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“Those who step out of line and place our family, our friends in danger. I make examples and evoke fear, so others don’t repeat the same mistakes. It’s not about power or money, it’s about respect and balance.”

“Either way it’s a man’s job. You can believe whatever you want,” I snarl.

“Um, we’ll see about that.”

“Fuck you, you cunt.”

Before the words are fully out of my mouth, a bag is thrown over my head. I try to fight, but someone digs their hand into the open wound in my shoulder, and I end up screaming in pain instead. The pain is blinding.

* * *

Dean

I tugon my gloves as the metal rack heats up in the fire. I have Myron in an old foundry, I needed the space for what all I have planned for him.

I have Myron restrained naked from the waist up. You would think piercing his back with thirty hot rings before stringing them with braided wire cable and hoisting him up by the rings would have been enough for me. However, he needs to be an example.

Once the protective gloves are on my hands, I reach for the rack and nod for Ronan to hoist Myron up higher. He grins and nods before raising the screaming bastard up a little more, so I have a view of his chest.

I look Myron right in the eyes. “You have any last requests or words you’d like to say?”

“Your mother is a whore, and your brother is a pussy. I should have fucked your sister while I had her. My father is justified in hating you all.

“Especially your whore mother. They’re coming for you, and you don’t even know it. You’re hiding for nothing, bitch,” he snarls.

“Oh, I thought you were going to say something worth hearing.” I shrug and lift the rake to thrust into his lower abdomen.

I bob my head and wiggle my neck to the sounds of his screams as if it’s music. Opening my mouth in a full, toothy smile, I drag the rake to his shoulder blades. Then I turn and dip my knee to lean in and use all my body weight to pull until I feel the rake catch under his chin and hear the snap of his neck.

“Aw, now that was satisfying,” I purr as I turn to find his head limp between his shoulders. “I want him hung up just like that over his daddy’s desk. Scoop up his insides and take them too. Let that motherfucker know I’m coming.”

CHAPTER41

Family

Dean

“You look good,”I say to Lyric as he walks into my office at the penthouse.

“So do you. You look happy.”

“Nothing to complain about, so I guess you can say I am. Is Anika with you?”

Mom was so happy to find out about Lyric. We waited until he woke from his coma before we dropped that bomb on her. Dayton and Mom have been spending more time together, but Mom has been cautious.

We don’t know why Dayton kept my dad’s murder to himself. He says it’s not time yet. He has owned up to the calls from Phoebe Romaine.

First, the one about Lyric and then the call to get Ronan to find me in Vegas when my mother was husband hunting for me. I never got to meet the woman before she died.

I didn’t get to meet her gifted granddaughter either. LaSalle has been through a lot. I feel bad for him.

“Yeah, she and Mom are in the kitchen with Ronan. I wanted to talk to you real quick.”

There are still some answers I’m waiting to find. Marlow took off after finding his son’s mangled body in his home. His other two sons are missing right along with him.

My gut tells me they won’t be gone for long. I’m just waiting for my time. I look at Lyric and nod.

“Come sit. What’s up?”