I punched him in the face before he could finish his sentence, knocking him to his side and making his nose bleed. “That was for messing with Jake and our Black Storm family.”

Then I kicked him in the stomach.

“That was for messing with Max and shooting Wade. And this…”

I kicked him in the balls, making him howl in agony.

“That was for me, for all the hell you put me through. Oh, and one more thing.”

I took the bracelet he had given me out of my pocket.

“The only reason I’ve been carrying this around is because I wanted to give it back to you. So here.”

I dropped it on the ground.

“Goodbye, Clyde.”

He didn’t answer, still whimpering in pain.

I straightened up, turned my back on him, and let out a deep breath.

Well, that felt good.

The pride on the faces of Jake, Max, and Wade, and the cheers of Black Storm made me feel even better. I smiled.

Finally, the nightmare was over.

I looked at the three men by my side. “Shall we go home?”

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Max

Let’s do this, I told myself quietly as I straightened my tie for the tenth time, taking a deep breath to calm my nerves.

The sooner I could get this over with, the better.

Irina walked toward me, her heels clattering on the floor. “They’re ready for you.”

I squared my shoulders and faced her. “How do I look?”

“Great,” she answered with a smile. “Handsome. Dignified.”

I grinned. “So, not like a biker thug?”

Irina chuckled, then she patted both my shoulders. “You’ll do great.”

I sure hoped so. I smoothed the front of my suit and fixed my watch, then I stepped out on the stage that had been prepared specifically for my first press conference. Amid the sea of camera flashes, I took my place behind the podium, gripping the sides with both hands.

For a moment, I paused just to take in the crowd, not expecting the room to be so full. I’d never been in front of so many people. Then again, I supposed it was something I’d have to get used to.

I did promise Irina I would take my duties more seriously from now on, and I meant it.

“Thank you all for coming,” I started. “As you all probably know by now, I’m Max Shelton, CEO of Xosmo. I’m six-foot-two and two-hundred and five pounds. At least, that’s what social media says.”

Chuckles and smiles broke out across the room.

Good. Irina told me to charm them for now. I could butt heads with them later. It seemed I had succeeded. I had their attention. Now, it was time to convince them to take my side.