Page 19 of Savage Revenge (Savage Sins #1)

Elliott goes to the wet bar in the corner of his overly modern and minimalist office and pours us both a drink. When he hands it to me, I don’t hesitate, hoping the burn will help soothe the pain that flares at every mention of my father.

“Another?” Elliott asks with a smirk, holding up the decanter of liquor.

I shake my head and set the glass on the table. “I just wanted to stop by to give you a heads-up.”

His eyebrows furrow, and he turns toward me, his hip resting against the white cabinet.

There is too much white in this place. Floor tiles. Walls. Furniture. It’s awful. I couldn’t imagine having to clean up blood off the floor. Every single drop would show.

“So this isn’t a social call. What can I do for you, Cash?”

“There might be some heat coming. Between my family and Thomas Kingston.”

His eyebrows shoot up to his hairline. “What kind of heat?”

“The messy kind that ends with death.”

“What did Kingston do? I know your two families have never liked each other, but I didn’t think it was that deep.”

“Thomas Kingston had my father killed.”

Elliott goes still. His glass pauses midair. “Thomas Kingston? You’re sure about that?”

I nod. “Pretty sure.”

“What are you going to do to him?”

I meet his eyes. “I’m going to kill him.”

Elliott doesn’t flinch. Just lets out a breath. “Jesus Christ, Cash. You always go straight for the throat.”

“If someone executed your father in the back, what would you do?”

“I’m not sure, honestly,” he answers slowly. “Is Thomas back in the country?”

My gaze snaps to Elliott. “How did you know he was out of the country?”

Elliott shrugs. “I tried to organize a meeting with him about the skybridge we’re negotiating between my casino and his, but his secretary said he was in Paris.”

Good. Cassian is in the right place.

I nod, thoughtful, as I run my fingers over the scruff along my jaw. “Well, until he returns, I have a little pawn stored away.”

“A pawn?” Elliott asks curiously.

I hesitate for a second. Then decide, fuck it. “I’ve got Jordyn Kingston.”

The corner of his mouth twitches like he’s fighting a smile. “You’re holding her?”

“She’s not tied up, if that’s what you mean. But she’s not exactly free to leave, either. Not until I get some information from her or find her father.”

Elliott stares at me for a long moment, his face unreadable. “That’s… a hell of a move, Savage.”

I shrug. “Yeah. It would have been a great move if she weren’t a stubborn brat. The woman won’t tell me shit, and she has a fucking mouth on her.”

His eyebrows raise as he studies me. “Do you think she knows something?”

“She says she doesn’t.”

“Do you believe her?”

“I don’t know what to believe, Carver. Hell, until I saw her in person, I thought she was a man. How the fuck is it possible that after all these years, I had no idea the other Kingston kid was a girl?”

Elliott gives me his easy-going, pretty-boy smile that I’m sure women love.

“She’s hot as hell. Before I took over as CEO, I was the CFO, so I’ve been in a couple of meetings with her since she came back home and took over as their CFO.

I gotta say, they’re always much more enjoyable when she’s there. ”

I nearly launch toward the man I’ve known most of my life. He’s never been a friend, but he’s never been an enemy. If he keeps talking about Jordyn like that, though, I might kill him right here in his office with my bare hands.

“But I think you’ll hit a dead end with her. Jacob works closest with Kingston, so he’d be the one to get your hands on,” Elliott adds.

Everything in me wants to smash Carver’s face into the wall, but I take his change in direction instead.

“Isn’t Jordyn older? Why wouldn’t she work closely with him? She’ll get her shares of the business before Jacob.” My voice is on edge, and it takes every ounce of strength I have to hold myself together.

Elliott shrugs. “Kingston is old-fashioned. Doesn’t believe women are strong enough to run a company so I think he’s hoping she’ll work in hospitality or something. Can’t say I disagree. Especially in this business, you know? Women just can’t handle it.”

I stare at him, my expression hard, jaw clenched. Is he fucking serious right now?

This meeting went nothing like I expected. And now I think I have another enemy in Las Vegas for the simple reason that he’s clearly attracted to Jordyn and is a total bastard when it comes to his thoughts on gender roles.

“Thanks for the talk,” I say abruptly.

Carver blinks several times, surprised, then nods and leads me toward his office door.

“Good luck finding Kingston.” Elliott leans in and lowers his voice. “Are you really going to start a war?”

I pause in front of him, my gaze pinned to his. “Someone else already started the war, Carver. I’m just going to teach this city what happens when they touch what’s mine. Take care.”

I stride out of his office and the casino, my face a mask of calm as I get into the back seat of my SUV and wait for it to pull out onto Las Vegas Boulevard.

My driver and security say nothing to me.

They know me well enough to know not to.

I’m on the verge of exploding, and it won’t take much for me to detonate.

Elliott Carver and his family have always been good people. I thought. But he took a little too much interest when I said Jordyn’s name. He fucking expressed interest in her. And for some reason, that feels unforgivable.

