Page 36 of Sip
“She’ll hate you even more than me.”
I smile at his words. I can’t help myself. She never hates anyone. My angel loves too hard to hate. “She never hated you. She wanted to please you. That’s why she— we—did what we did.”
He shakes his head. “You wanted to please me?”
“I wanted to pleaseher. I’m not going to lie— I wanted to fuck that incredible body. But I love her and wanted to give her what she wanted which was to make you happy.”
We’re quiet for a few moments. I stay still. And, close. I refuse to let my big brother die alone. I love him as much as I hate him.
“You’ll take care of her.”
“Yes.”
It really is that simple. No need to explain or expand. Especially when he doesn’t have much time left. “I’ll take care of the business too. Make sure Conor and Niall keep their shit tight. Promote Ansel to my underboss.”
He attempts to nod but the reaper weighs him down. His chin stays on his neck. Yet his eyes remain open, burning into mine. I never blink. Never look away. Never falter. He tests me even on his death bed, and I respect him for that. I also have to confirm I’m the man he thinks I am. If I take his life, I take his spot.
A rattle expels from his chest to his throat with his last breath as his soul departs. I press my lips to his forehead, so he remembers what I’ve done and takes a piece of me with him into the afterlife. I’ll join him in hell soon enough. That’s a worry for another day. For now, I kiss my brother good-bye before I go find my pixie.
Ishove the chair with Shane’s corpse to the side, ignoring his body flopping to the carpet, and bend to type on his keyboard. I pull up the cameras to find Grace. A quick scan of the various screens finds her in her former bedroom. Later I’ll have to figure out what my brother said to her that makes her stay in there instead of in my bed. Right now I’m grateful she’s easy to lock down while I clean up my mess.
The deadbolt engages after I punch in the code for her door. She won’t be able to leave until I release her. As an added precaution, I text Dees to stand guard. He replies in the affirmative and without question as to why I’m doling out orders for my brother’s wife.
My fingers halt on the keys while the reality sinks in. She’s no longer his. Grace is mine now. To do with as I please whenever I want. I touch my cheek. I’m actually smiling. I’ll be damned. I didn’t think that was possible anymore without her in my presence. Just the mere thought of her makes me happy. The novelty of the sensation fucks with my head. Maybe I’m really a nice guy. That thought makes me laugh. I crack myself up sometimes.
Okay, enough jokes. Back to work.
I track Ansel in the dining room where he sits at the table, writing on his tablet. He’s the only man besides security we allow in the house to work. Although that will change too. This needs to be a family home for Grace and the baby. I will build external offices for the business and keep her separate from the chaos. Just like she should’ve been protected all along.
After I text him to meet me in the foyer, I allow myself one last glance at my pixie angel. She glows— literally glows with pregnancy joy— as she cuddles under a blanket typing on her laptop. I’ll check later to find out what she’s working on. For now, I focus on securing her future.
I stride around the desk and out to the corridor, closing the door behind me. No one knows anything until I want them to. My new right hand man frowns as he strides toward me. Meeting anywhere other than Shane’s office rouses suspicion, especially when only I wait for him.
“What’s up?”
He attempts a casual tone, yet tension hardens his face and body. Well aware something is off, he tries to figure out how the change impacts him. His fingers flex automatically yet he’s smart enough not to reach for his weapon.
Ansel blanches and stutters while I explain to him I am now the boss. This is why I hate people. Too much emotion. He wants to understand what and why and how. Details bore me. He bores me. But he’s the best captain we have so I attempt to tolerate his bumbling inquisition so he can move past his shock and schedule a meeting for the rest of team to be updated with the new structure.
“Shane’s dead?”
I nod, tired of answering the same question twice.
“You killed him?”
His already ebony eyes darken as he ponders me. Sizing me up to determine if I’m serious. “You know I don’t like jokes, Ansel. You’ve got your orders.”
His gaze flicks to Shane’s closed office door behind me. Still questioning if a body really exists in there. Wonder no longer, motherfucker. I grab him by the throat and spin him to smash his face against the wood. He’s a big guy yet the element of surprise allows me to handle him like a rag doll. With a twist of the handle, I push open the door and shove him in.
He stumbles on his feet yet doesn’t fall. I watch him from behind as he stands still as a statue with his former leader slumped on the floor. Curious as to what his expression looks like, I chuckle from the idea. This life leaves a man jaded with far too little to surprise him. Yet surprise him I have. Confirmed when he slowly spins back to me, nodding in the disbelief I’ve earned with my actions.
“I’ll let you know if anything goes sideways…sir.”
My silence is my approval. Yanking out his phone, he strides away. Ready to announce my ascension to the throne. With only about twenty minutes until the vultures start circling, I check my own cell for the camera to her bedroom. Grace sits on the floor, leaning against her bedroom door and hugging herself. Fire burns my chest. She’s alone and scared. Neither of which I’ll ever allow again. I hustle my own ass upstairs.
Full of impatience to get my girl, I take the steps two at a time, feeling like I barely touch the wood under my shoes. Once I hit her room, I nod to Dees, dismissing him before I enter the space for the last time. From now on, she sleeps with me in my bed, wherever that may be after today.
The bodyguard dips his chin, and his gaze returns to the carpet, showing respect for the new boss. Word travels fast. Didn’t take long for him to get onboard with the succession. I will reward him with a security role deserving of his loyalty later. Now, I have to get my pixie.
