Page 146 of Crown of Lies

I tear my gaze away from the tattoo, looking at each of the men in turn. “You know, this could be our chance. Our chance to get back what I… what I destroyed. What I took from you guys.” I swallow hard, pushing down the guilt that threatens to rise up. “We know this marker is probably worth a lot. Are you sure you don’t want me to use it? This is your chance to cash in.”

The silence that follows is heavy, but not for long. It’s Nico who breaks it, shaking his head firmly.

“No. It’s too risky, mia cara. Your dad may have left that mark on you, but he avoided the Dark Lotus Syndicate for a reason.”

I’m not totally shocked by his response. After all, he turned me down the last time I made the offer. Still, that was before Zoey pulled her little coup and had my men thrown out of the only home they’ve ever known.

Nico must see the uncertainty on my face because he steps closer, his hand coming to rest on my shoulder. “Look, what happened with my gang… it’s more complicated than just blaming you. We all made choices, we all played our parts. Using this mark, getting involved with the Syndicate… it’s not worth the risk.”

“He’s right,” Atlas says. “We all made our choices, and now we stick together.”

Killian nods. “Having that mark is like having a literal target on your back, siren. We need to get rid of it.”

A wave of relief washes over me. They’re all in agreement, united in their desire to protect me. It’s touching, really, how these three men who’ve lost so much because of me are still willing to put my safety first.

“Okay,” I say. “So how do we get rid of it? Could we tattoo over it?”

Atlas shakes his head. “The black light ink would still be visible, even faintly, under regular ink. It’s not enough.”

The same thought occurs to me as he’s giving his opinion. My stomach churns as I voice the only other option I can think of. “Then we’ll need to cut it off or something.”

Now that I’ve said the words out loud, I brace myself. I know how much it’s going to hurt, but I also know it’s necessary.

Nico’s face pales slightly. “Are you sure? That’s… that’s going to be extremely painful.”

“I know,” I say, meeting his gaze steadily. “But if it’s the only way to get rid of the target, then that’s what we have to do.”

Before we can fully discuss the details of removing the tattoo, my phone rings. The screen lights up with Victor’s name, and my heart skips a beat.

I pick up, putting it on speaker. “Victor, what’s up?”

“Quinn, I finally cracked it,” he says, sounding more excited than I’ve ever heard him. “I got through all the protections and encryptions hiding the source of those messages the guys received.”

My pulse quickens. “You’re on speaker. What did you find?”

“The calls were coming from a prison outside Detroit.”

The words hit me like a punch to the gut. I know that prison. It’s where my uncle was held. Suddenly, everything clicks into place.

“Motherfucker,” I breathe, my mind racing. “It’s Ambrose. My uncle’s cellmate.”

The Princes exchange confused glances, but I barely notice. My world has narrowed to this single realization.Ambrose is The Saint.

“Victor, you’re a fucking genius. Thank you,” I say, my mind already speeding ahead. “We’ll talk more later.”

I end the call and turn to the men. Their faces mirror my own realization. We’ve all come to the same conclusion.

“Ambrose,” Killian growls, his fists clenching at his sides.

“That bastard’s been pulling the strings this whole time,” Atlas adds, his eyes flashing with anger.

Nico nods grimly. “He’s the one who’s been stalking you, threatening us. The fucking Saint.”

A cold determination settles over me. “We have to take him out. This ends now.”

Without another word, I walk toward the front door of the shop, my men falling in behind me. I can feel their presence at my back, solid and unwavering.

But before I can reach the door, there’s a deafening crash. Glass shatters, raining down as something comes hurtling through the window. It rolls across the floor, metal clanking against the tiles.

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