Page 90 of Just My Luck

“—with a felon.” The words were acid on my tongue. “He’s using me against you, isn’t he?”

A fresh sob racked out of her, confirming my fears.

I stood to my full height, fury radiating from every pore.

That son of a bitch. This cannot be happening.

I stared at her for one last beat before I yanked the door open.

Sloane scrambled to her feet behind me. “Abel, wait!” She had to jog to keep up with me as I stalked down the hallway, rage seeping from every pore.

She rounded me, planting her hands on my chest. “Please. Please don’t do anything stupid.”

I looked down at her precious face. My entire future—the one where Sloane and the kids were at the center of my universe—flashed before me.

There was no fucking way her piece-of-shit ex was taking that from me. I’d rather rot in prison for the rest of my life, knowing the twins were safe with her.

Red seeped into my vision at the mere thought of Sloane without her children. “Sloane, call your lawyer. Now. You can handle it your way, but I’m handling it mine.”

I moved past her and sailed out the door. The engine to my truck roared to life, and I jerked it into drive. It took no time to make my way through town and come to an abrupt halt in front of King Tattoo. I slammed my foot on the brake and threw the truck into park. I didn’t give a fuck if I got a ticket for double-parking.

A horn honked behind me, and I turned, fists clenched, and stared at the driver. His eyes went wide as he slowly drove around me.

Heat coursed through my veins—my blood thick and hot with fury. I pulled open the door and stormed into King Tattoo, disrupting the peace inside the shop. Royal’s laugh faded as he turned to me.

I stared at him. “Get your shit. I need you to have my back.” I pointed at the floor. “Right now.”

Excitement danced in Royal’s eyes. He nodded to Luna, King Tattoo’s resident piercer, and immediately followed me out of the shop. “Are we fucking someone up tonight?”

I pushed open the door, spilling late-afternoon sunlight into the shop. I made my way toward my truck. “Probably,” I ground out.

Giddy energy zipped through him as he jumped and shot a fist into the air.

“Yes,” he shouted through gritted teeth.

I glanced at my little brother as I climbed into my truck and shook my head. “Will you please calm the hell down? The last thing I need is you getting a violence boner.”

A slow grin spread across his face, and I exhaled. “I’m serious, Royal. Sloane’s ex is trying to take the kids from her. I’ve been paying Bootsy to keep tabs on him, and right now we’re going to have a conversation.”

Royal’s tattooed hands rubbed together as he geared up for what was about to unfold. I headed out of town, my mind flipping through our options. Jared was going to learn the hard way that when you fucked with a King, it was your last mistake.

My leg bounced. If things went sideways, I would have to take the fall. This wasn’t Royal’s mess, and if the worst-case scenario played out, he’d need help.

“Fuck.” My hand slammed against the steering wheel as I drove. “Whip’s working.”

“Do we need one more?” Royal asked, unlocking his phone.

I shrugged and shifted in the seat, unable to sit still. “It would help.”

Royal nodded and immediately began dialing. I looked over at him, but he stared ahead and said, “Duke.”

My head whipped to him. “A Sullivan? Are you serious?”

Royal lowered the phone. “You want help or what? He can just stand in the back and look scary, but we’re fucking doing this.”

I clenched my jaw and conceded with a firm nod.

It looked as though the Kings and Sullivans were coming together to send a message that no one fucks with us and gets away with it.

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