Page 4 of Cruel God

And the private investigator who will gladly play in the dark if it means saving the woman he loves.

Scarlet Woods and Hunter Keaton’s blooming romance gave me the leverage I needed to bargain with James Baxter—the man notorious for infiltrating the underground sex trade, rescuing girls and rehabilitating them. The man was like a thorn in my fucking side—but after promising him that his daughter and her lover would remain under my protection and untouchable, the man agreed to back the fuck down. To retire from his noble crusade and no longer complicate my business ventures.

But Mr. Riggs here—I’d say he was the best reward. The moment I saw him, recognizing his familiar eyes, my plan slipped into place. And now…here we were.

We walked into my house, and I could feel the tension of the last few hours slowly easing from my shoulders. The dim ceiling lights in the foyer created a sense of calm, warmth—things it never did when my father was still alive.

The Cain mansion had been my home ever since I could remember. It held a lot of memories—some good, some bad…some deadly. But that was the curse I had to carry by having Cain blood running through my veins. No one could save me from the path my father had put me on. No one.

I never wanted this. I didn’t want this to be my life. But thenshechanged everything, and it forced me to embrace the darkness. To become it. For years I’ve worked my ass off to finally be the king of the empire my father had built, to finally have the control I needed. Lies, betrayal, and deceiving those around me were the only ways I’d be able to protect what was mine.

My father, Victor Cain, deserved his fate. I didn’t grieve my father’s death. The only thing I regretted was not being able to deal the death blow myself. To not have my face be the last thing my father saw before he entered the gates of hell. But I couldn’t afford to get my hands dirty with my father’s blood. There was too much at stake, too much to lose, and I needed to act carefully and strategically for everything to work out precisely the way I planned. And after today, all loose ends had been tied. Brent, the guy who had the honor of slicing my father’s throat, was dead. He, too, deserved his fate. Fucker raped and tortured his adopted sister, then ended up killing the other. And the best part was his little adopted sister, who endured his abuse, had her revenge by watching her boyfriend slice the motherfucker to pieces. It was pretty entertaining, watching it all go down. All I had to do was keep my hand of cards close to my chest, watching, waiting for everyone else to make their move, and to play the game as everyone expected me to. I just gave them a little nudge and a little push without them realizing it. I was the devil sitting on their shoulder, whispering all the things I wanted them to do. I was a master manipulator, the joker who swayed the game, guiding it in the direction I wanted it to go. I knew Brent’s enemies hated him enough to want to kill him. All I had to do was give them the opportunity, and it all worked out perfectly.

I turned around and held my arms wide at Mr. Riggs. “Welcome to my castle. Please make yourself at home. You will find there are twelve rooms you can choose from and an array of entertainment rooms—and women—to keep yourself…entertained.” I shot him a sly grin. “The only place off-limits to anyone is the top floor. That is my personal quarters, so you will not under any circumstances set foot there, understand?”

He nodded. “Yes, sir.”

“Good.”

I leaned my head to the side, studying him. With brown hair and dark brown eyes, he was probably seen as attractive by some women. But I also saw a particular determination in his eyes which I planned to use to my advantage.

I walked over to the bar and poured us some whiskey. “I have two rules.” I held out a glass to him, and he took it hesitantly. The man was nervous, cautious—which was good. People who trusted too quickly tended to get killed just as easily.

I leaned over the bar. “Rule number one, I will never be questioned. When I tell you to do something, you do it. No hesitation, no questions, or you will lose your fucking head.”

He nodded.

“Rule number two, never touch what is mine, ever. It’s that simple.”

“Understood.”

“Good. I can see you, and I are going to get along just fine. Now, I’m exhausted. Pick a room, pick a girl, and I’ll see you in the morning.”

He just nodded before taking a sip of his drink. A man of few words—just as I liked them.

I rounded the bar and brushed past him before turning back. “Oh, and loosen up a little, would you? Have some fun. What’s the use of creating this beautiful dark world we’re living in if we can’t embrace it now and then?” I winked and then made my way up the stairs.

Even though everything went down as planned tonight, I was still wound up way too tight. I needed a way to get rid of all the tension and frustration of the last few days. I had eliminated potential threats and could breathe easily again, even if just for a short while.

Once on the top floor, I punched in the security key, and the door clicked open. The automated lights went on as I made my way down the hall, removing the chain with a key from around my neck. The closer I got to the door with the golden doorknob, the more I felt the anticipation pulsing up my spine. My sick little mind was already thinking of all the ways I could work the tension from my muscles.

I stopped in front of the dark mahogany wood door, pushed the key into the lock, and started to unbutton the collar of my shirt while slowly opening the door.

The second my gaze landed on the one thing I had been dying to see all day, a smile crept up on my face, my body already burning with dark desires and promises of forbidden pleasures.

“My dear little butterfly,” I said softly as I leaned against the door, starting to loosen my cuffs. “How you please me.”

The woman, currently naked and on her knees, remained silent as she kept her head down. It was the ultimate display of submission, something she had mastered years ago. A sight that instantly made the weight on my shoulders seem lighter. Whenever I walked into this room, it was like the world on the outside disappeared.

I started toward her, my cock already pressing painfully against my pants. “You always know how to welcome me.”

As I stopped in front of her, I reached out and placed my hand on her head, weaving my fingers through her long, golden hair.

“I’m in a very good mood today, Butterfly. So today, I give you permission to speak and act freely within this room.”

It wasn’t something that happened often. For her to be free to do and say what she wanted wasn’t something I usually preferred—and neither did she. Her submission, obedience, and discipline were what made our dynamic so fucking powerful.

Addicted, captivated, warped, and completely possessed.

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