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Why bother sending one of my soldiers when I could kill two birds with one stone? The thought made me laugh. I noticed he was followed his usual routine, going out for a late afternoon ride. I’d originally had plans on waiting until he was on his private trail. However, the moment I noticed he was tormenting one of his horses, all bets were off.
I tossed the binoculars, pressing down on the accelerator and heading for the stables, parking far enough away so as not to spook the horses.
While I would have preferred waiting until darkness had fallen, the creature of habit would be more difficult to kill. Right now, I needed everything to go smoothly over the next few days.
The ranch had several workers, but this was considered Harold’s private time. Besides, they knew better than to bother opening their mouths. They’d been well trained. I headed into the barn, immediately hearing the horrified whinnying of the horse he was currently dealing with. With the weapon in both hands, I headed around the end of a series of stalls, noticing he was using a whip to try to coax a stallion out of his stall.
The horse was bucking, rearing up on his hind legs. The fucker continued hitting the poor thing. That didn’t fly with me. “Toss the whip to me, Harold, or the discussion we’re about to have will get much more painful.”
Harold stiffened hearing my voice, immediately freezing. That allowed the horse to lunge forward, knocking him to the ground before racing out of harm’s way. But not before trampling the man’s leg, the cracking sound of bones breaking like sweet music. At least the asshole dropped the whip in the process. The horse whinnied again before heading into the corral.
Sighing, I rubbed the three-day stubble on my jaw, eager for a shave and a shower. Between the arduous last few days and the flight, I also craved more than one drink before crashing for the night.
I lowered my weapon and walked closer, taking a few seconds to glance at the other horses. Very few things shocked me any longer, but the gruesome treatment of animals pissed me the hell off. I couldn’t care less about people, my line of work highlighting some of the worst in humanity, but animals didn’t deserve the kind of treatment a fuck like Harold gave them.
“Mister… Gregory.”
“Harold. It would seem you’ve been a very, very bad boy.” I had the choice of jerking him to his feet but given the fact he needed to lose more than a few pounds, I chose to crouch down beside him. “I don’t think karma is going to be kind to you.”
“Kendrick. I don’t know what you’re talking about. Can you help me up?” He threw out his arm as if I was going to do anything to help him. The arrogance of the man was overwhelming, enough so I shook my head.
“I’m afraid I can’t do that, buddy. You know what irritates the fuck out of me? My father trusted you. Enough so he brought you into our family. He treated you like one of his own. Hell, I thought of you as my godfather over the years. Now, I don’t know about you, but I don’t appreciate being made a fool of. In fact, nothing sets me off worse than realizing my father was yet to be cold in his grave and you fucked with us. The same family you shared holidays with and broke bread with. You talked to the Feds.”
Finally, the smile on the man’s face started to disappear. Did he really believe I didn’t have members of law enforcement in my back pocket?
Harold swallowed hard, eyeing me carefully. “You know I didn’t have any choice. They pressured me.”
Choices. The word was used far too often. The only thing that troubled me was that if I was correct in my assumptions about Rutherford Warrington, he had more powerful connections than my father had given him credit for. I’d scoured through my father’s belongings, searching for pieces of the puzzle. Perhaps as my father had aged, he’d lost his once very sharp edge.
“How many times have I heard that, Harold? Too many. You could have called. You could have sent a message, a text. Hell, snail mail. We all have choices in our lives, some that are difficult to make but often necessary no matter the outcome. You pledged your loyalty to my father. Here I find out you helped drag him to his death.” I allowed the information to sink in. I knew exactly why my father had been murdered in cold blood. I wasn’t just out for revenge. I was out to make a statement that no one fucked with the Gregory family.
No one.
This would be the beginning of a message sent, kingdoms destroyed. While killing those involved in cold blood would be enjoyable, it wouldn’t return the smile to my mother’s face. Nothing could do that. She’d lost the love of her life. She continued to worry about her daughter, who remained locked down with my mother inside the estate. I refused to allow them to live like prisoners for much longer.
It would be Rutherford who’d be made a prisoner. Thoughts of keeping him caged just so he could watch his empire crumble had been in my dreams the night before.
“So, here’s something I am going to do. As of now, the horses belong to me. In fact, your entire establishment belongs to me.” I pulled out a contract and my favorite pen, giving him a look when he hesitated. “You do want them well taken care of them after you’re gone. Don’t you?”
“Don’t do this.”
“And I suggest you keep your dignity, Harold. I’m offering you a sweet deal. The horses and your lucrative side business in exchange for my mercy. Or would you prefer to pay with various portions of your body?”
He knew my nickname of Blade given my adoration of hunting knives. He’d also witnessed firsthand the damage that could be done with one in my hand. When his mouth twisted, I held up the pen. He snatched it from my hand, scribbling his name on the bottom of the contract. I did prefer purchases I made to be entirely legal.
As he was finishing, I pulled out the silencer, taking my time screwing it onto the barrel of my weapon.
“You were like a son to me,” he said as he had the nerve to crawl backwards. I let him given the obvious pain he was in. When I’d finished, I returned my attention to the aging man. He’d grown soft after making his fortune. There was nothing I hated more than a man who allowed himself to go soft.
I was able to snatch the contract and pen, shoving them into my jacket pocket. That’s when I gathered another whiff of the beauty’s perfume, the exotic mix extraordinary. My cock stirred all over again.
“I am curious what you were offered, Harold. I mean selling your soul when my father extended his home, his business and friendship must have brought you a premium price. That’s right. Several million dollars.”
He stared at me. “I was arrested.”
“So I heard, but that didn’t stop you from depositing a pretty hefty sum in one of your three offshore accounts prior to being arrested. So the Feds would think you’re innocent?” I stood, refusing to get blood on my clothes. When I pointed the weapon at his forehead, he threw his arm across his face.
“Don’t. Please, Kendrick. I have a family.”
