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CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

NASH

“King.”

That’s what Vale called me. That’s what brought me back to her, back to the moment and the mission.

Does she know what that word means in my world? Does she know what it means to be my queen?

Murder pumps through my veins over Turner, and the thought of Vale made into my queen only makes my rage pound harder.

Never. As if I wouldn’t gouge out eyes for looking at her. As if I wouldn’t gnash throats open for touching her.

There’s a plan for Turner today, and as of right now, it involves me.

I weave through the boisterous crowd in the clubhouse. Drinks are raised. Toasts are made. Bragging rights and bets are being cashed in. Aiming down the hall to the men’s room on the right, I turn left, opening the door to the manager’s office.

“I want in,” I say coldly to Axel, waiting there.

Jace took Vale to the kitchen. He’s feeding her a club sandwich and Arnold Palmer’s while we have eyes on Turner. Select trusted waitstaff. Our loyal bartender. A tournament marshal. As soon as Turner aims for the men’s room, he’s ours.

“No, Turner is mine.”

I can tell by Axel’s tone my change in plan amuses him, but he’s not buying it.

“Not anymore. After how he just spoke to Vale, I want blood.”

“And I want intel,” Axel orders. “We leave quietly, take him to the boat, and keep him until we get what we want. You can never end the demand for what Turner sells, but you can kill the suppliers. As many as we can.”

Axel sits on the edge of the manager’s desk. It’s just him and me and the syringe in Axel’s black leather-gloved hand.

This is standard operation for us. Stellar operation, actually. We’ve done this too many times.

“One day, you’re going to care,” I tell him. “You’re going to have someone you’d kill for.”

“I’ve killed for you. I’ve killed for my brothers. Don’t lecture me about loyalty.”

“Loyalty isn’t love,” I rage. “You choose to kill for loyalty. Love gives you no choice .”

“So you love her?” Axel softens. “You love Vale.”

“I do, and I can’t.”

He nods slowly. “Alena.”

“Yes, my other love, the other woman I’ll kill for.” I stand, staring down at Axel. I love him, but over this, I’ll kill him. He knows. “You will never have her. Alena will never be a queen like the others.”

“Then, at least make Vale your queen. You know she is! Make her our queen so the kings will protect her.”

Red rage threatens to veil my eyes again. When I get this mad, I fight to control it. I fight to remember what I said or did. Often, I don’t. It’s all instinct. It’s all animal. The man in me falls away, and the beast inside kills.

“No. One. Touches. Vale.”

“That’s not the custom. That’s not the bond.” Axel stands. We’re nose-to-nose. “That’s not how we escaped. How we’ve survived. How we’ve lived this long and will live to see another day. I will NOT be my father’s son! We will make our queens and our heirs, and we will protect them. We will serve them as much as they serve us.”

“You’re NOT your father’s son, so you can change,” I argue calmly. “ We can change.”

“If you want change,” he raises a brow, “talk to The Queen.”

“He’s on the move.” The radio behind Axel is barely audible, advising that our target is on the way.

“In honor of Vale, I’ll give you this one,” Axel says. “Have some fun with him, but don’t break him. I need him to have teeth so he can talk.” He sees the look on my face. “And a tongue and ears, too.”

“You’re no fun.”

“You’re in love, and I’m not aiming your loaded fist at an asset we need. I’ll already have to make Jace clean up your mess.”

Blood rushes through my veins. “You didn’t say anything about eyes.”

Axel shrugs. “They are an inconvenience in a lineup.” Long pause. “Leave him one. I want him to see it.”