Page 26 of Reign (Kings of Chaos & Mayhem #8)

Dario

Phone Calls it's time for us to go!” I say, trying to get off the phone as fast as possible before I have to go into another room and take care of business.

“I love y-you too. Oh God, Spade,” she moans again, then the line goes dead. Shoving my phone in my pocket, I look up and Ryder has a look of disgust across his face.

“Um, next time you might want to take your earpiece out,” Ryder suggests as Jameson stares down both Asher and Stone, who have their hands covering their dicks.

“Fuck my life!” I say, throwing my hands up in the air. “Get it together! Fuck! Everyone in the G-Wagons. Let’s go!” I order.

Everyone does as they’re told, and we leave the compound. Asher and Stone ride with Ryder, and Jameson is with me with his laptop in hand ready to go the minute we get a signal at the house.

Two weeks ago, Flynn sent over eight brand new G-Wagons for each of us, Ophelia, and security. Jameson refused it, not taking it until Flynn accepts him into the family. I hope that happens soon because I know it's weighing heavily on him.

Looking over at him, I see his knee shaking up and down, cluing me in that he is nervous.

“Jameson. What’s up? You seem very unsettled lately. What’s going on?” I ask, and he huffs.

“I don’t like Jade being gone. I hate that I couldn’t go with her, and most of all, I’m freaking out about Preston being born,” he says, exasperated.

“You have nothing to worry about. Jade is safe. The job she went there to do is finished. She will be home tomorrow,” I tell him, and he takes a deep breath.

“I know, but you know me. I will not be okay until she is in my sight,” he says, and I laugh.

“Oh, I know, and then in a few weeks, Preston will be born, and that baby will have you wrapped around his fingers,” I say, and he smirks.

“I just hope I can be a good dad. Ya know? After the piece of shit father I have. I don’t ever want to be like him, and that’s what I’m afraid of,” he confesses, and I sigh.

“You are already a good dad, Brother. Jaxon, Hazel, and Prince love you, and I say with my whole chest that Preston will love you all the same. You make being a dad look easy. Don’t doubt yourself,” I assure him, and he nods.

“I really hope so. I just want to be the best dad to them and help you guys. Sometimes I think I’m doing this whole parenting thing all wrong,” he whispers.

“Nah, I commend you for the patience you have for our kids. You never have patience for anything or anyone, but you are the most considerate and patient when it comes to them,” I admit, and he turns to me, and I smile.

“I’m serious. I don’t say this shit to boost your ego.

” I laugh, which makes him chuckle as his laptop pings.

“Thanks for the chat, Dario. We got a signal. Pull over,” he tells me as he speaks into the earpieces directing Ryder.

After a few minutes of his fingers flying over the keyboard, he finally looks up at me.

“It's time! Let’s go get our family.” He grins, making me smile because this is what family does.

We save each other, we help one another, and at the end of the day, we always stick together.

We are more than what our trauma is; we are more than the Aces.

We are a family, and the only person we can thank for that is Jade.

Getting out of the truck, I open the trunk and grab what I need while Jameson does the same.

Ryder directs the others toward the back of the property while me and Jameson take the front.

We approach the security booth and see two men guarding it.

I walk up and chuck a smoke bomb right at their feet.

Their eyes widen as it goes off, and they run right in our direction.

I grab one man, wrap my arm around his neck, grab the front of his throat with my other hand and twist his neck, hearing the bones snap, and then I drop him to the ground.

Jameson sinks a dagger into the other guy's chest and then slices him across the throat.

I lift my gas mask over my face and walk into the booth, hitting the button to open the gate.

“We took care of the guards around the perimeter. I’m checking to see how many are in the house; hold, please,” Ryder says into the earpiece as we walk up the long driveway.

“I’m going to need you to help me reassure Gigi that she’s safe. She still thinks I’m dead. She won’t believe me,” I tell Jameson, and he nods.

“I've got your back. She knows me, and I hope she would know that I’d protect her,” he says.

“I just hope she is okay in there, and so is my nephew,” I grit.

“There’s five people on the second level and three in the kitchen from what I can see. I’ll stay out here and make sure these two wire the house. Let me know when it's time,” Ryder says.

“Roger that,” I answer as we walk right through the front door and I head up the stairs.

That’s the only place I would think they would be.

Being here reminds me of what they did to me.

What that cunt did to me. Flashes of the past hit my vision, but I shake my head and focus.

I can do this even if being here triggers something deep inside me that I do not want to revisit.

