“Wassurrounded,” Steel corrects him. “You never did find a good substitute for the Iron Sinners muscle, did you? Who was this? A private security firm? A few Mafia hitters? We had them neutralized within the first minute of our arrival.”
Zane’s gaze hardens. He pulls out his phone, waiting for an answer on the other end of the line that will never come.
“We had an agreement.” He hangs up, tucking his phone back into his pocket.
“That’s the problem.” Steel shakes his head. “My club doesn’t make deals with lying, sex-trafficking assholes.”
Amusement ghosts Mason’s face for the first time since facing his father. A smile blooms in the corner of his mouth, even as Zane refuses to look at him.
The doors at either side of the warehouse open, and our men start moving inside. We told Zane we were coming alone, but like him, we were lying.
Panic swells in his eyes, but he masks it well, rolling his shoulders back. “If you think you can pull one over on me, you’re mistaken. I’m not the kind of man you can make disappear. I have contingencies in place, people who will ask questions. People who will be looking for me.”
“Are these the same people who you’ve been stealing money from?” I tilt my head, eyeing him. “We spent a lot of time in your accounts these past few days. I’ve got to give you credit, your cybersecurity is top-notch. Thankfully, your son was more than happy to help us with those last hurdles.”
“You’re welcome.” Mason smirks, and Zane’s face turns bright red.
“You better not have laid a finger on my money,” he seethes through his teeth.
“It’s not your money.” I shake my head. “It’s Emery’s. You made sure of it.”
“If you touch one cent—”
“You’ll what? Hire someone to take us down? How are you going to pay them off when we’ve cut off access to your accounts? Better yet, when we’ve cut off access to her?” When I step forward, color starts to drain from his face. “All of your liquid assets are in her name.”
“Werein her name,” Mason corrects.
“Right.”
Zane’s gaze turns lethal. “What did you do?”
“We did your business associates a favor and put that money back where it belonged. It turns out Emery’s father isn’t the only person you fucked over. You’ve been stealing from your business partners for years,hiding it away under your niece’s name, knowing it was somewhere they couldn’t find it. You explained it away as business expenses or losses. They weren’t happy to find out you’ve been lying to them.”
Zane’s face pales as Steel starts to circle him.
“And it wasn’t just your business partners you fucked over, was it? There were all the people you crushed along the way. Businesses you claimed you’d help, only to destroy them early on, forcing them to liquidate so you could buy them out dirt cheap. They weren’t happy to hear you fucked them over from the start.”
“It’s business. They should have been smarter about it.” Zane’s eyes narrow.
Steel stops in front of him. “Like the politicians you were funding with illegal money. We did them a favor and sent them the ledgers showing where their campaign donations really came from. They weren’t happy to find out you weren’t using clean money as you promised. It puts their campaigns at risk. Their careers. Don’t worry, I’m sure they’ll keep your secret because it would just fall back on them if they didn’t. But I doubt you still have their support.”
“You’re not going to get away with this.”
I shake my head. “That’s where you’re wrong. We already did. And you only have yourself to blame.”
“My niece wouldn’t do this to me.” He turns to Mason. “You can’t do this to me. I gave you everything you could ever want.”
“You gave me nothing.” Mason glares. “Don’t look to me for salvation. I came here for one reason, and that’sto make sure you’ll never hurt anyone again. The things you did to Emery—to Uncle Steven and Aunt Pam—you deserve everything you’re about to get. I’m only here to make sure it happens and to tell you I won’t grieve you for a second.”
Zane’s eyes widen as Mason turns his back on his father and walks away. He had gone back and forth over whether he wanted to be here at all, and clearly, he decided he’s had enough.
“How?” Zane’s mouth hangs open.
“Did you think they would never find out?” My head angles. “Or did you think they’d forgive you for it? You killed your own brother just to claim the empire he helped create. I gave Emery the option to be here today, and she was the one who decided not to come. Do you know what she said to me?”
Zane doesn’t answer my question, and that’s fine. I didn’t expect him to.
“She said the only closure she needs is for you to rot in hell.” I step closer, getting right in his face. “And I don’t turn my wife down when she makes requests.”
