Page 3 of King

I smiled at the memory. Our feud lived on, only our brother Percy could pull us apart and since he was bound to international waters now that he had warrants for his arrest on three continents, even he couldn’t help Zane when I had him pinned.

“News from the club?” I asked.

“None, it’s operating smoothly. Profits are up twenty percent from last month.”

“And our other businesses?”

Ren knew exactly what businesses I was referring to. The drugs and sex businesses we had invested in years ago to keep my empire from crumbling kept us rich enough to buy the police in this damn city.

“Booming, sir.”

“Good to hear,” I said. “Keep an ear to the ground. My brother never stays down for long, as you know.”

Ren nodded and I made a move to head back down the tunnel to my palace. Looking back one final time, I smiled as I saw people from my brother’s businesses, dancing and having a good time.

Not long now and I would take over this entire city.

I headed through the locked door to the tunnel and turned on the light that would light my way. The tunnel was long, filled with doors to the sides that would lead into rooms where anyone could have their shady dealings that they pleased. It was my den of sin, only it was a tunnel, and only those who truly knew the underworld would be able to get in.

The sounds of fierce sex could be heard as I headed home, bringing a smile to my sick and twisted face. Zane had no idea just how much my empire had grown from underneath the city. One day, he’d be gone and I would reign supreme over everything my family had built.

Just like it should have always been.

As I got to the end of the tunnel, I keyed in my code to the door and opened it. The triplets I’d acquired along the way, known affectionately by me as cerberus, greeted me with a smile.

“Boss,” the one named Cy acknowledged me as I headed down the pathed pathway to my home. My palace was lit up with fake lights, a large beaming moonlight that I'd built casting an eerie glow over my grand palace. Home sweet home.

Two of the cerberus, Cy and Ben, followed me inside while Rusty stayed at the gate, guarding it from anyone who thought they’d come and sneak up on me.

“Hungry, boys?” I asked.

“Definitely that,” Ben said with a smile. That boy was always hungry. I’d met the triplets when they turned up at the door to my tunnel looking for their mother. She’d been working for me in one of the many brothels I’d owned but when Ren went to look for her, they found her dead of an overdose.

That was fourteen years ago and I’d kept them close ever since. It was their decision to guard the gate to the tunnel, and I’d told them they could live freely in the palace but they wanted to guard it. A thank you for taking them on.

They were like my own sons now.

One stayed at the gate when I was home and the other two stayed close by. No one could touch me with the brothers at my feet. They were as sick and twisted as I was, maybe even more so.

“Have chef cook you boys a feast and take some out to Rusty,” I said. “I’m retiring for the night.”

“You don’t want some, boss?” Cy asked.

“Not tonight,” I told him. “I’ll see you in a few hours.”

He nodded and went off to the kitchens for their food. I made my way down to my room and closed the door behind me. Removing my shirt and jeans, I got in bed and turned on the TV. I never thought I would give my staff so much to do in my stead, but I guess I had turned into my own worst nightmare.

I loved nothing more than a good movie and a night in. The only thing missing was someone to enjoy it with.

But with my depraved soul as well as living underground, I doubted I’d ever find a willing woman to be my wife.

That was okay.

I could live off others' misery to make up for it.

Paisley

The sun felt amazing on my skin as I laid by the rooftop pool of the hotel. Being the daughter of the hotel manager had its perks, not to mention being the woman who was doing the man who owned the hotel had even more perks. I was full of perks.

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