I flex my fists, willing myself to calm down before I do something I might regret. Like put a bullet in Elliott Carver’s forehead.

This is all too fucking much. If my dad were here, he would know how to handle it. He would know exactly what to do to get revenge. To protect our empire. But he’s gone, and I miss him so damn much.

Jordyn’s face floats through my mind, and it’s like a vise loosens around my chest. Despite the constant fighting, the past few days have been different. Having that woman in my home, around all my stuff. In some sort of fucked-up way, I know she’s mine, and that thought makes my dick throb.

I’ve always been a selfish bastard.

And it’s not going to change anytime soon.

It’s only midnight when I get home and my mood is still shit.

I’m so fucked up inside that I can barely see straight.

I miss my dad. I’m failing my brothers. And worst of all, I think my judgment is clouded about Jordyn because of the overwhelming urges I have for her.

Urges I have no business thinking about.

Like keeping her. Possessing her. Owning her.

I can’t change that they’re there. I’ve tried.

Cold showers are getting old really quickly.

I ignore all the guards I pass. Having so much security in my house is another reminder that things are fucked up. I have a woman hostage, for fuck’s sake. One who is living like a damn princess from what I could tell when I checked the video footage on the way home.

I head straight to the living room, where she’s been for the past hour, watching a movie. Even though I saw her on the cameras, I’m not prepared for the in-person view when I enter.

Pink cotton shorts that barely cover her ass and a matching spaghetti strap tank with her perky nipples pressing against the fabric.

God is showing me no mercy. Yeah, my dad is having a good laugh at my expense right now.

She doesn’t even glance in my direction, though I know she feels my presence because her shoulders tense.

“What are you watching?” I ask when she doesn’t acknowledge me.

I have a feeling she’s mad at me for spanking her.

Poor kitten.

She deserved it, though.

My dick twitches at the thought of her round ass bouncing under my palm as she squirmed and whined.

When she finally sniffled, I nearly came right then and there.

There was something about seeing her so compliant and submissive that nearly sent me to the moon.

I love her fire, but seeing her let go for me was even better.

“Not talking to me?” I meander deeper into the room.

She has a half-full mojito set on the table beside her as she lounges in the corner of the couch. A bag of candy sits on the cushion next to her, and from the sounds of it, she’s watching some kind of romcom.

Even though she still doesn’t answer, her eyes track me as I get closer.

“Do you think it’s smart to ignore me, kitten?”

Her gaze narrows, and she reaches for the bag of candy, pulling one from the bag. “Go fuck yourself, Savage.”

My lips curl into a smile, but before I let out a wicked chuckle, the gold bag grabs my attention.

Gummy bears.

My heart squeezes, and it’s suddenly more difficult to swallow. “What the fuck are you eating?” I demand.

Confusion flashes over her face, then anger. “Candy,” she snaps. “Should I be having a salad instead?”

Her question doesn’t register. Nothing does other than the fact that she’s eating gummy bears in my house, like a taunt.

My body goes numb, and it’s getting harder to breathe.

Memories from my childhood float in my mind.

Sitting around a large poker table with my dad and brothers, playing cards until late into the night, betting with those fucking gummy bears.

It was our guy time, as my dad always called it.

He would tuck my mom into bed and then stay up, teaching us everything we needed to know about card games.

And every time, around two in the morning, my mom would come down and tease my dad for keeping us up so late.

He would end up pulling her into his lap, and she’d sit there smiling while we played one last round of poker.

Then, we’d eat the candy and the six of us would go up to bed, hugging one another before we went our separate ways.

One day, I’m going to do the same thing with my kids and wife.

I shake the thoughts from my head and glare at Jordyn.

“Where did you get these?” I snatch them from the couch and look at the bag, then crumple it in my fists.

I don’t keep these in the house.

Jordyn leaps to her feet. “Are you serious right now? Jesus Christ! I’m watching a fucking movie, and you show up here to harass me about what I’m eating? What the hell is your problem? Other than the obvious.”

“My problem?” My voice rises until I’m shouting. “ You are my problem, kitten. You’re sitting here like this is a fucking vacation. Lying by the pool, watching movies, eating fucking gummy bears . Acting like you’re not the daughter of the man who murdered my father.”

Her mouth opens, then closes again. She shakes her head and stomps toward me, her index finger pointed in my direction.

“Whatever my father did or didn’t do, I know nothing about it and had nothing to do with it!

I told you I would help you, but instead, you’d rather keep me locked up here! I’m not your enemy, Cash!”

“You’re a Kingston ,” I grit out.

She looks at me, fire burning in her eyes. “You know what. Fuck. You . I don’t need this. I was supposed to be on a date tonight, maybe I’d even be getting laid right about now. So fuck you !”

Screaming something about what an asshole I am, she storms out of the room, but I can’t hear anything other than the blood rushing in my ears.

If I thought it was hard to breathe a second ago, it’s impossible now. Red flashes of light blind me, and then I realize I’m still standing in the same spot. I turn on my heel and take off after her.

Because no one walks away from me.

Not even my kitten.