Page 87 of Royal Pain

“It’s okay, baby. I’m so sorry. I’m so very sorry.” I wrapped my arm around her waist, holding her close. I’d never felt so goddamn helpless in my fucking life.

She clung to me, sobbing into my shirt. As of yet, she hadn’t noticed I looked as if I’d stepped out of a horror flick. Then again, I doubted at this point she would care.

“Where were you? I was scared. He… He came into the room and covered my mouth and…” Her sobs were getting worse, now turning into hiccups. I had to get her the fuck out of this room and down the hallway. At least the room I’d given to her was on the other side of the hallway, far removed from the carnage.

“I’m sorry, baby. We thought the security we established would be enough.”

She pulled her head away before I could stop her, her mouth dropping open. “Your face. It’s covered in…”

“Come on. We’re getting out of this room.”

When she looked away, I could tell her eyes were glassy. “I told you they were crazy as fuck.”

I almost laughed as she was being so serious. “Yeah, I buy it. Now, close your eyes and don’t open them until I tell you it’s okay. Alright?”

She had a strange smile on her face. “You did it. Didn’t you? You crossed the beautiful line.”

Beautiful line.

Yeah, I had and would gladly do it again. The funny thing was that it hadn’t been tough in the least. In fact, I’d felt damn good about killing someone in cold blood. Compared to destroying a business or a livelihood by using a pen and media activity it seemed… more real.

What did that make me?

I pulled her head against me and at least she didn’t attempt to fight. As I led her from the room, I had to take a deep breath. The stench was already building and to have the sanctity of my home violated was an egregious offense.

One the bastards would pay dearly for.

As I guided her from the room, she fought my hold. “I want to see.”

Her words were laced with defiance.

“It’s not wise.”

“I don’t care any longer what’s wise, Gage. I’m no stranger to guns or violence and I want every bad thing to happen to the people they hire and every single one of them living in that fucking community.”

She was dead serious, which troubled me, but I understood.

So I allowed her to witness what I’d been required to do.

What I would do again to save her, the future. And so we would have the chance to get her boy back.

But what she didn’t know is that I’d do much worse. I planned on it. I had images in my mind of exactly what was going to happen.

And it didn’t bother me in the least.

Planes.

Private jets.

Private hangars.

Yachts.

Hell, I’d grown up with them, not really thinking about how lucky my family was in comparison to others. I hadn’t cared. Now I was thankful because it made traveling easy during a time when there didn’t need to be any additional hiccups.

Given the number of people going at this point, we needed the two jets, which was fine. I didn’t want her sitting with but so many soldiers at this point. They were all already dressed as if prepared for battle. The number of weapons they had with them could start a war.

It felt odd, surreal, as if I wasn’t living my life any longer.

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