Page 79 of King of Depravity

He runs his wand over my back and down the outside of my legs, but I know his drill. The gun I’ve tucked next to my dick doesn’t set off his detector.

Clearing me, I enter the elevator with my knife and my gun still tucked away. I reach into my pants and pull it out, placing it in my waistband under my jacket.

The elevator opens on the top floor where all the men are assembled, waiting for my arrival.

“The man of the hour,” Dimitri calls, his Russian accent thicker than usual.

I stop, cocking my head, my feet spread wide. I am never the man of the hour. I don’t stand in the spotlight. “I think that honor belongs to Preston Wingate.” And then I look at Mason. “Preston spilled every secret he knew about you and your family to Dimitri in the back alley behind the piano bar. I heard them too, of course.”

Both Dimitri and Mason go a few shades paler. I’ve caught them both off guard. Good.

I’m not trying to put a target on my own back. But if they think they’re backing me into a corner, they’re wrong.

Reaching into my pocket, I toss a little drive at my brother Triston. He catches it easily. “Just so we’re all on the same page, that is everything I overheard Preston say.”

No one is aware of how deep my intel goes. But I’m going to make it clear. “Upon my death,” I start, looking at Triston, Mason, and Dimitri…

But just then, one of the Russians lunges at me, a knife in hand. Shit.

Ken was lax with everyone…

I grab his hand as he makes his lunge, twisting it behind his back and pulling him tight to my chest as my other hand wraps around his throat. “Too bad, motherfucker.” And then I squeeze.

He tries to escape but my grip is too tight. “Killian.” Triston holds up his hands.

But I don’t attend my brother. I look at Dimitri. I know that attempt was done at his order. “You have something you want to say?”

“You killed my cousin.”

“Yeah. So?”

“So? That will not stand?—”

“Shut up.” And then I squeeze tighter, the guy in my arms blacking out. I loosen my grip.

“I have it on surveillance.”

“Then you also have Antonelli Vendetti’s death on video, and you know that Alexander brutally attacked my girl.”

“Your girl…” Dimitri whispers, looking at Triston.

The guy in my arms is coming to, so I put a little more pressure on his throat. “That’s right. We both know he was going to kill her. Now tell me, Dimitri, what would you do if some sadistic fuck showed up at Southridge Elementary and attacked little Alina as she came out of her preschool class?”

He snarls as he bares his teeth, taking a step toward me. But I pull his foreman up, squeezing his throat again. “And what about that pretty nanny of yours… What would you do to protect her?”

Dimitri stares at me like his gaze alone could make me drop dead. Too bad I’m immune to that shit.

“Think of the things I know about you, Dimitri…” I show my teeth right back. “Think of what my brother, or Mason, or Luc Andriani might be able to do with all that knowledge as he takes over the Italian Mafia here in Vegas.” And then I throw his man on the floor.

“What do you want?” Dimitri snarls.

Triston is stone-faced, but Mason, I catch his half smile out of the corner of my eye. This is exactly what he hoped would happen.

“I want you to honor the deal you made. Don’t think I don’t know how you’ve been meeting with the Vendettis.” I wag my finger like a scolding school mum.

I see his fist clenching and unclenching.

“And…” I give him a cold smile. “I want assurances that Chloe is to remain untouched. Free to move about the city as safe as a girl can be. And I will give you the same in kind.”

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