Once I’m at the top of the stairs, I peek down the hallways and see two men sitting in chairs guarding doors opposite one another.

I quietly lean back against the wall, not turning the corner just yet, and take out my silencer, twisting the piece onto the barrel of my gun, then cocking it as quietly as I can.

But it’s no use as a gunshot rings out below me and shouting flows up the stairs.

Fuck it, I whip around the corner and shoot one then the other before they can even take out their weapons.

Both bodies slump to the ground, and I laugh.

Why is this so fucking easy? If I would’ve known this job would be this simple, I would’ve come for them sooner.

“Hey Ry, which room has two people in it? Left or right?” I whisper,

“Left,” he answers as I open the door to my right and see a sleeping Antonio. I leave him for now and go across the hall. Opening the door slowly, I see my sister tied to the bed and Carmine standing above her with a whip. Immediately, I lift my gun and point it at the back of his head.

“Drop the fucking whip, Carmine,” I spit, and he turns his head slightly.

“It’s you again,” he growls.

“Couldn’t beat me in a fight, so you come here and hurt our sister?” I accuse, venom laced in my tone. He whips around to look at me with a confused expression.

“Our sister?” he questions as I press the barrel of the silencer against his forehead.

“Yes, our sister! Surprise, I'm alive even if I wear a new face.” I smile, and his eyes fly to mine, then widen at the realization.

“No, bullshit, you blew up in that truck!” he says, shaking his head.

“I did, but it didn’t kill me, asshole! Then you have the nerve to press my wife and work with the enemy. You are everything our father wanted you to be. Congrats, but now…” I trail off and look at Giovanna, who is staring at me with fear in her eyes.

“Now what?” he says, slapping the gun out of my hand.

It falls to the floor, bouncing off the wood as he pushes me away.

I stumble backwards, but right myself quickly as he charges me, sending me flying into the door.

Giovanna screams as I grunt while he lands jabs to my ribs.

I grit my teeth and lift my knee,connecting with his chest as I pound on his kidneys, making him groan.

Grabbing a dagger, I sink it into his ribs, causing him to cry out and grab his side, pulling away.

I lift his face, rear my arm back, and punch him in the chest, letting the impact of the blow snap his head so hard to the side that his neck cracks.

I rip the dagger from his side and sink it again, pushing him to the floor.

He falls to his knees, holding his side as blood spills from his lips.

He looks up at me as I grab my gun from the ground and press it against his forehead.

“You’re not going to kill me. I’m your flesh and blood. That would make you just like him. The man you never wanted to be. You are him! Don’t you see it!” he rasps, but I shake my head.

“No, I’m not. I don’t kill innocent people or torture women and train kids to be weaponized!

I am nothing like him! Good riddance, Carmine!

Say hello to Daddy for me!” I spit and pull the trigger.

His head flies back as blood splatters against my chest while smoke blows out of the wound.

His body falls to his side onto the ground, and I step over him and start untying my sister. Jameson enters the room and helps.

“Hey, Gigi. We are here to save you. Jade killed Abran, and we are going to blow this bitch up,” Jameson tells her, but her eyes never leave mine.

“It’s me, Giovanna. I faked my death. But I promise you, you are safe now. I’m taking you home,” I tell her as tears seep down her cheeks.

“W-hat about Antonio?” she asks.

“He’s coming with us. He’s okay—he’s still sleeping,” I tell her as we finally get her untied. Jameson helps her to her feet, but she stumbles.

“Can you walk?” he asks, and she shakes her head.

“They drugged me every chance they got. Our brother is sick. Thank you for killing him,” she says, speaking to me.

“We will talk about this shit later. Let’s get out of here,” I say as we leave the room, go across the hall and get Antonio. I carry him down the stairs as Jameson carries Gigi.

“Ry, we are exiting the house. Set the timer and get back to the trucks,” I tell him.

“Roger that. See you in a minute,” he says as we leave the property and get to the truck, placing my sister and nephew in the back seat and grabbing a blanket and placing it over them.

“In 5…4…3…2…1…BOOM!” Ryder cheers as the house explodes, shaking us. I back us up as fast as I can, hoping the blow doesn’t reach us and shatter the windows, then I realize even if it did we are safe because these trucks are bombproof; nothing is going to penetrate them.

Getting on the highway, I take a deep breath and shoot Spade a text.

Me:

It’s done. Heading back home!

Spade:

I’ll let her know when she wakes up. See you tonight.

Placing my phone in my pocket, I look over at Jameson and he nods at me, letting me know we did good tonight. I reach for the dash and click on the radio and drive us home.