Page 111 of When Kings Fall

“Yeah, and I’m just that fucking good, so keep that in mind before you decline to cooperate freely again.” He gestured at me and Colt. “Not to mention, my boys here are right on the edge, knowing that you’re one of the sick fucks involved in kidnapping me and Brianna. They want to rip your fucking head off. And me? Well, you already know that I have no limits whatsoever. Not when it comes to those who hurt my loved ones.”

“I’m not a threat to you. I could’ve come after you for impaling my hand and attacking me on my own territory, but I didn’t. I considered it justice for you after what went down at the abandoned police station six years back. You know I feel bad about it, real bad. I even helped you both.”

Bree rose to her feet then. “Not soon enough. Not by a long shot.”

Kyle’s attention went to her, pain all over him. “I’m so sorry… what they did to you… I can’t even… there are no words.”

Levi smashed his fist into his face.

He grunted, his head snapping to the side.

“Don’t make her relive it, motherfucker.”

Kyle wiped blood out of the corner of his mouth. “I’m sorry. Look, back then I couldn’t do much until they left that shithole for a bit. I was on the chopping block too. Malcolm had threatened me with castration for fuck’s sakes. He didn’t like my constant protests about what went down with you two.”

“If that’s the case, he’s useless to us,” Colt piped up. He shoved a hand through his mohawk. “Shit.”

“He can turn it around,” Roman spoke, having just been there watching, clearly wanting Levi to handle this by himself, knowing he needed to.

Levi looked out at him and something unspoken passed between them before Levi ordered Kyle, “Get up.”

He staggered to his feet, looking all around at us worriedly.

Except at Brianna.

With her, he had that pained look mixed with what looked like a whole lot of guilt and regret. He was having a hard time holding her gaze for more than a few moments at a time.

That part was shame.

Exactly what he should be suffering from feeling.

He’d recognized that what had happened to them had been wrong and so incredibly fucked-up, yet he’d just stood back out of fear for himself, while two kids had been tortured and also traumatized for life.

Bree stepped forward and stroked Levi’s arm, giving him a nod.

He recognized her need to handle it now too and took a step back to allow her room with the bastard.

“You feel bad about what happened, I see it all over you.”

“I do and I’m so fucking sorry that—”

Bree snapped her fingers. “Stop.” She took another step forward until she was right there in front of him. “You want absolution, this is what’s going to happen.” She slapped her hand to her hip and told him, “You’ll contact Malcolm with the promise of vital intel concerning Levi’s vengeance crusade against him. You’ll emphasize the gravity of the situation regarding Royce Humphrey’s murder, citing Levi now having formed an army that completely wiped out him and his merry band of mercenaries. You’ll tell him that you’ll trade intel that will enable him to come at Levi and his army and stop him before he comes for Osiris. It will be in exchange for Malcolm’s promise of protection for you, as well as you agreeing to work for him again, emphasizing that you’ve become a successful businessman and you will bring him in on your plan to franchise Ravage.”

Kyle took her words in, then sighed heavily. “Look, sweetheart, I get it, and I actually do want to help you, to absolve myself at least in some small way to take some of the edge of the guilt I’ve been carrying since all that shit went down. But I’m not gonna be able to do any of that if I’m dead. As soon as Malcolm realizes I’ve double-crossed him, he’ll come for me.”

“He won’t be able to do that,” she assured him.

“How’s that?”

Levi stepped forward. “This isn’t just about justice, it’s lethal justice. A sick fuck like him can’t be allowed to live.”

“Jesus fuck.” He pinched the bridge of his nose. “Okay, but how can I know the same fate’s not gonna happen to me, that you aren’t gonna turn this crusade of yours on me the moment Malcolm is buried?”

“That’s our end of the deal,” Bree said,

“We’ll let you go, leave you alone,” Levi clarified. “It will be done.”

Kyle raised an eyebrow. “That’s… a hell of a thing.”

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