Page 33 of Darkest Game

“He was going to take my wife for himself. I couldn’t stand for that so I killed him. And I now have the right to take over as leader. As boss. I’m taking it.”

One of the men scoffs. “You can’t be serious, Liam. You can’t just take over after you killed Jack. You’re going to die for this.”

“No. I’m not. Because I know a lot of you hated Jack. Hated how controlling he was. I won’t be a controlling boss like him. You guys know me. You know how laid back I am. Usually. I’ll offer you more freedom if you make me the boss.”

“No,” Elaine snaps, standing up. “He needs to pay for killing Jack. That little Russian slut needs to pay.”

“Irina didn’t kill Jack. I did. She doesn’t need to pay for this.”

“It’s clear she’s involved in this too,” another guest says. I don’t know any of their names despite them being at my wedding.

“But she was taken as a prisoner and forced into this. She is not to blame. If you want to blame anyone, blame me.”

I stare at Liam in shock. He’s actually trying to protect me right now.

“There needs to be a trial,” Elaine says. “Grab them. Lock them both up. They need to pay for killing my beloved Jack.”

Liam snorts “Beloved? You were fucking pissed a moment ago that he tried to fuck another woman over you. You have no love for him.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about. Seize them!”

The three other men hesitate.

“We’re not really looking for a fight,” one of them says.

“They killed Jack. They have to pay.”

Liam lifts up the gun he stole from the guard. I didn’t even realize he had grabbed it after he threw it at Jack. “I will shoot everyone in this hallway if you try to attack me.”

“You do have to face the punishment,” one of the men says. They all look the same to me. Pasty white skin. Same dark hair. All around the same age.

“Do you want to die trying to stop me?”

The three men exchange looks then turn to their wives.

“No,” they say.

“Good. Let us through.” Liam grabs my hand and tugs me along as he leads me to the elevator. No one tries to attack us.

Once we’re inside the elevator, he slumps against the wall. “Fuck. None of this is going to plan.”

“Did you even have a plan?”

“Honestly, no. I just knew I had to save you. I had to kill that fucker. Fuck.” He runs his hands down his face. “I don’t know what the fuck to do.”

“Can I help?”

“How can you help? You’re the reason I’m in this mess.”

I flinch from the hardness in his tone. “I didn’t ask for this, Liam.” My tone isn’t angry. Just matter-of-fact.

“I know you didn’t. I just meant that you’re the reason I went in there. I had to stop him from hurting you.” He won’t look me in the eye, I notice. Whatever Liam is feeling doesn’t make sense to me. He doesn’t care for me and yet he’s willing to kill a man to save my life?

The elevator doors open and we’re confronted with Jack’s guards. They all have their guns trained on us. Five of them in total.

“You’re coming with us,” a guard says, before punching Liam in the face and stomach and taking his gun from him.

I’m grabbed by one of the guards and dragged from the elevator. No one in the lodge asks any questions. Not the bellhop. Not the hotel clerk. Not the maids.