Page 111 of The Merciless King

A heart-to-heart with Dante Baldassare was the last thing I was expecting.

I glance behind the SUV, knowing I won’t spot the feds or Dark Kings, but take comfort knowing they are out there. I wouldn’t be surprised if someone pulls a SEAL or Marine team in. Then again, the Barrett Security team is full of them, so Agent Scott might just lean on Connor and the Dark Kings.

I’ve got a lot to learn about how these guys work. But I trust them with my life.

And Amy’s.

Dante joins me and we follow Salvatore and the guards and walk across the dark tarmac toward a rusty door. The entire place looks abandoned, except for the guards.

No one would know what’s inside.

Assuming it’s not just my oversized casket. AKA my resting place.

AKA where I will die in the next few seconds.

“Nice place.” I joke and one of the soldiers snickers as he opens the door.

It creaks loudly.

“Thanks, it’s new.” Dante smirks.

I actually laugh despite myself and wonder if, in another life, he might be a cool guy.

Salvatore barks out an instruction and we follow him inside. A guard turns on a flashlight to light the way.

Christ, it’s like cloak and daggers.

“You know, if you need to borrow some money to put the power back on, I could throw a few hundred your way.” I kept up the comedy.

It could be nerves.

My stomach feels like it has a flock of goddamn pigeons inside scratching at the sides.

“Hopefully you’ll be throwing a few billion instead,” Salvatore says, nodding to another guard who unlocks a padlocked door.

The place is cold and damp; my fingers itch to shoot every single motherfucker and free these poor people enslaved.

Reality is kicking in.

There are humans trapped in here and I’ve been focused on my damn love life. God, I’m an asshole.

Gianna will heal her broken heart.

I will one day forget her.

But these two hundred women will never forget what they’ve been through. Their lives and mental health damaged forever. Assuming we can save them.

As we reach the other side of the large warehouse, we slow and the guard unlocks a trap door on the floor. He lifts it open, and it lands with a bang, which echoes around the room.

His flashlight exposes a dark, steep staircase heading underground.

“After you.” Salvator grunts.

“Fuck that. You first.” I laugh and glance around. Dante has disappeared and that makes me nervous.

Salvatore shrugs and climbs onto the first step as a bright light turns on. I slam my eyes shut and simultaneously hear a noise I will never forget for the rest of my life.

Pain.

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