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He shrugs, carefully regarding our brother. “She’s the whole reason he got busted. I figured he just wants to fuck some of his grudge into her.”

I know he spent some time in prison, but… “Remember how he got Effie?”

She belonged to one of Father’s VIPs at the Gentleman’s Chamber. The guy brought her in one day, thinking she’d impress the dancers, but Pace held her for all of ten seconds and decided she’d be his by the end of the month. The whole quest was absurdly,dangerouslysingle-minded.

Lex watches him, his face growing stony, and I nod. “He’s still Pace, bro.”

“Fuck.”

“Yeah.” That’s basically the gist of it. Pace doesn’t get his claws into just anything–or anyone. He doesn’t have flings. He has projects. Fixtures. Should have known a little thing like her getting him convicted for a felony wouldn’t stand in his way.

“It’s not like there’s anything we could do,” Lex sighs, a frown etched into his forehead. “I’m not even really fucking her. In front of him. Like other people.”

The look he slides to me evokes a winced grin. “Oops.”

Has to be done, though. Pace has never fucked a girl I haven’t already had or eventually gotten to, and he’s never made a fuss. If he asked me to, I’d do my best, but he won’t. If something’s going to break us, it’s not going to be gutter trash like Verity Sinclaire.

“You ready?” Lex asks, draining the last of his coffee. He opens the door and I follow him into the room. Pace barely looks up to acknowledge it, focused on his work. He takes his time as he meticulously wipes each instrument down, testing and cataloging. It’s an important job. A dull blade can completely ruin a contract.

I walk over and grab our new mark by the back of the neck, lifting him like a puppet. “You say he branded some chick at the Hideaway?” I ask, assessing Bruce. He wasn’t exactly easy to beat at Friday Night Fury. West Enders are built like the bears on their sigils, but us? We’re a finesse organization–work smarter, not harder. I had to beat Bruce with my wits, misdirecting him hit after hit.

“Payne was pissed,” Pace says, breaking his silence. “Wants to send a message to his girls.”

“Dumb bastard.” I look down at his face. “Kicked out of his frat, crossed the Lords, and now he’s in our hands.”

We told the Dukes we’d get rid of him, and we will. Probably. Once we’re finished.

But the truth is, executions aren’t our style. As far as torture goes, the Palace’s dungeon is practically a five-star resort. Almost every mark leaves this place alive, and that’s something we pride ourselves on.

Professionalism.

Lex opens a cabinet and pulls out a small leather pouch. Inside are bottles and syringes. He pokes the needle into one of the bottles and withdraws the liquid. Walking over, he stabs the needle into Bruce’s forearm.

“That should wake him up.”

I clap my hands and rub them together, feeling the surge of endorphins. Hockey, lacrosse, sex… or this.Thiswill keep the urges at bay until I can get back to the Princess.

“Or…” Angling my hand back, I slap him hard across the face. His neck snaps, eyes fluttering open. Leaning over him, I grab the arms of the chair, grinning. “Rise and shine, Oakfield.”

He blinks. “What the—” His arm moves futilely, still strapped down. “Where the fuck am I?”

I give his cheek an aggressive pat. “You’re where fuck-ups go to beg for mercy.”

He scans his bound arms and legs, the instrument table, me, Pace and Lex. Slowly, his eyes grow wild with panic. “Listen, whoever’s paying you to do this… the Dukes, Lords… you know my father will give you double.” Across the room, Pace lifts a torch and sparks it to life, the butane giving off a hiss as the room glows bright with the flame. Bruce swallows as he watches Pace coolly lift a rod to the flame. “Triple.”

I give an exaggerated sigh. “Okay, that’s just insulting. The three of us combined probably have more money in our trust funds than your dad’s made his entire life.” I jerk back and Lex drags a metal chair from across the room, placing it behind me. Always a facilitator, my big brother. “But since you seem confused, let me explain a few things for you.” I sit, facing Bruce. “You’ve upset some pretty fucked-up people.”

“Goddamn Bruins,” he says, tongue darting out to lick the blood off his split lip.Oops.

“For example,” I agree. “Do you know how much it hurts to call Simon Perilini King?” I twist up my face. “It’s disgusting. A disgrace to the whole system. Saul Cartwright was a legend.” I sigh, leaning back and stretching my legs out—the opposite of Bruce’s position. “But Perilini is a King now,and we’ve got to respect that. It’s just how the game is played. What you did to them? I don’t know, but he doesn’t just want you out of the frat, he wants you off the board completely.”

Lex walks over and grabs his head, twisting it to the side. He presses his fingers against his pulse.

Because he’s an absolute dumbfuck, Bruce glares up at him. “If you don’t want money, then what do you want? Because I’ve got a date with a Phi Mu at six.”

I snort a laugh, becauseJesus Christ, this guy. “First, we’re going to deal with how you treated that woman at the Hideaway.”

His face screws up. “The whore? Suddenly you’re protecting LDZ pussy?”