Page 35 of Always A Villain

The lockdown’s lifted. I relieved the extra security around the house, and Sovereign clubs are reopening. ThePavilion’s first—Siren shows back on schedule. But the thought of Rory on that stage doesn’t sit right. Maybe she’s been safe so far, but everything’s different now. It’s like a loaded gun waiting for someone to pull the trigger.

I glance at Griffen. “Still got your hook with City PD?” Scrolling through my phone, I delete the flood of useless emails.

He frowns. “Yeah, why?”

“Pull the police reports from the night Rory’s mother was killed. Everything—DNA, prints, any evidence. I want to know if it was actually investigated or if they buried it.” My fingers drum against the table, my jaw tight.

He gives me a sharp look. “Why the fuck do you care?”

“They never caught the men who did it. And they should have.” Her father should’ve made them pay—made someone pay.

Shaking his head, he huffs a laugh. “What, you suddenly give a shit? You gonna avenge her mother now?”

I shoot him a look. “This isn’t a fucking joke. No, I’m not talking about revenge. I just find it real fucking strange that a Commander’s wife gets slaughtered in his own house, and no one’s caught. And the men who killed her were Italian.”

Griffen sits up as his smirk fades. “You think it was a hit?”

“I don’t know.” Frustration coils in my gut. “But something’s off. There’s too much that doesn’t add up.”

He nods, serious now. “Alright. I’ll make some calls. Get access to the case files.”

“Tornerò per te,”I mutter.

“What?”

“The intruders told Rory, ‘I’ll come back for you.’ Theyweren’t just there to kill—they were going to take her.”

“Why?”

“Exactly.” I lean back in my chair, the wood creaking under my weight. “What was their fucking angle? They rape and murder your wife in front of your kid, and instead of finishing the job, they leave, telling her they’ll be back? Then what? You’re one of the most powerful Sovereigns, who issues Death Bonds all the fucking time. And you can’t catch the bastards who did it?” Rage seeps into my voice. “If you lost your wife, almost lost your kid, wouldn’t you tear the world apart to hunt those bastards down? Why wasn’t Conrad all over this?”

“Why the hell areyoudigging into this?” His eyebrow arches, like he’s waiting for me to say something stupid.

“Because.” The word grinds out of me like gravel. The truth’s been clawing at me for a while now, but it’s only just hit me full force. “Rory deserves closure. She’s carried the weight of her mother’s death for years, and her father’s done jack shit about it. No justice. No revenge. It’s not right.”

Griffen scoffs. “And you’re gonna do what, exactly? Go on a one-man crusade?”

“I’ll do whatever the fuck it takes,” I snap. “She deserved better. She still does.”

Griffen leans back, arms crossed, smirking again. “Since when did the Reaper turn vigilante?”

It’s a dig, but he’s got a point. I’m a killer with no conscience. When the hell did I start giving a damn about anything?

“It’s not about being a vigilante. She needs closure. I’m just giving her that.”

“Right. It’s okay to have a crush on your wife, Axe. It’s normal, even.”

“I don’t have a fucking crush. I’m just—” I stop myself. Saying it out loud would crack open something I’ve kept locked down for too long.

“Caring about someone other than yourself?” He’s smug as ever. “Experiencing human emotion beyond rage and murderous intent? Wow. Big steps.”

“Fuck off.” I roll my eyes. “Just get the police report. And stop running your fucking mouth.”

I stand before I throw something at him harder than the car keys.

“Sure thing, boss.” With a mock salute, he dodges the keys I whip at his head. “And don’t worry, I won’t breathe a word to your wife about your feelings. Scout’s honor.”

“Bastard,” I mutter, storming out the door. His laughter grates against my nerves like nails on a chalkboard.