Page 36 of Promise of Hellfire

Dominic’s hand found my shoulder, anchoring me to the moment. As I swayed on my feet, trying to remember to breathe, Ethan snagged the corner of the fabric and pulled, unveiling a sleek black Porsche. I shook my head at them and stared silently. Words refused to come out of my mouth and I swallowed hard, trying to figure out what to say.

When I could finally speak, my words came out quietly. “I have a car, guys.”

Dominic scoffed, and Hunter cleared his throat. “Listen, princess, I get it, but you needed a new one. Yours was–”

“A death trap,” Dominic grumbled. “I’m surprised the wheels hadn’t fallen off yet.”

Nothing he said was a lie, but the car he was so quick to cut down was mine. I’d paid for it in full using whatever tip money I had. It saved me from riding on the bus with strangers at all hours of the night or having to walk endless blocks down city streets to buy groceries.

Ethan stalked towards me and reached for my hand. He pressed the keys into my palm and curled my fingers around them. “You’ll need something reliable soon. We’re more than happy to drive you anywhere you need to go, but this gift is bigger than a car. It’s freedom, baby. Freedom is why you fought us so hard in the beginning,” he whispered to me, brushing his lips against my temple. “Tell me you don’t miss just going where you want, whenever you want to go. Soon you’ll be able to do that again.”

My throat tightened at his words. Even if they didn’t understand my apprehension about accepting a gift of this magnitude, they somehow understood me, even after so little time. Two months ago, I would never have imagined my life turning out like this.

“Ready for a test drive?” Hunter asked, and I gave him a weak smile. There was no way they would let me decline the car, so I might as well make the best of it.

That evening, long after the sun had set, I drove the new car outside of the city limits. Rolling the windows down and turning the music up, I tested its limits. Letting the January wind bite at my skin, I contemplated the idea of freedom and how three men had managed to win my heart. God knows I hadn’t made it easy so far, and it wasn’t likely I would in the future.

Chapter twenty-two

Rayne

Fridayflewbyina blur at Inferno. Oliver had a new shipment of arms scheduled to be picked up later that weekend on top of ensuring that the club ran smoothly. Vendor orders for liquor, employee schedules, and Michael Carter’s viewing helped to keep any other thoughts at bay throughout the day.

By the time that evening rolled around, I was exhausted, but knew there wasn’t any time to rest yet. Sure, I could have allowed Ethan and the guys to attend tonight without me, but it made me feel like a crappy human being. If the roles were reversed and it was my parents that had been murdered, they would never allow me to attend any of the services by myself. Then again, Ethan was the one responsible for his dad’s untimely demise.

I sighed as I looked in the mirror and touched up the small amount of makeup still clinging to my face, carefully applying lip gloss. The viewing and service would be held a few blocks away at St. Patrick’s. I’d passed by the cathedral countless times on my way to work or class in the past, often staring at the stained glass windows and ornate architecture, but never stepped foot inside.

Tonight, the very “private” event would be attended by most of the city’s wealthy, and the idea made my stomach roll with anxiety. Michael Carter was friends and business partners with Ayers. He’d be in attendance.

My greatest hope was that I could avoid any confrontation, spend the minimum amount of time there that was considered polite, and slip out mostly unnoticed. What would actually happen remained to be seen.

Between dinner last night, the discussion with Ethan about attending his father’s funeral, and their early birthday gift of a car, we didn’t discuss what their plans were for Ayers. I knew they had been working on something, but I didn’t press the subject. Even if we had to put it off for a few days for the purpose of timing, he’d be taken care of sooner rather than later and the guys would continue to ensure my safety.

When I reached the parking garage, I sought out Ethan. Hunter had given us explicit instructions to be ready at seven and my heels clicked against the concrete while I searched for him. He was crouched in front of Dominic’s SUV, sandwiched between it and the wall, hidden from sight. His eyebrows furrowed as he looked at his phone, his lip pulled between his teeth.

When he heard me approaching, his gaze never left whatever he was reading. Instead, his hand shot out, beckoning me to grab it. I placed my palm in his and he tugged me down next to him. As I squatted beside him, he lifted my hand to his lips, brushing them over my knuckles.

“Are you hiding?” I whispered to him. “We’re supposed to leave in five minutes.”

“Just taking a second,” he responded, finally looking up. He shoved his phone into his pocket as his face twisted in disgust. “I don’t know why I torture myself, but I was just reading through all the news articles. They’re calling it all a tragedy and praising all the things he supposedly did for the community.”

I inhaled and squeezed his hand with mine. “No more news articles. You know the truth about what happened and who he was. He wasn’t a pillar of the community. He was an abusive father and a terrible human. You just need to make it through the next twenty-four hours.” He frowned and nodded at me before standing up. When I stood next to him, I straightened my clothing before adding, “Make it look like you’re a grieving son, but no over-the-top performances like the other night.”

He chuckled, his blue eyes shimmering with amusement. “Are you sure?”

I jabbed my elbow into his ribs and he grunted. “Positive.”

The ride to St. Patrick’s was short, and part of me felt driving was a waste. The weather was mild for January and it was only a few short blocks away. Walking would have saved the time spent searching for a parking spot, but I didn’t bother voicing my opinion. Instead, I spent the time steeling myself for the next hour.

Before we walked inside, I straightened my shoulders and gave Ethan a reassuring smile. He grabbed my hand as we headed into the building. Cameras flashed in my peripheral and I tried to hide my grimace. I’d forgotten that other than a handful of outings, my relationship with each of the men was hidden from the public eye. I was dating three of the most eligible bachelors in Strathmore. By tomorrow morning, speculation regarding how I was associated with Ethan would be plastered in the gossip column of the city paper.

I fixed a bored look on my face as I hissed through my teeth. “Why didn’t you remind me of the media?”

The corner of Ethan’s lips lifted as we slowly meandered toward the front of the church where an oak coffin sat. “We have more important things to worry about right now.”

I glimpsed around the space as people stopped Ethan, murmuring their condolences and patting him on the shoulder. Rich scarlet carpet covered the floors and dark pews sat in rows divided by the aisle we were standing in. Huge stained glass windows depicting angels and saints adorned the walls. I tried to imagine what it would look like in the midday sun, prisms of color cast across the neutral-toned paint. Golden candelabra dotted the dim space, flames dancing in the shadows.

Once we were finally standing in front of the casket, Hunter stood on his other side and Dominic stood at his back. Ethan lowered his voice and ducked his head so that no one could see his face. “Coming today has been my own personal hell. Everyone that has spoken to me has mentioned what a good man he was and how unfortunate this is. Honestly, it’s a lot of bullshit. He was a monster at home and in the boardroom.”

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