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“Absolutely,” Crossland answered first.
“Asshole will be out by the end of the night,” Ethan said.
“I'm in,” Weston said. “For Serenity, and to correct the mistake I made by losing a seat to him.”
“I'm more than happy to help get him out of the game,” Asher said.
“But?” I asked.
“But this is just step one, Gareth. What happens next? On your end of things? I'm with you, but I worry that this will be a catalyst for something far more dangerous.”
“You're not wrong,” I said. “This will absolutely piss Doyle off, but he's already out for blood. Getting him out of the game won't change that. And I'm going to do my best to negotiate some sort of terms with him tonight, but I doubt he'll be open to it. Getting him out of the game will at least ensure that Serenity doesn't have to see her abuser monthly.”
There was a collective agreement between my inner circle, and some of the tension in my chest loosened knowing I had their full support. I meant what I said. I wasn't trying to bring them into the danger currently surrounding my life, but having them in this? It meant everything to me.
I glanced down at my watch, noting we had five minutes before we had to walk out and meet our guide.
“Wait,” Crossland said as we started to walk out of the resort. “Is he base jumping with us?”
I shook my head. “I made sure he didn't get an invitation,” I said.
“Smart,” Asher said, flashing me a knowing look that was equal parts concern and respect.
The other guys look confused, so I shrugged. “If he’d shown up, I couldn't guarantee that I wouldn't mess with his parachute. Not after what he did to Serenity.”
“Holy shit,” Crossland muttered before clapping me on the back as we made it to our guide’s car. “I'm so glad I've never pissed you off.”
The freefall from the thousand-meter cliff was a perfect avenue to channel all the adrenaline that had racked my body since New Year's Eve.
The fight-or-flight instinct never really left, but for those brief moments where nothing was between me but air and the sweet rush of the fall, I felt at peace.
The boys and I landed without incident, and we quickly high-fived each other at the true rush of an experience. I felt like every single time we did one of these excursions, we bonded just a little more, and after what I had asked them to do? I knew I had established a loyal family that I would do anything for.
Two hours later, after a shower and a quick change of clothes, I was heading over to Asher’s villa to see if Serenity wanted to walk up to the game with me. I wouldn't make her, especially if she was having a great time with the girls. I didn't want to interrupt that, but I wanted to check in and make sure she was doing all right.
The girls were walking out of the villa by the time I made it to the door.
I breathed easier as I spotted Serenity. She looked exquisite—gone were the elaborate dresses and gowns that her father made her wear, replaced with a pair of white slacks that cinched around her waist and billowed over her feet, paired with a dark blue tank top that cut off just above the pants, exposing a strip of her pristine skin. And the way she moved in it, with pure confidence and comfort, made her look like royalty in a way no ballgown ever could.
She wore her makeup the way she wanted to, which included a bold red lipstick that turned my blood to lava. Those red lips would look like perfection around my cock, and the memory of her on her knees before me nearly brought me to mine.
I extended my hand, and she immediately intertwined our fingers, falling into step at my side.
“Are you ready for this?” I asked.
She took a steadying breath before nodding. “I can't hide from him,” she said matter-of-factly.
Such a bold, courageous little thing.
I knew grown men who would cower in the face of the king of the Irish mafia, and she had more reason to fear him than anyone. But here she was, walking at my side with her head held high, my guards shadowing us in the distance as we made our way to the poker game. If we didn't have serious business to attend to, I would’ve thrown her over my shoulder and taken her back to our villa, where I’d properly worship her as the goddess she was.
Later.
I would absolutely make good on that later.
The air in the room where our poker table had been set up was thick. Doyle was already in his established seat, my friends and their girls walking in ahead of Serenity and me. I lingered just outside the doorway, silently conveying we could turn around if she wanted to.
She squeezed my hand and took the first step into the room, directly revealing herself to her father. I followed her like the helpless man I was, totally at her disposal.
