Page 63 of Revenge of a Queen

Steven can barely see through his bloodied swollen eyes, but he splutters his son's name, “Damien, don’t listen to them son, they are liars,” his desperate tone is grating, I watch Damien closely as he dissects what his father is saying.

He looks scared, not the guilty kind of scared that Steven looked. No, he looks shocked, confused, and downright fucking petrified. Hmm interesting. I move until I am in front of him and he removes his gaze from his father to meet mine. He looks like everything he has ever been told has been a lie, could it be that the son of a scumbag like Steven, is innocent?

“What do you know about Elliot Donovan?” I inquire, watching his face for every reaction which means I don’t miss his immediate frown.

He looks past me to his dad again with the same confused frown before he answers, “He’s my dad’s friend, they have known each other for years,” he pauses, like he is trying to think of more information. “He gives money to the police department every year, funds, uniforms, and stuff like that,” he is trying and failing to hide his body shaking with fear, or nerves, I’m not quite sure.

“And what do you know of him being a murdering rapist piece of shit like your dad?” I push him further for information and he splutters in disbelief immediately, and I have my answer, he knows nothing, lucky for him.

I spin back to Steven, “Well, would you look at that Captain? You did one thing right. Kept your son out of your sick and twisted lifestyle, now your wife only has to mourn one of you,” I don’t even let my words register before I lift my gun and plant a bullet right in the middle of his head. My target practice is clearly paying off. Damien lets out a muffled noise as he watches his father die.

“Let what you saw here today be a reminder of what I can and will do to you, if need be,” I speak in a smooth, flat tone, letting the dark edge of my mood shine through. “You will go home and act like nothing has happened, your father’s crimes will be revealed to the world and you will be thankful that you weren't involved.” I hope I am doing the right thing, I don’t want to murder innocents, that would make me as bad as them.

Asher isn’t as collected as me, shocker I know, he steps forward and kicks Damien onto his back and places his foot at his throat.

“Do you know who I am?” He asks and Damien tries his best to nod, “Good.” He pushes his foot harder into his throat and I watch as he struggles to breathe.

“If you even think about speaking to anyone about what transpired here today then it won’t just be you who pays. I will murder everyone you have cared about, your mother, Katherine, your cat, Mr. Sniffles, even your high school girlfriend, Josie. I will hunt every single one of them down and skin them alive until they are begging for mercy and then and only then will I show it. I will boil their bodies in acid until they are nothing but sludge for the fucking pigs to eat, are we clear?”

I can practically taste his fear as he digests Ash’s words and tries his best to nod. Ash presses into his throat even more before pulling back and turning to me with a nod.

I turn to find all the guys watching us. Marcus is staring at me with a whole new look in his eye, a look that says he is impressed, frightened, and if I’m not mistaken a little turned on. Jace has a look I have never seen before, there is a fire behind his eyes like he is ready for a whole new chapter of his life. Lincoln is taking in the scene before him with a dark approving appraisal, like today is exactly his kind of day, it makes me wonder about his past. Then I lock eyes with Logan who is smirking at us as he leans on the chair that Steven’s warm dead body still occupies, “I knew today would be fun.”

Chapter 36

LINCOLN

It has been hours since we got home and everyone disappeared to their own corners of the house. Marcus dragged Elle off as soon as we got back, Jace got so stoned that I had to carry him to bed, Donovan stalked to Zack’s office, and Logan said he was going to catch up on his extra curriculars, whatever the fuck that means.

There is no way I could attempt to sleep, I’m too wired. Today was the kind of day I long to be part of the kind that reminds me of my past, my childhood. The darkness of what we did pulses through my veins. The adrenaline courses through me like a drug. A drug I know well.One I’ve been addicted to since I was eight years old and watched the life drain from my father's eyes.

Some of us are born into darkness, people like Elliot, Greg, Asher, and even me. Others are molded by things that happen to them like Elle, Jace, and Marcus.

I relish in the blood that was spilled today. Reliving every blow Elle delivered to one of her tormentors. He may not have laid a finger on her that terrible night, but that doesn’t mean there haven’t been countless others who suffered under his hands.

Unlike us, Elle King wasn't born a dark murderous queen. No, her circumstances made her into one. She took the pain she endured and turned it into a power that grows daily. Donovan underestimates her at every turn, but he is also relentless. Every move we make from here on out, needs to be calculated, every possible outcome considered and prepared for. Elliot Donovan may have a fucking criminal empire, but we have more to lose than he does.

For the first time in my life, I have a family to call my own. People to protect and love. I won’t let anything happen to them.

I can’t seem to settle my mind. Contemplating and worrying about all we might come to face. I tried pulling a Marcus and drowned out the thoughts with half a bottle of whiskey, it did nothing. I tried following Jace into a weed induced sleep, all that did was make the darkness feel more decadent. That’s how I find myself in the gym, my fists pound into the bags hoping I can bleed this high away. My knuckles split and bleed, finally drawing me out of the haze. I turn around and lock eyes with Logan. He leans against the door watching me with a dangerous smile on his face.

He appraises me slowly, like a predator would its prey. He’s fucking delusional if he thinks he can hunt someone like me. His gaze takes in my grey sweats and lack of shirt, lingering on my sweat soaked chest before he meets my eyes and I raise my brows at him in question.

“Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you,” he purrs in that alluring flirty voice of his as he enters the room fully.

“You didn't. You've been watching me for seven minutes.” I don’t think about how weird that would sound to someone, the fact I noticed him as soon as he darkened the doorway, felt him even. Just one of my many learned talents. Something I had to be good at to survive. Always be aware of your surroundings.

He lets out a low whistle, “Damn your perceptive. Wanna know what else I could do in seven minutes,” the teasing edge to his voice gives me pause.

This isn’t like his previous attempts at flirting with me, he isn’t trying to show off, or embarrass me. He isn’t trying to get a rise out of having an audience, there is no one here but the two of us. This is just for him, for us, he wants me for real.

I take into consideration his blatant sexual offer. I'm not blind, he's fucking sex on a stick. Tall, dark, and handsome, with a jaw that could slice you open. He looks at me with a glint in his eye. Like he’s willing to do whatever I'd want him to but isn’t expecting me to take him up on his offer. He doesn't know the turmoil inside me. He doesn't know how long it's been since I've had the pleasure of sinking deep into someone else. How long since I’ve put my cock down someone's throat and fucked their face. I've been so busy with everything since Elle got to town, that I'm itching to feel that relief and Logan might just be the perfect candidate.

I feel the smirk tug on the side of my mouth as I decide to take him up on whatever he is offering, “Come on then, Logan. Show me what you got,” I sit down on the bench leaning back against the mirror and open my legs. The invitation is clear.

He licks his lips appreciatively, his gaze darkening as he takes me in once more. He wastes no time stalking towards me and sinking down onto his knees between my open legs. It’s a fucking pretty sight.

“I didn’t know computer nerds were this stacked,” he smirks, as he eyes my bare chest.

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