Page 41 of King of the Cage

“Now, what’s going on here? Don’t tell me my invite to the party got lost in the mail? I thought we were closer than that, after last night.” My voice was deceptively calm.

I didn’t see Giada’s friend until I was farther into the room.

As soon as I did, I stilled. She was on the floor, on all fours, staring straight ahead.

My heart stopped for a long, hot second. Enrico had his feet on her back. This fucker had her on the floor, his feet resting casually on her, like she was some piece of fucking furniture. I was sure in that second that he’d dosed Giada’s friend with the same shit someone had given to Quinn. If not for Ion, she might have been some fucker’s furniture to torment and play with last night.

Something snapped inside me, and I stepped forward, murder in my eyes.

“Bran, your da won’t like this,” Declan warned and held me back.

“Fuck him,” I ground out.

“Just think about it,” Dec continued.

I shook his hand off and gave him a look that made him back up a few steps. He slammed his lips shut, seeing my resolve.

Men in black suits pushed into the room. Private security.

They stared at Enrico for guidance. There was only me, Declan and Giada against them.

I chuckled. “Bodyguards to protect yourself against little old us? Don’t tell me last night scared you so bad, you hired someone? Pathetic.”

Giada stood at my side, motionless, staring at her friend. Something about the sight of her friend, vulnerable and helpless, seemed to have frozen her to the spot.

Enrico sneered at both of us. “You’re the pathetic one, O’Connor. I could sink your family, bury you in investigations and audits so brutal, you’ll be at the soup kitchen by the end of the week.”

A real laugh ripped through me. “Did you just threaten me with the taxman? Oh, Enrico, you truly would have made an outstanding mayor.”

Then my smile dropped, and I lunged forward. With my first step, my lethal intent clear, the room exploded into violence. I didn’t care about the chairs that flew or the private security men and their knives. We could more than take them. O’Connors could take on any weapon, with just their fists to protect themselves.

I ducked under flying fists and kicks and barreled toward Enrico.

He went white, jumping to his feet and backing up.

I grabbed him as soon as I got close enough, lifting his entire puny body off the floor, holding him aloft in front of me.

“What did you do to her?” I growled in his face and shook his body like he was a rag doll in my hands.

His head snapped back and forth like a puppet whose strings had been cut, spitting pleas through rattling teeth.

“Nothing she wasn’t asking for,” Sepriano spat at me, fighting fruitlessly at my chest.

“Oh, Enrico. You could have been slightly less dumb and lived a long, ignorant life, but instead, I’m going to kill you. Today, tomorrow, or maybe the next day… you won’t know it’s coming, but one day, your end will come, and I’ll be there,” I murmured to him.

With an almighty shove, I tossed him against the wall, and he hit it hard before crumpling to the floor.

I stepped forward and reached into my back pocket. Giada’s nifty little knife filled my palm perfectly. I knew exactly why I hadn’t given it to her when she’d come asking… I wanted an excuse for this woman to seek me out.

I flicked open the knife and bent over Sepriano, placing my foot on his neck to keep him pinned to the floor. My steel-toed biker boots crushed him against the tile, and he could only wriggle his legs fruitlessly.

I stroked the knife down his cheek and leaned in close to him.

“Don’t piss yourself, Rico. I’m not going to kill you today… I’m just going to kill you generally… one day. You’ll never see me coming. Remember that, when you’re out living your pathetic life. Pain has it limits… but fear doesn’t. Fear is endless. Your end is coming, Enrico, and no cops, rules, or regulations can save you from me.”

I put the edge of the knife at the top of his ear and sawed. “I am going to teach you a very important lesson… Use it or lose it. You don’t listen? Then you don’t need ears.”

His scream echoed around the room.

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