Page 51 of Santiago's Conquest (Four Dark Horsemen 1)

A sinister smile curves his mouth, the deadly expression settling on his features transforming Remi into a dangerous man whose powerful energy of dominance prickles my skin in fear. “Or you’ll regret it. We don’t give second chances. You ever do something to jeopardize the Cortez family”—his voice drops low, and I lock my hands, barely holding back the urge to dart outside, and lift my chin, waiting for his threat—“Santiago won’t be the one to end you. I’ll do it for him.” He leans back on his seat and dismisses me with his hand. “Go on.”

And that’s when the vindictive and dark part of me rears its head again, stepping in to protect me with the only available weapon I have, aiming to hurt Remi just a little bit, if it’s possible. “You’re a disgusting human being, Remi, and that’s why no sane woman will ever be with you.” His dark orbs flare in surprise, and I gloat inwardly, because it means my guesses to his frequent trips to another city were correct.

Stalking Santiago along with the dark four finally paid off!

Before he can comment on it, I get out of the helicopter and walk toward Aly, who starts to chat swiftly about the quick preparations we need to do.

While we go to the elevator, I think about Remi’s words and shake my head in disbelief.

Hell could freeze a thousand times over, and even then I wouldn’t give my loyalty or alliances to serial killers.

Santiago

When I kick him in the stomach, Howard groans in pain, curling into a ball and sobbing violently while chanting, “Please. Please. Please.” The fucker hasn’t shut up ever since I dragged him out of the cage.

If only he knew begging for salvation would never work for sinners like him who are destined to spend an eternity in hell.

Rage swirls through me, enveloping all my senses in it, and the beast inside me roars at the idea of my Briseis hurt by all those fuckers calling themselves her family, and the need to kill Howard in the vilest of ways becomes so strong I barely manage to control it.

Not yet.

“I’ll repeat my question again,” I say, kicking him in the stomach so hard he starts to choke on blood, and a sigh of pleasure escapes me, as finally his fucking voice stops disturbing my ears with useless pleas. “How did you get Briseis?”

Walking toward the weapon table, I trail my fingers over my blade collection made out of the finest steel and silver, their sharp tips able to pierce flesh so easily with one stab, destroying internal organs if the hand holding it is skillful.

Oh, and I have all the skill in the world.

Picking the one with a full tang handle, I spin around to face Howard, who finally mumbles something. “Diaries. Diaries.” Sauntering back to him, my heavy steps on the concrete alert him to my presence and send fear into every pore. I glance at Octavius and Florian standing near, awaiting my next move.

Usually none of them complies with my requests, let alone orders; however, when we engage in one’s revenge, we follow the rules.

One of them includes letting the one who wants vengeance run the show.

I motion toward Howard, and they get my meaning instantly.

Each grabs one of his arms, lifting him up so he can stand on his wobbly knees, swaying a little in their hold and breathing heavily. Blood drips from his forehead, covering his face. Other bruises are scattered all over his body, leaving almost no flesh unscratched by Andreas or me.

It’s not enough though.

Nothing will be enough.

He hurt my Briseis.

I might be the monster hunting in the night with no redeeming qualities, but no one gets to hurt my woman besides me.

“Flora wrote diaries,” he whispers, licking his lips and wincing, probably at the blood entering his mouth. “You’ll find your answer there.”

Cocking my head to the side, I ask, “Where are they?”

He coughs, sinking forward, but the guys bring him back up, and he gazes at me with both eyes—the other one finally opened up—to my delight.

Only a true serial killer appreciates the gaze of a victim during unimaginable pain. “In a bank. Safe.” A beat before he adds, “Andreas raped my Flora. The only woman I loved.”

Anger penetrates my every bone, the desire to kill Andreas intensifying by tenfold, because his hideous crimes seem never ending, and I should have suspected that was the case.

Andreas could be charming when he wanted to, but even an innocent girl like Flora would have seen his true nature.

“I could never love Briseis.” Howard’s words snap me out of my thoughts, my brows furrowing, and I fist my hand, delivering a blow he doesn’t expect.

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