Page 27 of Savage

Glancing at Harper, I can tell she’s also tightly wound.

The need to control their emotions overwhelms me. I don’t want them to hurt.

Even as a young boy, I never wanted anyone I cared for to be in pain. But now I have no choice, because I have to allow them to feel whatever they need.

“Let’s head over to the table,” I suggest as I take note of everyone moving to their seats in preparation for the evening’s entertainment.

There will be speeches about how amazing everyone is here tonight. It’s a blatant lie.

Once we’re seated, I can feel Harper’s eyes on me. She’s anxious. Usually, I can quell my girls’ negative emotions. Distract them so they don’t focus on the destructive thoughts running through their minds. But this situation is far more stressful than anything they’ve ever put themselves through before.

As the lights dim and the spotlight hits the stage, my stomach begins to churn. Suddenly, I’ve a gut feeling that our plans are about to implode, and everything we’ve worked so hard for is going to be destroyed. I must be losing my fucking mind.

That’s when the host for the evening walks onto the stage. She reaches for the black Venetian mask she’s wearing, and as she removes it, I feel Rayne shudder beside me. She doesn’t need to tell me who this is because the woman on the stage looks exactly like an older version of her.

Apart from the age difference, they could be twins.

Dressed in a sleek, silver floor-length dress with long sleeves and a high neckline, she looks the epitome of wealth.

Mrs. Rae Atwood, Rayne’s mother, stops at the podium, a smile on her face as she regards the guests. She has no idea she’s about to address the daughter she sold to men who were willing to pay extortionate amounts to own and abuse her.

“Good evening, ladies and gentlemen,” she starts. “Tonight is a very special event because we’re gathered here to remember the man who started all of this.”

She waves her hands toward the screen behind her, and as it lights up, an image appears, and I want nothing more than to throw up. Because staring back at me is my father.

“Malcolm Savage started this organization, which is now worldwide, but when he first brought me into his circle, he didn’t know how deep or far the artery of what we do reached. But he quickly learned. He realized we were fragmented and needed leadership, and as a result, he created something I’d only ever envisioned until then.”

As the slideshow continues, the photos are all of Malcolm. In some of them he’s with me and Drake, and he appears to be nothing more than a loving father. There’s no hint as to the true depravity of the bastard. If you were a benefactor at this gala, you would think he was a doting family man.

“The charity today is asking for your generous donations. We will use your gifts to send aid workers into war torn countries. We’ll save innocent children who are caught in the crossfire, and we’ll go into orphanages to help the little ones who have no family.”

As Rae Atwood speaks, bile churns in my stomach before slowly rising into my throat, burning as it makes its way up. The photos and the speech, packed with lies, harden my resolve. We have to stop them. There is no way these fuckers will be leaving with the millions that will be donated here tonight.

As soon as Mrs. Atwood concludes her speech, Rayne is on her feet and racing for the door. The rest of the guests at the table gawk at her, but I no longer give a shit, I would happily take them all out, right here and now. But I tug Harper to her feet, and we make our way out of the ballroom to find Rayne holding onto the wall, tears streaking down her mask.

“I can’t believe it,” she gasps between sobs. I try to hold her, taking her hands in mine, but she shakes her head as she straightens, eyes glistening with unshed tears. “I need to finish this tonight, Dante. I can’t allow her to do what I know she’s planning to do.”

Nodding, I say, “I know. And we will. But we need to stay strong. I know it’s hard. I wanted to lose control in that room.” I take a step toward her, and she allows me to pull her into my chest. She’s slender, but no longer the waif we first found locked in Thanos’s cell.

“This will end tonight,” Harper agrees. “But I want Bane.”

“We can’t take them both on,” I tell her. “We need to deal with them separately.”

I look into those pretty brown eyes and capture with my own. There is a war raging in Harper’s stare, but as much I want to help her end her demons, we have to be meticulous about how we do this.

“Do you want to take Bane out tonight?” Rayne asks as she steps back, her pain now gone and replaced with anger.

For a moment, I think Harper is going to say yes, but when she looks at our girl, she shakes her head. “No. You need this.”

“We all need this,” Rayne insists. “They’re both running things now that Malcolm is dead.”

“Let’s get out of this hallway,” I suggest.

The thought of any of those assholes finding us standing here doesn’t sit well with me. Blood will be shed.

We move silently toward the fire exit that leads out to the alley where our car is parked. There’s only one way we’re getting Rayne’s mother out of this place, and it’s by force.

“Will you be able to distract her?” I ask Harper, and she nods.

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