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I rubbed the spots his disgusting fingers had held. Just one more push to secure this. I wanted to vomit as I prepared to say my next words.

Sorry to do this, Regan, but I have faith nothing bad will happen to you.

“If you give me one more chance to win my family estate back, I will bet my sister’s hand in marriage on my end.”

He paused. Then a sickening sneer covered his face.

“You would guarantee to stay out of my way? Accept whatever I wanted to happen?” he asked almost gleefully.

I nodded. “Yes.”

He beckoned over a man I hadn’t even noticed in the shadows.

The guy had a toned body, but wore a balaclava mask, obscuring his face, except for his eyes; the rest of his body was completely covered in black clothing.

He wasn’t as tall or muscular as AJ, but there was something about the way he moved that told me he would be a formidable challenger.

“Done. One week. This ring. Don’t worry; I’ll supply the body bag,” Kaito said as he walked away.

His fighter looked AJ up and down before turning and following behind Kaito.

I sighed once he was up the back stairs and out of sight.

“Let’s get out of here,” I said.

I quickly made my way out the front entrance. I couldn’t get home fast enough.

We drove back to my place in silence. Now that the match was set, I had to figure out exactly what I was going to do next.

So much of my thoughts had been merely getting to this point in my revenge plan. Now I needed to get the last two details nailed down.

How was I going to kill Kaito and live?

I was deep in thought when AJ’s callous hand gripped my thigh. The warmth from it made my body tremble.

“You gonna get out, or are you going to come back to my place and help me celebrate?” AJ said with a chuckle.

I slapped his hand off my thigh with a groan. “I’m about to say yes simply to get you to stop being so annoying,” I snapped as I glared at him.

AJ’s eyes were such a deep reddish color right now. It took me by surprise at how close he was. For a split second, I leaned in toward him, then jerked backward.

Without another word, I quickly exited the car with AJ’s chuckle in the background before I slammed the door shut.

Minus a certain fighter who thought he was hot shit, it had been a great night, and I was ready to complete my plans. AJ’s match against Kaito’s mysterious fighter who went by Koroshi couldn’t get here fast enough.

The next day, I walked into Raven’s room, taking a moment to look around before I walked over to the bag of belongings that had been returned to us by the police.

I pulled things out—her jacket, the necklace she had worn when they found her.

I paused as I opened her wallet and saw her driver’s license photo.

She had been so pretty. Now she was gone forever.

I felt a tear form, and I wiped it away as I continued to empty the contents of the bag. I grabbed her cell phone, assuming it was destroyed since they had found her body in the ocean.

I was surprised when it turned on after I pressed the power button. The phone screen came to life, but it was password-protected. Good thing us sisters all used the same combo of numbers—all of our birthdays in the order from oldest to youngest. I pressed the numbers, and her phone unlocked.

I went through the photos, feeling every emotion imaginable as I relived memories we had shared together and discovered new ones she’d had in her life away from us.

She even had a photo of AJ. He was in a kitchen, making something on a stove.

He was shirtless, and—fuck me—the lighting against his hard back muscles made my heart skip a beat.

I closed the phone after checking her texts and not finding anything crazy.

I set the phone on her bed and continued to go through her drawers and closet around her room until I found a box inside her nightstand that stood out to me. It was a well-made box covered in hand-stitched leather. I opened it, and my eyes went wide in shock.

Sitting in front of me was a silver gun.

Why the hell did Raven have a handgun?! Where did she even get such a thing?

I stared down at the pistol. It looked like it was brand-new. I hesitated, then shook my head. I reached down and carefully grabbed it, keeping the barrel pointed away as I inspected it.

I knew enough about guns from movies to figure out where to look for a safety and how to check the mag and chamber. It was loaded. The safety was on, however, and there was some residue around the barrel. So, this had absolutely been fired before.

Regardless of where she had gotten it or why she’d had it, I knew that this was what I was going to end Kaito with. How fitting it would be—to end his miserable existence with something of my sister’s.

I carefully placed the pistol back into the box and closed it, tucking it under my arm. I grabbed her cell phone, and I made my way to my bedroom, where I safely hid both of them in my dresser.

I was close to finalizing my plans for how I was going to take care of Kaito at the match, and knowing this was all going to be over soon had me feeling lighter.

And I wanted to go do something crazy.

I grabbed my phone and texted him.

Sydney

Hey, are you busy?

AJ

Nothing I can’t get out of. Got another fight?

Sydney

Ha. No. I want to go get a tattoo. I could use some company if you’re down to come with?

AJ

Sure. Be over to pick you up in thirty.

I was ready and waiting for him when he pulled up almost exactly thirty minutes after his text. I jogged over to his car and slid in. He eyed me, and I raised my eyebrow.

“What?” I said as I crossed my arms in front of my chest.

“Just admiring the fit. Not used to you showing so much skin. It’s a good look,” AJ said with a smirk.

I almost let his words make me go back inside and throw on a hoodie. But I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of knowing his words got to me. Instead, I just smiled my best whatever, you dick smile at him and relaxed.

I hated the feeling of clothing rubbing against fresh tattoos, so I wore a tube top and soft linen shorts. It was a warm day as well. I wanted to soak it up.

“Well, enjoy the view, I guess, but don’t get used to it,” I said as I relaxed in my seat and rolled down the window.

“Trust me, I am. Now you gonna tell me where we’re going, or am I just picking the first place I find?”

I grabbed my phone out of my small purse and put in the address, humming along to the music playing as we drove there.