Page 62 of With This Ring

I didn’t think Kai really liked Charlie. He always defended him, sure, but I didn’t think he’d look so wrecked when he died. Honestly, I thought he’d feel relief that his dad wasn’t talking shit to him about being gay or about his company. I figured he’d be glad to be rid of him.

Familial ties are a bitch.

Though I want to tell him no, that he needs me, I nod and stop trying to take my clothes off. “I’ll be right outside. Shout if you need me.”

He nods and walks to the shower, his posture that of a man that has nothing. My heart clenches.

I love you. I want to tell him so badly, but now isn’t the right time. When he’s better. Once he’s better, I will.

As soon as I step into my room, my phone rings. I fish it out of my pocket and curse when I see my father’s name on the screen. I answer quickly, stepping into the hallway. “Dad.”

“Are you okay? Your brother? Kaison? What happened?”

I smile despite the shitty turn of events. Even though I spent most of my life hating my husband, Dad didn’t hesitate to put that aside and welcome him like a son. “I’m fine. Declan is fine. I think the most we got are bumps and bruises. Kai, not so much. Charlie got killed.”

Dad’s heavy sigh drifts through the phone. “I heard. Charlie and I talked about this event, and I told him not to go. He’s headstrong though, didn’t want to listen.” He pauses and sighs again. “Washeadstrong. Where is Kai?”

“In the shower.” I lean against the wall, beating my head against the hard paneling. “I don’t know what to do, Dad.”

“Be there for him. That’s all you can do. You’ll probably have to make arrangements for Charlie.” I scoff, but Dad talks over me. “I ain’t like that cocksucker either, but it’s not for him, it’s for Kai. Take this number down and call the funeral home in the morning.” I pull my phone from my ear to put the number in, but it’s fucking frozen. No matter how hard I try to exit from the call screen, it doesn’t budge. “Hold on Dad. I have to get a pencil and paper.”

I hurry down to my office and grab a pen and paper, jotting the number down as Dad rattles it off. “Who did this, son?” he asks after I blow out a long breath.

“The Fensters. I saw Sam and Gabbi. She shot at me. I got her in the arm before she ran off. I saw Sam before he took off to god knows where. I’m not sure why they made it so fucking public, but it was them.”

My breathing is coming out in pants, and I have to force myself to calm down. I don’t give a fuck about Charlie getting capped. He had it coming for a long time. What I do care about is how it hurt Kai. The Fensters hurt Kai, so they’ll have to fucking die. All of them. Starting with fucking Sam and Gabbi. I’ll kill both of those bitches myself.

I run through the events of the night, giving Dad the cliff notes. He hums when I finish. “What do you plan to do about it?”

“They’re going to die. That’s a given. But I need to wipe everyone out. The youngest in their family is nineteen. No children that I know of. I plan to erase their family name.”

“Whatever you do, be smart. You hear me?”

“I know, Dad. Kai and I will talk it over with some experienced men from both families to come up with something. But the Fensters don’t have too many sunrises left for them.”

A few minutes later, we hang up and I figure Kai has had enough time to wash himself and wallow in the shower. I need to get back to help him dress and into bed. I plan to hold him all night, so he knows he’s not alone.

Exhaling roughly, I walk down the hallway and push into the room. The water isn’t running anymore, but I don’t see Kai. When I step into the bathroom, I find it empty. Walking back into the room, I look around frantically, trying to figure out where he went.

Then my eyes land on his nightstand. Where his cell phone is.

And his wedding ring.

Thundering out of the room, I rush down the stairs to where Nico is in the kitchen. “Have you seen Kaison?”

He looks at me like I’ve grown two heads. “He’s with you.”

“No,” I growl, “he’s not. Where the fuck is my husband?!”

We both leave the kitchen and check the entire house. I even go through the entrances to the panic room, checking to see if he’s hanging out down there. Nothing. He’s nowhere in this house.

Kai is gone.

CHAPTER 21

KAI

Iknew it was foolish to leave my ring and cell phone behind, but I had to get out of that house. I had to get away.

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