He took the gun back from me and yanked on the barrel so the gun opened, showing the bullets inside. “You just drop your bullets there to load it. I’ll give you some before you leave tomorrow.” He closed the gun again then placed it in my hand, positioning my fingers so I gripped the gun correctly. “Your forefinger goes here. Then you squeeze the trigger. Safety is on, so go ahead.”
I pulled the trigger, but nothing happened.
“And that’s about it. You can keep this gun since you picked it out.” He took the gun from my hand and placed it on his nightstand.
“You don’t want to teach me to aim?”
He turned to me, his blue eyes on mine. “Baby, if someone really threatens you, I know you won’t miss.” His arm moved around my waist, and he pulled me close, his head resting on mine. “But nothing is going to happen. I give you my word.”
I pressed my cheek against his shoulder, loving the warm heat against my skin. “No one would try to hurt me because you’re seeing me?”
He released me and looked down at me. “I don’t talk about my personal life at work.”
“So, no one knows I exist?”
“One of my guys, but that’s it.” He spotted the disappointment in my gaze. “It’s not because I want it to be that way. I just think it’s best if people know as little about my life as possible. Not everyone underneath me wants me to be the leader.”
“Really?” He was a strong, hard man. He was honest and fair. And he could be terrifying without even raising his voice.
“If everyone likes you, that means you aren’t making tough decisions. And if you aren’t making tough decisions…” He shrugged. “Then you aren’t the leader the Skull Kings need.”
His words reminded me of the conversation Damien had with Hades, a detail I’d forgotten about because it wasn’t relevant at the time. “When I overheard Damien and Hades talking, they mentioned something else…”
Heath watched me, deadly serious. His playful mood had evaporated, and it was all business now.
“I can’t remember exactly what Damien said, but Hades said if he took you out, the Skull Kings would hunt him down, but he said he made a deal with someone so that wouldn’t happen…Fox? Box? I can’t remember what he said. It was a weird name, and he said it right as Hades was leaving.”
Heath didn’t react overtly, but his entire body subtly tightened, his blue eyes focusing on a more intense level, like those names meant something to him. “Vox.”
“Yes. Something like he would take your place…”
He stared right into my eyes, but he didn’t seem to be seeing at all. Now, he was a different man, immune to my nearly naked body, no longer living in the same reality as I was. Seconds passed before he abruptly left the bed and walked into his closet.
“Heath?”
He ignored me as he got dressed. He pulled on jeans and a long-sleeved shirt before placing a black leather jacket on top, clearly intending to be outside in the cold tonight. He came back out, shoving a gun into the back of his jeans.
“I’m sorry I didn’t mention it before—”
“I have to go.” He left the bedroom and walked down the hallway.
I didn’t have time to get dressed, so I followed after him in my underwear. “Heath, what’s happening?”
He reached the stairs that led to the basement, but he stopped to look at me. “I’ve got to take care of something. Go home. I have no idea when I’ll be back.”
“What’s happening?”
“One of my own plotted against me. I’m going to put a bullet in his fucking head.” His expression was tight, the veins noticeable on his forehead and neck. His size had increased, like an animal on the defense.
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner. I’m sorry I forgot—”
“You don’t owe me an apology.” He turned to the stairs.
I grabbed him by the arm. “Wait.”
He didn’t come back, but he didn’t keep walking.
“Are you going to be alright?”
He pulled his arm out of my grasp. “I’ll be fine.”
“But…”
He kept walking. “I’ll call you when it’s finished.” He reached the landing and looked up at me. “Don’t call me. I’ll be busy.” Then he walked out and left me alone in his house. Our fun night had been ruined. A part of me wished I hadn’t said anything, but a bigger part of me wished I’d told him sooner.
Nine
Heath
When all that shit had gone down, all I’d cared about was the phone call.
The moment Catalina betrayed her family to save my life.
I didn’t think about Damien’s intentions, how he would navigate life once I’d been killed. I just assumed that he was too impulsive to think about the repercussions of my death, that he wanted me to pay for what I did, regardless of the consequences that would follow.
But now I knew the truth.
Vox.
He’d plotted against me, took advantage of the opportunity to take my place on the throne. He didn’t necessarily plan my execution, but he was disloyal by not telling me about it.
I descended to the Underground and couldn’t believe my luck when I found Vox sitting there, chatting with his cronies by the fire with a woman on his lap. Their mugs of newly brewed beer were in front of them.
I pulled out my gun and shot him in the arm, carefully avoiding the innocent bartender on his lap.
Every man in that room cowered down once the gunshot rang out, their heads snapping in my direction as I walked across the room.
The woman screamed and ran away, blood all over her bare tits.
Vox cupped his arm with his palm and grimaced, refusing to let out a scream even though a bullet had pierced his arm all the way through.
His men stilled, watching him then watching me, unsure what was going to happen.
I made my way to him, taking my time as the silence surrounded us, as the fire made the only noise in the room. I walked up to him, seeing him staring at me with fury, looking past those thick eyebrows as he panted through the pain, the blood dripping down his arm. “Tell them what you did.” I raised the gun and pointed it at his head.
He was silent, refusing to cooperate.
“Then I’ll tell them.” I lowered the gun. “You plotted to overthrow me. When Damien took me out, you intended to take my seat on the throne. You know that’s a crime punishable by death.”
He didn’t rise from his seat on the bench, continuing to his grip his arm to stop the bleeding. He kept his mouth shut, refusing to beg for his life, refusing to admit he did anything wrong.
All the men stared, unsure what would happen.
I’d already shot one of my men and that had cost me popularity points, plus Vox was one of the better Skull Kings, in terms of enforcing laws and collecting payments. So, I had a better idea to punish him, one that would work out for me and heighten the opinion of the men underneath me. “So, this is what we’re going to do.” I moved past him and walked up the steps to the wall behind my throne. I pulled out the blade from my pocket and approached the wall.