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Her words draw my attention, forcing me to focus on something other than the possible reason Dad isn’t answering his phone.
“Erin called me Monday night and said she’d met a man. They hit it off, and she had a date planned with him for Friday.”
“Did she say anything about him that stands out? Where she met him? Where they were going?” King asks, coming to stand beside me.
“She didn’t say where they met, just that he helped her with a car issue. They were going to Pascals downtown. She did say he was yummy to look at and had gorgeous eyes. Something about their being two different colors.”
“One brown and one green.” King’s words are icy.
“Yeah, I think so. Do you know him?”
“I know him. His family owns Pascals. This could be what we needed. Thank you, Jasmine.” King steps away from the bar, calling his men to him. I’m not close enough to hear what he’s saying, but the look on his face promises pain. His eyes are hard and unfeeling. The atmosphere in the room changes in an instant. Long gone is the man who kissed me with tenderness and passion. This man is the one people think of when they hear the name King. This is the man nightmares are made of.
Chapter Fourteen
KING
If Lucian has the girls... I don’t even want to finish the thought. I only hope I can get to him and hopefully find them before it’s too late.
“I want you three to stay here and guard these women like your life depends on it. Make no mistake, if they come to harm, you forfeit your life. Understand?”
“Shouldn’t one of us come with you?”
“No. I will handle Lucian myself.”
Lucian Pascalo is pure filth. The world might fear my name, but even I wouldn’t stoop to levels Lucian does. He has a penchant for demeaning and degrading women in the worst possible ways. When I saw the video on Nolan’s phone, I knew something felt familiar about the man. I couldn’t put my finger on it at the time. Playing the video back now, I see what caught my eye subconsciously. There. I pause the video and screenshot it, zooming in on the bastard’s hand. You can barely see if, but if you know what you’re looking for, the tattoo is there. Every member of his godforsaken family has the same crest on their hand between their index finger and thumb.
I cut ties with him and his brothers the moment my father died. That man had a habit of attracting the most despicable men in the world to his side. Once he had them, he had no qualms about using them, either. Of all the changes I made when my father was killed, this is one I am most proud of. It’s also probably the reason Nolan was targeted to begin with. He knew there was no way he could take me on, so he went after people he assumes I care for.
Little does he know, I care for nothing and no one. An emotion as brittle as love leaves men weak. Weak men are useless. My father didn’t teach me much, but he taught me that.
I leave the club without so much as a goodbye, trusting the men there to keep Nolan and her friends safe. After a quick mental calculation, I decide to check Lucian’s place in the warehouse district rather than wasting a trip to Pascals. The chance that he would have the girls anywhere so public is unlikely. He isn’t the type to share his conquests with others.
Ten minutes later, I pull over and park. Reaching into the glove compartment, I grab a pistol and step from the car, tucking it into my waistband. There’s still a small chance Lucian doesn’t have the girls, but my gut is telling me he’s the one behind this. The image of him masturbating over Nolan’s sleeping form fuels my rage. I test the door and find it unlocked. Figures.
It takes a second for my eyes to adjust to the darkness when I step inside. My ears strain to pick up any sounds inside. Once I determine the building isn’t briming with people, I start hunting. Each empty room I pass narrows my focus until I find him sitting on a chair identical to the one Erin was taped to in an abandoned room.
“My, my... that certainly took you long enough. There for a minute, I was starting to worry that bitch’s cunt had tamed you. Big, bad King, here at last.” Lucian stands from the chair and begins to pace around the room. I take a step inside, checking the corners for others before asking, “Where are they?”
“Who?”
“Don’t play stupid, Lucian. It’s not a good look.”
“Oh! You mean those delectable whores? Don’t worry, they aren’t going anywhere. This, however, cannot.”
I push the unease settling in my chest down, throwing back my head with laughter. The sound is coarse and dry. “Aw, poor Lucy. Did you go through all this trouble because I kicked you out the boys’ club?”
“You didn’t kick me from anything. You think you won? Half those sonofabitches you keep around are waiting for the chance to usurp you.”
“I think you’re pissed off I cut you off, and you can’t come after me because you’re a fucking coward. You did what you always do, attack the weak and helpless. Unfortunately for you, the women you took are under my protection. They belong to me.”
I step closer to him, but with every inch I gain, he backtracks a foot. “Where are you running off to?” I take another step in his direction. He stops, facing me head on. There’s less than four feet between us now. I could reach him if I wanted, but I need to know where the women are.
“No one fears you. Your father... now that was a real man. He ruled with an iron fist and knew how to let loose. You will never be the man he was. You’re not even worthy to carry his name.”
“Mmm. Interesting. Too bad he isn’t here now. I am.”
“And how fucking lucky is that for you? It’s funny how all that happened. Not many got close enough to King to harm him. Yet, according to you, some nobody in a rival gang shot and killed him. And no one could figure it out but you. Of course, that man and his whole family are gone now. It’s not like we can question them.”
