Page 106 of King of Cruelty

“Those are real bombs, Ethan—and yes, I remember your name now,” Bane said to his raised brows. “It would’ve been a real explosion, and you would’ve been really alive and safe from the danger if Debra took my deal and let you out of the building, so yeah, that’s more than enough real to prove it wasn’t a trick.”

Ethan shared a look with his friends. “Why? Why would you care about saving us?”

“Because I get it now.Weget it now. We thought we were doing good. That we were making Cinco safer, better, and stronger for everyone—the underground and the rest—but we were fooling ourselves.” Bane unlocked the cuffs and flung them away like they were little more than an annoyance. “In a lot of ways, we were no better than Deb-Deb and her buddies. Using threats and force when we didn’t get compliance. Treating you like you were no better, and had no more value, than our enemies.”

Ethan’s jaw clenched, ticcing a wild beat. But he didn’t interrupt.

“You wanted to make us take notice? Make us listen?” Bane got up and crossed over to Debra’s body, completely ignoring the guns that flew up to follow him.

Taking the drive from her pocket, Bane put it on the table, took off his shoe, and smashed it.

“We’re listening,” he announced over my bug-eyed shock, and his mother’s proud smile. “No more threats. No more blackmail. If you want to work with us, we’ll sit down and talk partnership—equal partnership. But if you want to beenemies...” He grinned, shrugging. “Well, then, pick the time and place and we’ll show up with our own guns. I’m sure it’ll be fun.”

Ethan stared at him. What he was thinking, I had no idea. He didn’t let an iota of it show on his face.

“I’m sure it will be,” he said, lowering his gun. “Because we’ll be all squared up then. You saved our lives. We spared yours.” Ethan nodded to Beardy. “Tell the brothers to move out. The Fairfield is Merchant territory.”

Just like that, they turned to go—all of them texting and calling their brothers and sisters, telling them to leave the building.

“I’ll see you at that time and place, Bane.” Ethan put two fingers to his temple and saluted him. “We’ll settle that old score.”

Bane waved heartily. “Looking forward to it, brother. But don’t be a stranger in the meantime. Do a few drive-bys on me to let me know you’re thinking of me.”

Ethan actually laughed out loud, his guffaws echoing down the hallway.

“Why would you say that?” I bleated. “Stop joking around with violent, homicidal murderers!”

“Ahh, Ethan’s all right,” Bane said, waving my words away. “He’s just pissed because he used to run the biggest underground weapons business in Waterford until I raided him, killed half his guys, and put his ass in a coma.”

I just goggled at him as he rescued the key to the shackles from Natalya’s pocket and got to work freeing his family.

“I’m never going to get used to being a Merchant, am I?”

“Nope.”

Sunny, Liam, River, and Bane came over to me, wrapping me safe and warm in their arms.

“But the good news is,” Sunny said, kissing my forehead. “You have a lifetime to try.”

Epilogue

Five Years Later

“Shh.”

“Why?” Bane returned, peeling off my shirt. “No one else is around.”

“I don’t know.” I giggled, tugging at his belt. “We just have to shush.”

“Oh, well, I know what will help with that.” Bane captured my lips, gently guiding me back onto the seat.

I let him be as gentle as he wanted, but I was far from it—ripping his belt loose, tugging down his pants, and half ripping his boxers off his body.

It was wild to me how eager I still was for him after five years of Bane having fun with my body like I was his personal jungle gym, but I couldn’t help it. Every time was like the first time for me—I couldn’t get enough of him, Sunny, River or Liam.

Bane kissed down the valley of my breasts, making only two pit stops to suck on themhard, and turn the poor nubs into hardened, desperate pebbles.

“Ahh, baby, yes,” I moaned, back arching off the backseat.