Page 107 of Hate Me

“To what end?”

I leaned forward on my desk. “I want you to use your military contacts to reach Frank Bennett and get word to him regarding the situation with Wheeler.”

The corner of his mouth turned up. “That will most definitely be justice to a T. Frank is in an unhinged state, he’ll react with the utmost brutality to this.”

“It will also pull him from his current misguided path, something that is causing Skylar a lot of heartache.”

“Hmm, I do enjoy it when you unleash your calculating side.”

“I’d do nothing less. He tried to break her. Now I’ll ruin him.” I leaned back in my chair. “Have security add him to our watchlist immediately.”

He started typing down my orders on his phone, assuring me, “He won’t be allowed back into Rossun. Consider it done.”

I pulled out my phone. “This has provided an opportunity regarding Jett Bane.”

“It has?” he asked, looking up from his phone and eyeing mine as I fired off a text.

King: Communicate to Jett that Jeremy Wheeler is closing in on him. Make sure he understands he’s not safe. Wheeler is taking up Skylar’s mission in her stead. After the takedowns of his recruits, she’s gone to ground.

I spun my phone to show Luke.

He frowned. “Wheeler will likely go to ground after today anyway.”

“The intent isn’t to have Elijah hunt him. I need him to remain stationary, following his usual routine, or it will put a strain on our current Trojan horse operations regarding Bane Industries. No, this will force Jett to come up for air in a bid to relocate to another secure location. And prey is easier to spot when they’re on the move, rather than frozen in hiding.”

“Smoke him out.”

I nodded. “The threat believing to be from Wheeler will also keep him in hiding and effectively prevent any possible retaliation against Skylar or us for her rejection of him and our action taken against him. One less enemy to worry about. And once word reaches Frank and he’s mobilized against him, said enemy will be wiped off the board entirely.”

“Appropriately ruthless.”

My phone buzzed with a response to my text.

Damien: On it, King.

“It’s in motion,” I informed Luke.

“Good.” He finished up typing, then pocketed his phone. “I’ll sort the rest as per your instruction.”

“Excellent. That will be all.”

He rose to his feet. “We’re almost there. Soon justice will be served all around.”

“It’s long overdue.”

“Sometimes the sweetest victories take time.”

I smiled, and he headed out, closing the door to my home office quietly behind him.

As his last words rolled over me and hit home, I found myself rubbing my left index finger. The place where my father’s ring belonged. Although everything there had been out in the open for a while, I hadn’t put in on again. I’d decided not to until this war against Bane was won, until victory was mine. It would be a symbol of that, of finally obtaining justice, of bringing peace to the memory of my parents at long last.

My phone buzzed on my desk, thankfully distracting me before my thoughts wandered too far down that difficult road, one that invited unruly emotion, something I had to tamper down where this mission was concerned.

It wasn’t easy, because I was sentimental and passionate by nature. I didn’t shy away from any of that. It made things that much more intense and meaningful.

But in this case, with this strategy against Elijah Bane, I couldn’t risk anything destabilizing my absolute focus and rationality.

I swiped open my phone to see I’d received an invitation from Skylar to a group chat.

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