Page 58 of Dead Devil's Playground
Her eyes land on Hudson, who's standing through sheer force of will, his face ashen. No pain medication, no rest—just a fresh field dressing and that insufferable stubbornness that makes me want to simultaneously slap him and kiss him.
"Jesus Christ, he needs a doctor," Stella whispers.
"Tell him that," I say dryly. "I've tried."
"I'm fine," Hudson grits out, the words becoming his mantra for the night. His hand presses against his side.
Stella looks like she wants to argue, but something in my expression must warn her off. Instead, she turns back to me, switching to business mode with the adaptability that makes her invaluable.
"The club is still packed," she reports. "Most people thought the earlier glitch was part of the show, especially when that spotlight came on for Malik's performance. The important people are all still here—mayor, police commissioner, district attorney, all the key players."
"Who's running the lights and sound right now?"
She blinks, thrown by the abrupt change of subject. "Marco. He stepped in after the blackout when Dylan didn't come back."
"Dylan was on Oliver's payroll," Kai supplies, his split lip curling into a snarl. "He'll be dealt with."
Stella's eyes widen slightly, but she recovers quickly. "Good fucking riddance," she mutters. "Never liked him anyway. Always leering at the dancers."
"He won't be a problem anymore," I assure her. "I need to make a statement."
Stella nods, already understanding what I need. "I'll have them kill the music and put a spotlight on the mezzanine. Five minutes enough prep time?"
“Perfect,” I confirm. I turn to my men, my gaze lingering on Hudson. "Last chance to wait this out downstairs."
He straightens despite the pain it clearly causes him, his jaw set in stubborn determination. "Not a chance in hell."
The twins flank him without being asked, ready to catch him if his strength fails. The sight of their automatic coordination, their unspoken understanding, makes something warm unfurl in my chest despite the night's horrors.
"Let's go," I say, leading the way to the mezzanine that overlooks the main floor.
I feel a strange calm settling over me. For two years, we've ruled from the shadows, letting rumor and fear do our work for us. The mystery was part of our power—the unseen hand that controlled the city's underworld. But tonight has changed everything. Tonight, the shadows were used against us.
It's time for a new approach.
We reach the mezzanine, and I position myself at the railing that overlooks the main floor. From here, I can see the entire club—the dance floor packed with bodies moving to the music, the VIP booths where the city's elite pretend they're not rubbing shoulders with criminals, the performance spaces where dancers twist and turn in hypnotic patterns.
I nod to Stella, who's watching from below. She speaks into her headset, and seconds later, the music cuts out abruptly. Confused murmurs ripple through the crowd as the lights dim, leaving only a single spotlight that finds me on the mezzanine.
The reaction is immediate and dramatic. Gasps echo through the suddenly silent club as people take in my appearance—theblood still staining my skin despite my hasty cleanup, the cold fury in my eyes, the three battered men arrayed behind me like harbingers of death.
I let the silence stretch, let them look their fill. Let them see what happens when someone crosses us.
"Good evening," I say, my voice carrying through the sudden silence. "I apologize for the interruption, but I have an announcement to make."
Below me, I can see officials from the mayor's office, police captains, district attorneys—all the power players who came to curry favor with the mysterious owners of the newest hot spot in the city. Their faces register shock, confusion, fear as they realize who stands before them.
Perfect.
"For two years I let the city whisper about the ghost in its veins—the phantom who ruled from the dark. You thought that meant I was hiding. You were wrong. The dark was never my cage—it was my weapon."
The crowd stills completely, hundreds of eyes fixed on me as I continue.
"You wanted a name. A face. A devil you could see? Here I am."
I let my gaze sweep over them, lingering on the officials who've profited from our rule while pretending not to know who really runs this city.
"If you touch me, or mine, you'll learn why the graves are already full of fools who tried. You'll join the other dead devils who thought they could take what's ours and walk away breathing."
