Page 59 of Brutal King

“Scarlet,” I say in a warning tone, refusing to let her go down that hole again. “Alma shouldn’t have been at Flag’s Point. That’s on Luca and her father. Maisel is under our protection. If you keep her safe until her sister completes her mission, it will beworth it. I’ll make sure they live the rest of their lives in peace and far away from their enemies.”

“Right.” There’s doubt in her tone. Doubt she’s never had before.

“If you need me to find another place for her?—”

“No,” she cuts me off quickly. “I got it.”

The short conversation remains with me for a long while. There have been minute changes in Scarlet ever since she accidentally killed Alma. Now, I’m beginning to wonder if leaving the youngest Cameron with her was a mistake.

No. She’s trained to compartmentalize her emotions. Regardless of how she feels, Scarlet will follow orders. Her loyalty to me will remain intact.

Besides, it won’t be long before Skye manages to get me the information I want. As predicted, Arran was unable to keep himself from bidding on her. One million dollars won him the beautiful prize. The Trojan horse, armed to penetrate his defenses.

Once she does, Clive Maxton will be mine, and Skye and Maisel will be free.

My phone buzzes, breaking my train of thought. It’s the system that alerts me that an incorrect password has been used at the door that leads to the garage.

I access my security system and pull up the camera feed. Sofia is staring at the red-lit keypad, her fingers still hovering over the numbers.

“Try number two,” I say with grin. She’ll try again, of that I’m sure. And when she does, there will be a delicious price to pay.

15

GIDEON

The men that killed my mother were notorious and powerful. No one dared go against them for fear of retaliation. All the while, Father reassured me the time would come, when he’d gain enough power to enact his revenge.

“We must be patient,” he’d told me. “If we strike before we’re ready, we will fail.”

“But you’re powerful,” I said. “You’re strong.”

“Physically, perhaps. But it will take a lot more than that to succeed against these men.” He tapped a finger against his head. “It takes brains. Strategy. When I take them down, it will be in their totality. There will be no one left to come after me. And then, everything will be right.”

It’s taking too long. Arran is enjoying his time with Skye, and she is obviously too. There’s been no word for a week, nothing to indicate that she’s working on finding the location of his father.

Patience is a virtue, but the years of planning and waiting have taken their toll. I often recall the freedom and joy my Father expressed after killing my mother’s murderers. How the weight of the world seemed to have been lifted from his shoulders.

I want that.

After Clive Maxton is dead, there will be only one remaining of the original six that betrayed my father. I can feel the end within reach. Once they’re all dead, Father’s death will have been avenged and I will be able to… Live.

Perhaps, given enough time, Skye would be able to complete her task. But there’s a real possibility that this could drag on beyond what I’m willing to wait. I need to accelerate the situation, and it seems brute force is the only way to do that.

Wesley Ritter informed me that he has it on good authority Arran and his new acquisition will be present at the Maxton Pierce Auction House tonight. He has plans on meeting Michael Williams, one of Maxton Holdings’ largest clients.

“I need a way in,” I tell Vicky.

I hear her typing away. “Their security is tighter than Fort Knox.”

“Can you do it?”

“Of course I can. I’m just saying, give me a minute.” She hums as she works her hacker magic. “Okay, I got a list of guests for tonight. Hmm.”

“What?”

“I can’t add anyone. Damn, whoever Maxton has on his security team is good. But...” There are a few quick strokes of her laptop keys. “There. Congratulations. You are now the face of Michael Williams. I’ll send you all the information you’ll need to pass for him.”

“You’re amazing.”

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