Page 56 of Wicked Vengeance

The chair I’m tied to rocks back and forth as I struggle to free myself and remove his hands that dare to touch her again. I can’t believe my brothers would hand her back to the man who has broken her– over and over. The chair crashes to the floor, and I try to untangle myself from the ropes as quickly as I can. Maddox and Alek rush over, and for a tiny second, I think they’re going to help me, but Alek wraps his massive body around me from behind, holding me back.

“Stop fighting, Royal. Let her go.”

“How could you!” My voice breaks as my heart shatters. My brothers ignore me as King picks her up from the couch, throwing her over his shoulder the same way Alek brought her in.

“It was a pleasure doing business with you, sons.”

King strides out the front door with his six remaining men as I fight against Alek’s hold. Rage and hopelessness flood me like the rushing waters of Grimm River outside until all that comes out is barely a whisper.

“What the fuck have you done?”

Chapter 40

Raena

Every inch of my skin crawls when King tosses me over his shoulder. His arms band around the back of my knees and he carries me outside. Maddox tied my hands so loosely, it takes me all of two seconds to free my hands and pull up the blindfold, careful not to drop anything that could alert King. I don’t want to spoil his surprise.

The dagger strapped to my inner wrist slides out smoothly, and with one slice across the back of King’s knees, his legs buckle.

“What the–!?” He shouts, hitting his knees on the unforgiving rocks. As he kneels before me, my feet hit the ground, and my blade digs into his throat as I snatch his head back by his hair. “Oh, you stupid little bitch. Guards!”

“Uh, boss?” One of his men says. I walk around King, keeping his hair gripped in my hand and my dagger digging into the delicate skin. The six men he has left are in a circle around us, each one with a sniper's red light marking their foreheads.

“Oh, did you think I was alone?” I ask as Ronan and Dax step out of the shadows, our people surrounding us. I can still hear Royal screaming at his brothers inside the house, but I will deal with him soon. “Ro…” I say simply, never taking my eyes off the monster at my mercy.

One by one, the Kingsmen fall– blood and brains spraying the grey stones in intricate patterns of crimson. Their screams barely have time to form before the next one hits the ground. For some of them, this is a mercy compared to what they did to me. I wish I had a canvas to paint the look on King's face as I take the last thing he was holding onto.

In one swift movement, I remove my dagger from his throat and swing, the handle connecting with his temple in the spot Dax showed me, and he falls forward, face-planting the rocks. “Take him to the Playroom.”

Ronan and Dax step forward, grabbing King under his arms and dragging him back towards the open front door. I follow behind them, needing to see my guys right the fuck now.

“You did good, Red,” Dax says, crossing the threshold and entering the living room.

“Wh-what… What’s going on?” Royal says, his confused eyes following along with King’s unconscious body being dragged through the living room.

“I’d like to ask you the same thing, Sir.” Sarcasm and anger drip from my words, even though I’m so fucking happy he’s alive and looks relatively unharmed.

“Angel?” His breath whooshes out in relief as he pushes his brothers off him and rushes to me. “You’re safe? You’re here?” His fingers trace my face, his thumb swiping over my bottom lip as he searches my face for something. When he’s satisfied that I'm actually here, he turns to his brothers, and fury twists his face as he lunges, clipping Alek’s jaw with his fist. “Why the fuck would you let me think that? Have you lost your fucking mind?”

“No!” Alek growls as he rubs his jaw. “You don’t get to be pissed at us for cleaning up the mess that you made. You fucking left us– running off on your own to save the day, like we haven’t told you a thousand times– we are in this together!”

“I was trying to protect everyone. I thought I could–” He must realize his response is bullshit as he’s speaking it because he blows out a breath before looking at me. “I was stupid. I’m so sorry.”

“Well, we did let you think they were turning me over to King to save you. So, I guess we’re even.” I say, stepping between them in the most delicious man-sandwich with a devilish smirk as I stand on my tiptoes to softly press a kiss to his lips. “You’re forgiven.”

“But…you promised to punch his ridiculously gorgeous face!” Maddox whines, poking out his bottom lip and stomping his foot like an impatient toddler, making us all laugh.

“How about we go down to the playroom and kill this bastard so we can go get our daughter instead?” I offer with cheerful enthusiasm.

“Deal!” Maddox shouts, grabbing my arm and spinning me behind him. He squats down, presenting his back to me. “Hop on. I’ll give you a ride, my Queen.”

“Don’t mind if I do, little psycho,” I laugh, squealing while wrapping my legs around his waist and my arms around his neck like a spider monkey, just in time for him to take off, sprinting to the basement door.

“You fuckers coming or what?” Maddox yells behind us as he swings the basement door open and races below.

A thrill runs through my body, setting my nerve endings on fire with excitement. I’m finally getting everything I’ve worked so hard for.

Revenge.