Page 3

Abel grins. “That you had a baby to a King, and that Katsia was your mom.”
Nate
The way some people can manipulate you with their personality and decide what you want to see in them is bullshit. Unfortunately, most of us are those people, and I’m a fucking expert.
I slam the door closed, shaking my head and pacing back and forth in the room like a caged lion. Brantley keeps watching me from across the table, a smug smirk on his face.
“What the fuck was that?” I ask, challenging him with my shoulders back.
He doesn’t falter. “That was an angry Tillie, and you know what she gets like when she’s angry…”
I clench my jaw, chuckling. “Oh, brother, you have no idea…”
The door slams shut behind me and I turn, clenching the chair with my fists and watch as Bishop strolls in with a pale face. His eyes are blank. All emotion and color has drained from his face. I instantly go on alert, the thought of Madison flashing through my head. “What’s wrong?”
Bishop drags his eyes up to meet mine. “It seems I have a fucking brother.”
There’s a long pause for a few seconds as we all process his words.
“What do you mean a brother?” Eli asks, leaning forward on the table. Cash is sitting beside him, flicking a toothpick around in his mouth.
Bishop pulls at his hair and starts my pattern of pacing back and forth. It’s not like him. He’s usually calm and collected, but everything has had him on edge for a while now. I have thought up some theories on why he’s being like this, but truthfully, I’ve been so occupied with all that’s been going on in my life, I wouldn’t be able to pinpoint exactly when Bishop and Madison lost their shit. I could say it was around when Micaela was still alive…
“Playtime, boys,” Hector grinned, cranking his head and biting down on a thick cigar that was hanging out of his mouth. “Before you get excited, keep in mind that I have granted this girl a clear path out of here with her life, and we don’t break our word.”
“Why!” I snapped, just as we made our way into the elevator. “Why would you promise her that?”
“Because if we need her to control that island, son, she can do that. They still think she’s a Stuprum. We need her alive to be able to do that. And there’s another issue that I’ve been handling behind the scenes. I’ve been told that she’s been attempting a takeover…” His voice died out, a deep melody thundering through my ears.
All I want is my daughter. I don’t give a fuck about anything else right now. The soft melody blaring from the speakers was a poor attempt at calming the pheromones that were seeping off each of us. There were twelve of us all in total, with a couple standing guard downstairs and a sniper on the building over. You know, precautionary. We didn’t like to take someone out that way, but if one of The Kings were in danger and none of us were able to help, it was better to have an easy shot than no shot. Everyone is in position, and I can’t fucking wait to hold my daughter.
Every level that the elevator climbs, my heart thunders in my chest in sync to hers. Will she remember this when she’s older? Fuck, I hoped not. The elevator dings and the doors separate. Hector’s head raises, coming to the front of himself as a smirk touches his mouth. We’re instantly inside of a penthouse apartment with marble floors and white counters. I take one step inside and I fucking swear I can smell her. The innocence of a baby mixed with death is a heady combination, something that I wouldn’t give a fuck about had it not been my daughter. Peyton walks out into the sitting room with six other men, slowing her footsteps. She cradles my daughter in her arms, rocking her softly.
“Look, baby, there’s Daddy…”
I snarl at her, about to pounce when Bishop’s hand comes to my arm. “Give me my fucking daughter.”
Peyton rolls her eyes. “Always so dramatic, Nate. Tell me, how much did it hurt that Tillie kept her from you?”
My jaw clenches, my fist balled at my side.
Bishop brings his hand to my arm, stalling my movements. “Give me Micaela, Peyton, and we might just have our deal left on the table…”
I chuckle, leaning back and licking my lips. Like fuck am I letting this bitch walk out after taking my kid.
Her eyes come to me as if reading my thoughts. “For some reason, I don’t believe that I’ll walk out of here with my life.”
I don’t give her the reassurance that she so desperately wants. I’m no fucking liar. I remove my leather jacket, and then my shirt, tucking it into the back of my jeans. I smirk at Peyton, and she gulps, glaring at Bishop as they make a silent exchange. Something I’ll touch on later. She shifts closer to Bishop, putting Micaela into his arms.