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Maxim
Once I see she’s safe, I breathe a sigh of relief and look at Ryder with gratitude. “Thank you.”
He nods. “Glad to be of assistance.”
Turning my attention to the other kings, I say apologetically, “Please, we’ll meet again in the morning. It’s been a long and tiring day and I have a wedding to prepare for.”
“And your brother?” Sighing, I look at Ryder and shake my head. “I’ll deal with him before the ceremony. We’ll meet here after breakfast and address the problem together. There is much to do and a lot to put right, but the first thing needs to be Victor’s fate. A court where we act as judge, jury and…” I break off.
“Well, as I said, it’s been a long day. Please, sleep well gentlemen because tomorrow may prove to be life changing.”
As I leave the room, I wonder what they are thinking. The puzzle is complete, but the story isn’t finished yet. We all know who is responsible for trying to bring us down, and now it’s up to me to put an end to it. Sighing and carrying a huge burden of responsibility along with me, I head toward the only person I want to be with right now and fuck tradition. I can do what I want, anyway.
As instructed, Ryder’s men have escorted Cassie to my room under instruction to wait until I get there. As far as the guards know, she is inside waiting for me and so there will be no questioning her presence in my room.
As the guards salute and stand to attention, I say firmly, “You may stand down; go and get some rest.”
They look a little surprised but can’t disobey an order and, as they head down the hallway, I breathe a sigh of relief.
Ryder’s men were placed in an adjoining room to mine and can leave through a door inside my own suite of rooms, so nobody will ever know they were there. Victor will be locked in his own prison where he tried to take what is mine. Nobody will hear his cries, which is why he chose our father’s sanctuary in the first place and now I have to make it up to my bride and know I have some serious explaining to do.
As soon as I step inside the room, the anger almost blinds me when I see her shivering by the fire dressed in a leather jacket, a blanket over her legs hiding her modesty from a group of men who have probably seen it all before countless times. Strong warriors dripping in depravity but wearing their honor like a badge, look at me with interest as I smile and say warmly, “Thank you gentlemen, I owe you a great debt. Please, head back to your rooms and relax knowing your job is done.”
They nod and leave and the last man standing looks at me with a hooded gaze, the tattoo of a cobra snaking up his arm giving the impression he’s a cold and callous killer. “She’s in shock, been through a rough time.”
He looks reluctant to leave her because like Ryder, these men are protective of the innocent and I nod. “She’s safe with me.”
Cassie looks up and the tears shining in her eyes is like a knife in my gut. “Thank you.” She smiles at the biker, who is looking at her with compassion and a tenderness that defies how he looks on the outside.
“You’re welcome, darlin’, anytime.”
He nods and fixes me with an interested look before he leaves through the same door as his men.
As soon as it closes, the silence surrounds us and is only interrupted by the crackle of the fire dancing in the grate.
Grabbing another blanket, I head toward my bride and wrap it around her shivering shoulders and sit beside her.
“I’m sorry, Cassie.”
She almost can’t look at me and says softly, “Is it true?”
“Which part?”
“That you have manipulated me and my friends and never intended on giving us our freedom.”
“Of course not, surely you know that.”
“No–I don’t. I know nothing because everything you promised has been torched in flames. Eloise is facing ruin and Lauren’s career is over before it began. Apparently, Natalia is only an email away from that and my future was over as soon as I accepted your proposal. Why? I agreed to this in return for their freedom.”
Her words hurt me harder than I thought because it reminds me she’s only here because I made her an offer she couldn’t refuse.
It hurts deeply and I don’t like how that makes me feel.
She is so damaged right now in every way and not just because my brother tried to rape her. The bruise on her face and the wild look in her eyes makes me feel so murderous as I picture the fear she must have felt in that moment. But for her to doubt my intentions, to label me the same as my brother, hurts me more than I imagined.
Kneeling before her, I take her trembling hand in mine and say forcefully, “Look at me.”
The eyes that look into mine are brimming with hurt and disappointment, and I hate seeing it. “I love you, Cassie. I told you that and meant every word. Those pictures in the tower, they aren’t mine.”
