Page 83 of The Villain's Beast

“Calm down, Luca,” Gideon warned, expression guarded. His hair was loose, a mess from the fucking he’d just given Bellamy no doubt. I wondered if he’d had a chance to finish before his boyfriend Fletcher showed up.

“I am calm.”

“Things have recently come to light that are changing the plan,” Fletcher said.

I mock bowed at him.

“Do I need to beat you senseless in the woods again to get you back on track?” he asked, a dark brow raised in my direction.

“I’d hardly call that being beaten senseless.” I took a step toward him, shoulders squared back and ready to go. “You choked me while I had another man’s cum in my asshole,Fletcher. That’s admittedly my idea of a good way to spend a Sunday night.”

Fletcher grinned, huffing out a quiet laugh.

“Are you done?” Gideon asked, the question directed at me.

“I’m beyond finished.”

“It’s honestly perfect that the lot of you are trying to ruin everything your fathers have built,” the sixth man said, his bright eyes colored like the sky. “But I’m pretty sure you don’t really need to try. You’re already halfway there.”

“And who the fuck are you?” I snapped.

“Luca,” Gideon warned again, tone far more serious than it had ever been.

“Luca,” Daren said, softer, like he meant to tame me. “Calm down.”

“I’m Vince Angelini,” the other man said, and a lightbulb flashed in my head. I recognized the name from information my father had shared with me years before. The Angelini family was far more open with their illegalities than any of our families were, and it was that brazen behavior that kept them a handful of rungs below the Sinclairs and the Norths.

“Good for you. I’m Luca Mandeville.”

“Of course you are.” He tilted his head to the side. “Bastard son of Ewan Mandeville who still hasn’t been able to make the name his own.”

“I’ll fucking—” I lunged for him, but Daren must have known it was coming. He had both his arms around my chest, my back pressed against his front as he hauled me toward the edge of the room.

“What’s gotten into you?” he whisper-yelled in my ear.

“Some common sense finally.”

“This is cute and all,” Fletcher said, rolling his eyes. “But it’s getting late and it’s time we laid all our cards on the table so we can finish this. Once and for all.”

Chapter 58

Gideon

Luca was spitting mad, and not much was going to calm him down. I poured him a glass of scotch, which he drank like water, using the back of his hand to wipe his lips after he swallowed.

“What’s gotten into you?” I whispered, standing close to him while the others made themselves comfortable around the formal dining table.

“I’m tired of this,” Luca admitted. “I’m just…tired.”

I reached for his hand and pressed it flat against the now-healed brand he’d burned into the middle of my chest. Immediately, he winced and recoiled, but I held him steady until his fingers splayed out and dug into my skin.

“Don’t let this be for nothing,” I said softly.

Luca’s jaw ticked, and he snatched his hand away, fidgeting with his glasses before stalking over to the table and taking a seat. I made my way to the head and sat down, staring at Fletcher who’d taken the opposite end. It was fitting, I imagined, for the two of us to share a table like this, in equal positions, equal rank. That was the way it always should have been. Our oaths and our lessons always meant to prove the Thorns couldn’t exist without the Roses, so why had both tried for this long?

“So,” Fletcher said, clearing his throat. “Here’s what we know. One, we know Gideon’s father owes the Angelini family well over five million dollars.”

“What?” Luca choked, eyes going wide.