Page 151 of Body and Soul

“And what's that? Your twisted little empire? Your delusions of grandeur?” I took a step forward, my anger rising with each word. “Xander, Xavier, and Xion are here. You said so yourself, which means you got your sons and we fulfilled our part of the bargain. You promised to rescue Dani to Shepherd if he brought you his brothers, so fucking keep your word. Let everyone go and let this end. Peacefully.”

Algerone's eyes hardened, his pleasant mask slipping to reveal the cold, calculating monster beneath. “I'm afraid it's not that simple, Elias. The agreement was for Shepherd to bring my sons to me, yes. And while I have my sons here finally, it was no thanks to him. Shepherd spent months stalling, misdirecting, and otherwise obstructing what could have been a straightforward deal. And now he must pay the price.”

I stared at Algerone, my heart pounding against my ribs as a cold sweat prickled my skin. “What the fuck are you talking about?”

Algerone smiled, a chilling thing devoid of any real warmth or humanity. “Shepherd and the other Laskins have been quite the thorn in my side. If I let them go, they’ll likely retaliate against me for recent events, and that’s saying nothing of the conflict it will create for my triplets. There is no reason for them to have to choose between the family of criminals that raised them and their real family. Now that I have all the Laskins and their associates, I plan to hand them over to the FBI to prosecute for their crimes. They’re going away for a long time, Eli.”

I thought I was going to be sick. “This whole thing was a set up,” I said. “You never had any intention of letting Shepherd or any of the rest of his family go, did you?”

Algerone's dark chuckle sent a chill skittering down my spine. “You have spirit, Elias. I can see why Shepherd is so taken with you.” He stepped closer, his expensive cologne invading my senses. “But spirit alone won't save you, or him.”

“Fuck you,” I spat, refusing to back down even as my pulse hammered in my throat. “You're nothing but a sadistic bastard on a power trip. You think you can manipulate everyone, pull all the strings from your lofty perch, but it's going to come back and bite you in the ass.”

Algerone's eyes flashed. “You have no idea who you're dealing with, boy,” he said, his voice low and dangerous. “Be careful how you speak to me, or you may find I am less generous than I appear.”

He turned to the desk, pouring himself a drink from the cut crystal decanter with a steady hand. The amber liquid caught the light, casting reflections across the polished mahogany.

I clenched my jaw so hard my teeth ached, glaring daggers at Algerone's back as he savored his fancy ass drink. This whole room, with its plush carpet and wood paneling and that creepy as fuck painting, was like a stage. A set carefully designed to project an image of wealth and power and refinement. But I saw through the bullshit. Algerone could dress it up however he wanted, could hide behind his tailored suits and his flowery words, but at the end of the day, he was nothing more than a two-bit thug. A bully who got off on toying with people's lives.

“So what now?” I bit out, my fingernails cutting into my palms. “You gonna monologue me to death, or is there an actual point to this shitshow?”

Algerone turned, a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth. He sipped his drink, taking his sweet ass time before answering. “You have a choice to make, Elias.”

I scoffed, crossing my arms over my chest. “Oh, this ought to be good. Let me guess, you're going to offer me some devil's bargain? My soul for a get out of jail free card?”

Algerone chuckled, but there was no humor in it. “Nothing so dramatic. I am simply offering you an opportunity. A chance to start fresh, unburdened by the mistakes of your past.”

He walked around the desk. The plush carpet swallowed the sound of his designer shoes. He came to a stop in front of me, close enough that I could see the fine threads of silver in his dark hair, could smell the combination of smooth tobacco and spice that clung to him.

“Testify against Shepherd, the Laskins, and their associates,” he said, holding my gaze. “Help bring their reign of terror and lawlessness to an end. In exchange, I will personally see to it that you are granted a full pardon. A clean slate. I'll set you up with a new life. Money. A good job. A house. Whatever you can dream of, I can make it a reality.”

He paused, letting the words hang in the air between us like a guillotine blade. I knew what was coming next, could feel it in the icy dread pooling in my gut.

“Or,” Algerone continued, his tone hardening, “you can throw your lot in with the Laskins and rot in a cell right alongside them. The choice is yours.”

I stared at Algerone, my mind reeling from his ultimatum. Betray Shepherd and the others in exchange for a cushy new life, or stand by them and face the consequences. It was the kind of choice that could break a man, that could haunt him for the rest of his days, no matter which path he chose.

Memories of my time with Shepherd and his alters flashed through my mind. The night we first met at The Playground.Keres’s desperate confession at the factory. Bryce’s easy smile. Dex’s excitement as he ran around the apartment in his dinosaur pajamas. The long nights spent talking, sharing pieces of ourselves we'd never dared show anyone else. The bone-deep knowledge that no matter what, he would always have my back, just as I would always have his.

Shepherd was more than just my friend, more than just my lover. He was my fucking soulmate, the other half of me I hadn't even known was missing until I found him. The thought of turning on him, of stabbing him in the back to save my own skin, made bile rise in my throat.

I lifted my chin, meeting Algerone's cold gaze head-on. “Go fuck yourself,” I said, each word clear and deliberate. “I'm not going to play your sick little game. I won't betray my family.”

“Think about what you’re doing,” Algerone said.

“I have, and I’ve made my choice. Fuck. You.”

Algerone's jaw tightened, a muscle ticking in his cheek as his dark eyes bored into mine. For a long moment, he said nothing, the silence stretching between us like a taut wire. Then he sighed, as if irritated.

“Maxime,” he said, his voice clipped. “Please escort Mr. Baker to his new accommodations.”

Maxime tucked his ever-present tablet under his arm and crossed the room. I tensed as he approached, my heart hammering against my ribs. I knew I couldn't fight my way out of this, not against Algerone's goons, but that didn't stop the instinct from screaming at me to try.

Maxime's hand clamped down on my shoulder, his grip like iron as he hauled me toward the door. He marched me down the corridor, his shoes echoing on the polished concrete. The walls were the same oppressive gray as the outside, broken only by the occasional steel door set with a small, rectangular window. It was like something out of a horror movie.

He walked me down the hallway, past door after identical door. The fluorescent lights buzzed overhead, washing everything in a sickly greenish glow, making his skin look waxy and corpse-like.

We stopped abruptly in front of one of the doors, no different from any of the others except for the keypad set into the wall beside it. Maxime punched in a code with his free hand, the beeps echoing loudly in the confined space.

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