Page 28 of Savage Rule

“Maybe. Or maybe it’s all a set up. Maybe Scarlet was let in.”

“To take out which man? Sergio or Jorge?” The movie in my head changes.Scarlet walks past the guards as they look the other way.

“You tell me.”

She goes in through the adjoining suite, and emerges to find both men. But which one was the intended target?

“What else did the examiner find?” I ask.

Luca reads from a text on his phone screen. “There was no sign of struggle with either man. The gash on Jorge’s throat appears to have come from the front, right to left.”

I think about that for a moment. About the way the two men died. “She caught Jorge by surprise. She was standing right in front of him and he didn’t know she was going to kill him. He’s the one that let her in.”

“And Sergio? She didn’t kill him but marked him with the coins. Why?”

“She had to take credit, but didn’t want the blame. She let us know she was there with the pennies, but didn’t want to touch the knife because she didn’t put it there.”

“Why?” Luca pushes, as if just because I have more blood on my hands than he does, it automatically gives me insight into the mind of a killer. “She took the blame for Renzo Gianni even though Noah killed him.”

“I don’t know why.” I pinch my brows together. That’s the thing with Scarlet, she confuses me. Her actions contradict what is expected of her. She took out one man, but let the other live long enough to end his own life. She answered Maisie’s call for help in spite of her being the enemy.

She should repulse me, but instead all I want to do is find her to finish what she started two nights ago.

“I don’t know why she didn’t kill him herself!” I’m exasperated with myself for my inability to explain anything related to that woman, and with Luca for demanding it of me. After a beat where I calm my frustration, I add, “What I do know is, if Scarlet was there on a mission to take out Ramos, then she wouldn’t have had Sofia with her.”

He nods and something painful comes over his expression, as if he’s been trying not to think about this. “Where is she if not with Gideon or Scarlet? Is she already fucking dead?”

I don’t know how to answer that either, but the thought did cross my mind.

“When are you going to show Carina?” I ask, returning the photos to him.

“Immediately.” He sits back and runs his hand through his hair. “I want the alliance to meet tonight. Or what remains of it. With Gavin and Rowan on Gideon’s side, maybe even the Ramos cartel, we have to stay united now more than ever.” He blows out a breath full of regret. “I should have helped Gavin.”

“You couldn’t have known he’d turn to Gideon,” I tell him.

He rubs his chin thoughtfully. “But I knew Rowan would. My gut told me he’d choose his brother. I would have.”

“You still have Noah and Arran. And you have me, brother. I’m not going anywhere.”

9

GUNN

Ireturn to Briar House for dinner and the meeting Luca called for. Him and Carina are waiting under the big portico as their guests arrive.

Pulling in behind Arran’s Rolls-Royce as he steps out of the rear passenger seat, I rev my Ducati’s engine to give him a scare. The roaring sound echoes off the high ceiling and makes him jump. He rewards me with a scowl that makes me laugh.

“Do you ever plan on growing the fuck up?” he asks.

“Not anytime soon.”

“It’s nice to have someone playful. It balances you,” his wife, Skye, says when he helps her out of the car.

On the other side, her moody teenage sister lets herself out and slams the door shut. I think she intends on rushing inside before anyone can greet her, but her jacket gets caught on the door, preventing her escape. “Come on!”

“If you stop tugging it, you could just open the door,” I suggest.

She glares at me with so much annoyance, it makes Arran seem chipper. Then, doing as I said, she opens the door, releases the jacket, and slams it shut again.

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