Page 164 of Ruthless Kings of Havoc

That or whatever cage bullshit he still participates in.

“Yes, you did manage to protect her as a bodyguard, but you messed up.”

“When?” I demand. “I dare you to prove it to me!”

Matteo isn’t in a rush to do that. In fact, his focus isn’t even on me.

I follow where his gaze is, noticing he’s spotted V with Ares talking to Marcus outside the building. Observing the way he’s looking at them tells me he’s not satisfied with Marcus’ presence.

Why? What’s this fucker got to do with anything when he has no Empire? No foundation. Nothing for him to be near any of us.

Yet, he managed to walk along the side of a desperate Domino.

That has to mean something.

“Why is Marcus involved in all of this bullshit?” I ask, despite Matteo not owing me an answer. I need to distract and figure out where I went wrong.

“You would have figured that out if you did your research,” Matteo taunts in annoyance.

Research? All he told me to do was look into the neurological reports revolving around Verena. That has nothing to do with Marcus. He was a stranger until we became Ruthless Kings of Havoc.

He side glances my way, and I observe the obvious flickers of jealousy in the depths of his red eyes.

“You envy him?” It makes no fucking sense. “Jealous of what? He’s useless. What? Scared he’s going to sweep V off her feet and away from you?”

It’s absurd. I wouldn’t react like that.

Yet, I once did. Triggered by the way men not only acknowledged Verena’s beauty and grace but moved with the intention of trying to capture her attention.

I ensured no one could get too close to being a permanent associate, but did that only encourage the current predicament? For someone to come along and they won’t just fickle away at the little bit of resistance?

“He could,” Matteo confesses, the spoken words barely hitting the surface. “Mr. Wright is probably more cunning than all of us. That’s why I need him on our side more than anything. In our merciless world, it’s better to entertain the talented and obsessed. Ensures they don’t turn their wicked ways your way when your avoidance no longer serves them.”

He’s not making sense.

Nothing is making sense.

I have to reroute the conversation to get proper answers.

“I did my job.”

“You did,” he agrees. “And failed the moment you believed Theo.”

“I get it,” I huff in annoyance. “I was wrong for believing him, yet V is safe. I killed the fucker wanting to kidnap her. Everything is fucking fine and dandy, yet you’re sitting here, lecturing me like I’m some newbie in this field where I’ve killed thousands.”

“Body count means nothing when you play chess in the real world of our society, Aries.” He does exactly what I told him not to do.Lecture me.“As an alumnus and past Ruthless King, you should be an expert in all of this madness, but if you’re so confident, go check the closet for me. Your final check is there.”

My frustrated grunt makes me sound like a desperate fucker who needs this man’s money. I have millions in savings. He may belittle me because he’s a billionaire, but I’m a well-off millionaire thanks to the plentiful gigs and kills that gave me enough experience to do what I’ve done all this while.

He knows nothing about me. I can’t keep allowing him to get under my skin.

Taking the loud steps to the closet, I open it wide with a confident glare.

Only to frown.

The signed check is plastered on the forehead of a male sitting in the middle of the closet. His eyes are wide open, staring back into mine like he’s peering into my soul.

It’s a frightening sight, sending immediate chills through me. Not because there’s a stranger in the closet with the check for one million dollars directed to me from a name I can’t recognize from this distance, but the actuality that this man is dead.

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