Page 88 of The Carver

Adrien and I returned to Oscar’s residence. My men still maintained control of the perimeter, and the police didn’t interfere. Luca was there when I showed up, in his vest and with a shotgun. “You got her?”

I nodded. “If I’d gotten there a minute later…”

He gave a nod in understanding. “How do you want to play this?”

“Execute the men who buried her. Oscar is mine.”

“Let’s do it.”

We strode into the house, the marks from the explosion still visible on the walls. His men were still dead on the floor, having bled out and marked the rugs and furniture.

Oscar hadn’t tried to run and was where I’d left him, sitting in the armchair with dried blood on his face, like he hadn’t even gotten up to clean it. He was holding his shoulder at a weird angle, like his collision with the wall had broken something. “Did you get her in time?”

“Yes.”

He nodded. “I’m glad to hear it?—”

“You violated the code, Oscar.”

“I didn’t know she was your girl, Bastien. I thought she was Adrien’s.”

“Whoever she is doesn’t matter. Because the code pertains to all women, regardless of which man she’s in a relationship with. You may not like how Adrien conducts his business, but that doesn’t give you the right to abandon the code you vowed to honor.”

Oscar got to his feet so he could meet my gaze. “Adrien had the chance to spare her, but he chose not to.” His eyes flicked past me to where Adrien stood behind me.

I slowly turned to look at him, eyes narrowed. “Explain that.”

Adrien shifted his gaze between us. “He said he would let her go if I gave him all of my clients.”

I tilted my head, expecting a better explanation than that.

Adrien continued. “But if I did, my clients would come for me and my entire family, including Fleur. There was no way I could save Fleur, no matter what I did.”

“You agree and then come to me. You don’t let them bury the woman you love.”

“It all happened so fast?—”

“I should fucking kill you too.” Fleur had endured all of that because her piece-of-shit ex was too stupid to think on his feet. “She almost drowned in mud, and you’re equally responsible for that.”

“Bastien.” Oscar addressed me gently. “I never would have come for Fleur if I’d known.”

“What kind of fucking excuse is that?” I turned back to him.

“Yes, I violated the code, but I never would have touched someone who’s important to you. You know I speak the truth. It was an honest mistake.”

“No such thing as an honest mistake.” I turned back to Adrien. “You cheated because youwantedto cheat.” I looked at Oscar again. “And you almost subjected an innocent woman to a brutal death for your own agenda. Those are not mistakes.” I stepped away and motioned to Luca. “Take him to the car. We’re going to Notre-Dame.”

Oscar didn’t know my plan, but he knew that was where he would die. “Bastien, we’ve known each other for years?—”

“Shut up, Oscar.”

The guys grabbed his arms, and Luca zip-tied his wrists together.

“I’m sorry.” He tried to come toward me, but the guys pulled him away. “I said I was sorry.”

“You’re sorry? My woman almost fucking drowned, and you’re sorry?” I came at him and punched him so hard in the face I bent his nose in the other direction. More blood poured down his face and seeped into his mouth until he coughed it up. “I will burn you alive as you hang from Notre-Dame, and all of Paris will see you die the death of a traitor.”

They started to drag him away.

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