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Ryker’s lips peeled back from his teeth. I may have to use those eye gouges and groin kicks sooner than expected.
“This isn’t right,” Makai said. “Sunny wouldn’t do this. He wouldn’t—”
“Also,” Bane carried on, “I want three guards assigned to each of them. So I’ll know exactly who to hold responsible if something happens to my beloved sister-in-law or her sister.” It’s incredible how he was doing that—dropping threats so easily like candy on Halloween. Makai, Ryker, and Athena kept trying, and failing, to get a word in. “Never liked that Sunny chose this place. It’s too out of the way, and too easy to surround. You should consider a change of venue while we’re hunting down Sunny’s killer. He might not stop at Sunny and go after his business—”
“For fuck’s sake,” Makai growled, “do you ever shut up—?”
Bane punched him dead in the mouth. Makai flew into Athena and the man I thought was Xander, taking them both down with him.
“No,” Bane lofted, “but it looks like you do.”
My fingers curled behind my back. Strike first, hard, and fast. I didn’t think I’d get a demonstration so soon, or that Bane would look so sexy doing it. Since when are mad woodsmen my type?
“Anyone else got something to say?” Bane challenged. “What about you, Makai?”
He swiped the blood off his chin, gaze burning for revenge, mouth silent.
“You do have something to say. I believe I told you all to say hello.”
A few half-hearted hellos went up while Athena glared defiantly at Bane, then at me.
That’s my cue.
I smirked. “Don’t look so confused. We haven’t gotten to the freaky part yet, Athena. Ryker, Makai, Boone, Olive, Trinity, Koda, Xander.” I rattled off their names, rippling hackles down their backs. “The rest of you, get back to work.”
They didn’t do it fast, but they turned. Bane said I was the new boss. I said I was the new boss. What could they say?
“No one fucking move,” Makai barked, shoving onto his feet. “We don’t know you, bitch. You don’t give us orders.”
“Makai’s a hothead,” Sunny said, resuming my spine-melting foot rub. “Loud, brash, doesn’t always think before he speaks. But if ten guys ambush me in an alley, and they have, Makai’s the one I want next to me throwing punches.”
Bane’s warning not to look away first or accept disrespect rang in my ear. I saw him in action, but looking at the mass of muscle in front of me, if I hit Makai too, I’d break my knuckles on his chin.
My reply was calm—almost bored. “As a matter of fact, I do. Sunny and I were seeing each other in secret. He didn’t want his enemies to know about me. We got married a month ago in a private ceremony with only the family. His wishes were that I take over if anything happened to him, keep the business running and the home safe. That’s what he called this place—a home. Your home.
“I will do right by my husband and see that his legacy continues on, so you either get behind me”—I glared a hole in Makai—“or get the fuck out.”
I was proud of myself. I delivered that entire speech and my voice didn’t shake once. The same couldn’t be said for my banging heart.
Makai and Ryker shared a look. “You buying this?” Makai asked.
“Hmm.” Ryker circled me. “No, I’m not. Secret wives? Surprise new boss? This isn’t Sunny. No... none of this smells right.” Ryker whirled on Bane. “He’s not really dead, is he. Sunny was taken, but they haven’t killed him. They’re holding him hostage and forcing you to plant this fake—”
The fake was me.
“—and her silent sidekick, so they can finish the job they started months ago—taking apart the Sons of Saint.” He leveled a gun between my eyes. “Who are you really?”
“They won’t kill you without a reason, but believing you’re an impostor is a reason.”
Bane was quiet behind me. It wasn’t him they were doubting, it was me. If I was going to earn their trust, now was the time.
I chose my words carefully. “When Sunny was six, he fell in a koi pond while leaning over to feed them. He thought it was so funny he climbed out and jumped in again. His first kiss was Oakley Morgan. She ran up and smooched him out of nowhere, then ran off giggling. He had a massive crush on her, so he wasn’t complaining.
“They went to different high schools after that, but randomly met up again at a party. Oakley ended up being his first kiss, and the first girl he had sex with.”
The gun lowered a fraction.
“Sunny loves dirty jokes, Jolly Ranchers, and a collection of knives his father gave him on his eighteenth birthday. But you, Ryker, love Maggie Robertson.” Ryker reeled back. “Even though she’s married... to your brother. Sounds bad, but you were in love with her first, and your brother knew that. Didn’t stop him asking her out, and when they got serious, you kept your mouth shut—staying out of the way.”
