Page 63 of Filthy Little Regrets (Princes of NYC #2)

forty-one

CASSIA

A few days later, the news of Darius’s death breaks, alongside the story of his collusion with the bratva.

Details of payoffs from Grigory, an altered version of the contract they were going to sign, and more, comes out.

Mace and I may have planted some extra evidence to help solidify the Russian connection.

The whole world believes Darius Astor got tired of the tech game and tried to enter the criminal underworld, only to find his brutal end before he could even get started.

The rest of the Astor family is cleared of any connection to the murder and the bratva, and luckily, there are enough investments elsewhere that the loss of Darius’s income is hardly a problem.

Rex Technologies was mostly safe from the aftermath, but there are a few changes within the board and executive positions.

Mace stepped down as CTO but still retains his seat on the board of managers.

In the weeks that follow, Elaine and Adalie move back home. Mace terminates Darius’s personal guards, and we settle into a new sort of peace...but there’s still one problem I have to deal with.

Paige Smith is tied up, gagged, and unconscious, alongside the ex-captain of Dare’s yacht—her boyfriend.

Once Mace started tracking Paige and found video evidence of her and the captain on a date, it was easy to put the pieces together.

He betrayed us all the night we dealt with Rayce and Ryker.

It’s poetic that he’ll meet the same end that they did.

Given the recent betrayal, Frank, Remy’s dad, is operating the boat with some of his most trusted men.

Apparently, mercenaries can do more than just kill. Who knew?

Mace’s fingers trace up my spine, a soothing touch I don’t need so much as desperately crave. Dare, Rose, and Remy all stand on the deck with us, watching the sun set along the horizon and breathing in the fresh, saline-coated air as the sky turns vibrant shades of pink and purple.

It’s almost peaceful.

Agent Smith comes to with a gasp, eyes swinging around the boat and ruining whatever serenity we were all about to enjoy. As always, her timing is terrible . She writhes and tries to break out of the restraints. A pointless struggle, but it’s human nature to try and get free.

Dare releases a breath and glances at Mace. “Care to join me?”

“Cassia?” my husband asks.

“Always.”

Together, Mace, Dare, and I head toward where Paige lies, screaming, her face an ugly shade of crimson.

The captain has yet to awaken, thanks to the massive gash on his forehead.

Dare hit him a little too hard with the butt of his gun.

He was furious when he found out the captain was the reason Paige could send a drone out to capture incriminating photos.

Trust is important to Dare, and when you break it, well, I think we all know what’s about to happen.

I stare down at Paige, unaffected by her desperate pleas as her reality sets in.

“You lied to me,” I tell her as she lashes around.

“You don’t work for the FBI anymore.” Her termination was covered up, but Mace managed to call a few friends and get some intel.

Apparently, she was reckless and got into a gunfight in a mall.

A dozen civilians died, thanks to her negligence.

I guess she thought nabbing the Astors would somehow get her job back.

“And Ian—” I cut off, swallowing a wave of sadness.

He was found dead in what was supposed to be a safe house.

I don’t know who killed him, but I do know that Paige lied to me and she probably lied to him.

He never had protection. He was always vulnerable.

Maybe Morozov’s men tracked him down and killed him, or maybe he had some other enemies out there.

Regardless, he’s dead because she didn’t give him the safety he actually needed.

“You killed him. You may not have pulled the trigger, but your negligence did it.”

“And as for your friends who thought it was a good idea to help you,” Mace begins, squatting down in front of her. “One had a heart attack, and the other got into an accident.” He shakes his head. “Your buddy was drunk. Luckily, no one else was hurt.”

Dare nudges the captain with his foot, but the guy doesn’t move.

“I think I killed your boyfriend,” he says, voice devoid of remorse.

Dare doesn’t let many people into his circle, and he had been friends with the captain for years.

Above everything else, Dare will do anything to keep his family safe.

Mace and I are lucky enough to be part of it.

Paige’s eyes widen and she rolls over, seeing her lover for the first time.

Her scream is muffled by the gag, and as wounded as it is, I can’t find an ounce of sympathy.

If she was desperate enough to try to blackmail me, who’s to say she won’t try again?

She’s killed innocent people. Ian had his flaws, sure, but he didn’t deserve to die.

All of these things are her fault. Paige is not a good person.

I don’t have any grand speech for her, only a burning desire to watch her sink into the ocean. Maybe she’ll find a place next to Rayce and Ryker. The three of them can burn in hell together.

“Goodbye, Paige.”

As my words draw her attention, she starts to plead for her life once more. I shake my head, stand, and nod at Dare. Remy and Frank appear, and together, the three of them toss Paige and the captain overboard.

Rose drops her arm around my shoulder. “All this death is making me famished.”

I side-eye her. “We just killed two people and you’re hungry?”

She tips her head. “You’re not?”

Sighing, I wrap my arm around her. “You know me well.”

Mace appears in front of us. “Not better than me, I hope.” His rich voice strokes down my spine, and I step out of Rose’s hold and into his.

“I love you,” I tell him.

“For the record, I called it,” Rose says. “Didn’t I call it? I said, give it a try, Cassia . You might like hate sex. You might like fucking the man you hate. You might ?—”

Mace looks at her. “We get it.”

“What’d you say about falling in love with me?

” Dare grabs her and draws her in for a dramatic, Hollywood-style kiss.

Their PDA used to make me a little sick to the stomach and a lot jealous, but Mace’s arms tighten around me, and I get it.

When you find the love of your life, it’s hard to care about what anyone else thinks.

“Hey, baby?”

I look at my husband, a grin tugging at my lips. “Yeah?”

“I love you too.” His lips capture mine, stealing my breath, tugging on my heartstrings, and filling my body with warmth from head to toe.

I’ve lost track of the pieces in our game of chess, but if this is checkmate, I’ll happily lose as long as it means I get to keep him and this happiness we’ve found.