“Alexa?” I hear my name being shouted from the front door.
“What the fuck …?”
“Alexa?” I see my brother rushing into my house.
“What are you doing?” I ask concerned.
“Where in the hell have you been?” he snaps. “With that bastard?”
I roll my eyes and turn my back to him. “I don’t have time for this, Derek.” He hasn’t spoken to me in weeks and he shows up at my house out of nowhere throwing insults at my boyfriend. That’s no way to get on my good side.
He grips my upper arm and spins me around. “Did he do this? Did you break up with him or something?”
“No.” I rip my arm from his hold and roll my eyes. “Go home, Derek. You haven’t cared about what’s been going on in my life. Why now?”
“Because Lucky’s was set on fire,” he snaps at me.
His words make me pause. He said set on fire. As in on purpose. I watched the news. They said it was accidental. Even though the fire marshal said it wasn’t, they want the public to think so because Cross wants to take care of it himself. How would he know …
Cross and Bones suspected it was Mitch, but Mitch said that Derek told him Lucky’s was in trouble. So, what if my brother did it? What if he’s the one trying to frame Cross because he hates the Kings so much? He knows I went into business with Bones and Jasmine. Derek knows more than Mitch has to.
“I’m fine,” I say gently. “See?” I spin around, with my arms out wide. “I wasn’t even there.”
“Thank God.” He pulls me in for a quick hug. “Where were you?” he asks, pulling away.
“With Mitch,” I lie. I don’t want him knowing I was with Cross. Right now, I have to tread very carefully with him.
He frowns but doesn’t question it.
“Here, sit down.” I pull him over to the couch. “Let me get you a drink. What would you like?”
“Water,” he says, running a hand through his hair. “Please.”
“Okay. Give me a second.” I exit the living room and head toward the kitchen. But I sidestep into the hallway and run to my bedroom. I gently close the door and pull my cell out of my back pocket, dialing up Cross’s number.,
“Hey, gorgeous,” he answers on the first ring.
“My brother just showed up at my house, and when I asked why he said because Lucky’s was set on fire. He thinks you did it.” I rush out but make sure to keep my voice quiet.
“We’re on our way.”
CROSS
I PULL UP to Alexa’s house with Grave. Titan and Bones are behind us. I don’t even bother knocking on the front door. I shove it open so hard that it hits the interior wall with a thud.
“What the hell?” I see him jump up from the couch.
I rush him, my hand tightens to a fist, and I swing, knocking him out with one hit.
“Oh my God, Cross,” Alexa squeals rushing over to her brother, who now lies on her living room floor, but Bones grabs her. Wrapping an arm around her from behind, he pulls her back.
“Take her to Kingdom,” I tell him.
“No!” she shouts, fighting in his arms. “What the hell are you doing?”
Bones suggested we bring her brother and Mitch to Kingdom tonight. Play with them in the meat locker, but we can’t move him there right now. We don’t have the trunk space to get him back there and I don’t want to use her car just in case I have to bury him later. So, I’ll have to take care of him here instead. That means she must leave.
“Take her to Kingdom,” I repeat at Bones as he just stands there with her. This isn’t up for debate. I dig into my pocket and throw my keys to Titan. “Pull my car into her garage and load her into it. Don’t want the neighbors to see her leaving kicking and screaming.”
He nods and takes off through the kitchen toward the garage.
“Cross …” she cries. “Please don’t do this,” she begs. “What if it wasn’t him?”
I can’t blame her for holding on to the hope that her brother didn’t try to burn her dreams down. “Then I won’t hurt him,” I answer simply.
“And if he did?” she asks nervously.
I look at Bones. “Leave. Now.” He picks her feet up off the floor and starts to carry her out of the room. She screams my name, but he must cover her mouth with his hand, muffling it. We don’t want the neighbors hearing her and calling the cops.
“What do you want to do with him?” Grave asks, looking down at Derek.
I wanted him to stay here with me. Grave deserves to blow off some steam. Right now, it’s the only thing I can give him.
“I’ll see what I can find.”
_______________
I SIT DOWN on the coffee table in front of the couch and slap Derek’s face. “Wake up.”
His head jerks to the side and then snaps up. He opens his eyes, blinking rapidly. “What …?” He tries to move but realizes his wrists are tied behind his back with a piece of rope I found in the garage. Along with his ankles as he sits on the couch. “Alexa?” He shouts, starting to regain consciousness.
“She’s not here.” Grave informs him, entering the living room, pocketing his cell.
Derek shifts on the couch. “Where is she?” He swallows nervously. “What have you done with her?” His voice rises.
“She’s safe.” Is all I give him.
He sucks in a deep breath. “I told her to stay away from you.” His eyes go to Grave. “And you … you fucking …”
I slap him across the face. “Pay attention. I’m only going to ask this once. What do you know about Lucky’s?”
“I know you set it on fire!” he shouts at me. “I know that you want to hurt my sister. You Kings are fucking evil!”
I make a tsking sound with my tongue and teeth. I lean forward and rip his shirt down the middle, exposing his chest.
“What are you doing?” he shouts, trying to pull away from me unsuccessfully.
I reach inside my shirt and pull out the cross and remove it from my neck. Then I adjust my ass in order to dig into my jean pocket and retrieve my Zippo, lighting it up.
“What the fuck are you doing?” he screams.
“This is going to hurt,” I tell him.
Grave walks behind the couch and shoves a dish towel into Derek’s mouth. Then he leans over the back and wraps his tatted arm around his neck from behind, pulling his ass off the couch just a little, holding him in place for me.
Derek struggles but can’t do much when he’s tied, gagged, and in a chokehold.
I let the cross hang from my hand while my other holds the lighter to it. When it gets as warm as I want it, I press it to his chest.
His screams are muffled due to the gag. When I remove it, he sucks in deep breaths through his nose, and Grave takes a step back, letting him go.
I remove the gag. “You son of a bitch!” Derek snarls at me. “You better not have hurt her. I’ll rip your head off,” he warns.
I almost laugh at that. Instead, I say, “I would never hurt her. You, however …” I hold up the lighter and cross again, heating it for round two.
“What?” he asks, his dark eyes wide. “No. No. No. You think I did it?” He shakes his head quickly. “I didn’t do it. I swear.”