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Her name sounded familiar, and I tried to pinpoint where I’d heard it before. The realization sent me staggering back a step.

Olivia.

Fallon’s ex-girlfriend.

Correction: ex-fiancée.

I never met the girl before. None of us had. Hell, half of my brothers hadn’t even known she existed, Fallon preferring to keep his personal life private. I only knew about her because he had gotten drunk one night and complained.

I knew very little of their relationship. She was selected by Fallon’s father and uncle because of her connections in the government.

Why the fuck was she here?

Fallon seemed to be on a similar wavelength, for he took a step closer, arms raised like a prisoner approaching a police officer. His lips moved rapidly - too rapidly for me to comprehend.

It was only then I saw her hand reach for the gun in her back pocket, Fallon oblivious. I opened my mouth to scream, to warn him, when Olivia lurched forward suddenly. She turned away from Fallon, towards me, and her hands went to the front of her white blouse. Blood stained the shirt, rapidly growing. Her eyes went white in the second it took for them to close, and she collapsed to the floor.

Fallon’s eyes were wide, almost saucers. At first, I thought he was shocked and upset at seeing his dead ex on the floor, blood rapidly pooling around her. But then I realized his attention wasn’t on her, but on something over my shoulder.

I spun, gun raised.

My breath left me in a whooshing exhale. Every nerve in my body came to life like a fire burning just beneath my skin. It was like a dream, and I was afraid that opening my eyes would rip it away from me.

Calax held Addie tightly with one large arm beneath her ass while his other hand held a gun. His expression was grim, face haggard, as he stared at the dead woman.

“I’ve been wanting to kill that bitch from the first moment she laughed at me. The first time she slapped me. The first time she touched me without my damn permission.” He glanced up then, and a sly smile worked up his lips. “Did you guys miss me?” Staring wistfully down at Addie, he added, “Miss us?”