Page 128 of Crimson Flames

Kai twists his neck, stretching. “That likely would have been Nessa. She is one hell of a driver.”

I chuckle to myself. I knew about her little obsession with her vehicle, but she just added another skill I could use in my ranks. “You know,” I say, tapping my finger on my chin, “maybe if all goes according to plan, you can still be Nessa’s son. Although, the heir to my throne will have to be our blood child, even if you are most like me already.”

Kai glances at me, then out the window again as if he were contemplating telling me something. I give him time, knowing how calculated he is. He will want to give me the right words. Staring out the glass, I watch the clouds roll by when a sudden pain lances my stomach.

Dark hair covers light brown eyes as I gaze up at the boy who will one day be a mirror image of me. His hands may be tied behind his back as two of my guards attempt to restrain him further, but the venom he lances me with in stare is enough to make me pause. That, and the knee he has pressed to my gut.

“I amnothinglike you. I never want to be anything like you. I will never be your son, and you will never have a blood heir with the woman you stripped of the ability to have children!”

Spit flies from his mouth as he continues to throw insults at me until my guards have him pinned back in his seat. I stand, straightening out my jacket while looking down at this ungrateful child.

Processing the information he so kindly gave to me, I smile down at him. “If Nessa can’t have more children, then you can be our heir. Wouldn’t you like to rule Ireland with us together one day?”

When he realizes what I can offer him, maybe he will see reason.

“There is just one problem with your plan, Ronan.”

Tilting my head to the side, I ask, “And what might that be?”

“I am the son of Boris Mikhaus and Cillian Kelly. There never has been, nor will there ever be, room for you in that equation. And Nessa would rather die than ever be attached to you.”

I get down in his face, and he laughs before landing a wad of spit right between my eyes. I stumble back, wiping at the saliva as if it were acid.

He laughs. “And you can kill me now because I would rather be a demon rotting in Hell than someone who rules by your side.”

Though I am someone who believes control and perfection go hand in hand, something in me snaps as I grab Kai’s face so hard I think I break part of his jaw. He winces, but I only squeeze harder.

“That can be arranged.”

Snapping my fingers, a cloth is immediately handed to me. I shove it in Kai’s mouth until he gags, then tape it shut so I do not have to hear another word come from his mouth.

He will learn. They both will.

Soon, my little doll will be in my hands for the taking. I will train her to be the servant I have always wanted, and her submission will bring me all the satisfaction I could have ever asked for. When Kai follows suit, I will finally have the perfect family to rule with and an unstoppable army.

We will be the picture of royalty and fear. The King, Queen, and Prince of a kingdomIcreated. I will have all the power, and all of Ireland will kneel at my feet.

I’ll be waiting for you, my little doll.

Chapter 51

I can’t fail him, I won’t. I know exactly what Ronan wants me to do. I’m two seconds away from giving in when Boris takes my shoulders and forces me to stop pacing in the grass by the runway.

“We are going to get him back,” he assures me.

I’ve had the tracker up and in my hands since the moment I realized he was gone. Finding that van empty was nearly as awful as finding him dead in it.

Thankfully, Lev just has a small graze to the head, but the bullet hit a large vein and caused blood splatter that made thevan look like a murder scene. He also has a large black eye from where Ronan apparently hit him with the butt of his gun to knock him out.

Damien and Evie insisted that he go to the hospital, but stubbornness runs deep in our family, and he is currently on his computer as we all assemble a team. Damien forced him to at least stay seated, and he agreed as long as he could participate.

Laney and her men took the kids to the location Dr. K set up with the new psychologist, and Akio and Adrian showed up just a few minutes ago.

“You doubted him,” I say to Boris, remembering his words from the car.

He looks ashamed as his eyes drop to the ground. “I did.”

“Why?” I ask, needing to know what made him think our son could have sold us out.

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