her into, it means I must issue the punishment.”

Murmurs float through the room, sniffling coming from some of the women as they huddle together.

Turning his attention to the book, he flips it to the back pages. “The list of acceptable punishments for a Cruz Cunt is listed here, as drawn up by the original Mama. And since your new leader refuses to take her role seriously, I will take a vote on which punishment it will be.”

Every time he insults Zoe, my hands fist tighter with the need to fucking punch him. I get that he’s pissed off, and trying to prove a fucking point to my princess, but it doesn’t mean I have to fucking like the way he’s going about it.

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