Nix. (Den of Mercenaries Book 3)(89)

He was down the stairs and out the door in seconds, standing in front of the doors as Uilleam and his mercenaries unloaded—all of which had rifles aimed at Kit’s head.

Kit was unfazed.

“You’re asking for war, Kingmaker,” Kit said mockingly once he was looking down into the face of rage as he stared at his brother. “Don’t tempt me to actually kill you.”

“I invite you to try.”

“What did you expect, Uilleam?” Kit asked as he walked down the last few steps until they were within a foot of each other. “We wouldn’t be here had it not been—”

“I’ve never liked those that play at being a victim,” Uilleam said with a modest shake of his head. “Wolves in sheep’s clothing, I say. They have their minions that tell them they couldn’t possibly have done any wrong, yet we both know the truth, don’t we? Just a two-headed dog begging to be put down. Make no mistake, you only have yourself to blame.” The hollows of Uilleam’s cheeks stood out more—he’d lost weight. “Yet, you think to throw it in my face?”

“And what do you suspect you’re doing, Uilleam? You’re so blinded by your own ego that you can’t see your own flaws. When you’re not plotting one of your schemes, you’re acting like a petulant child. Grow up.”

Uilleam’s laugh was harsh. “That’s astonishing coming from the man that decides to get into business with the very people he condemns me for. Did you think I wouldn’t find out about your arrangement with Caesar Rivera? The man couldn’t wait to spread the good news. Do you care to know why? Because the last time I saw them, I told them they were both beneath me.”

“You think everyone is beneath you, Uilleam. That’s your problem.”

“I’ve never thought you were,” he said with so much venom, it made Kit blink.

No, Uilleam had never treated him as though he were less than him. He liked his games, sure, but he had always thought of Kit as a worthy opponent.

Until Kit had stopped wanting to play the game.

But it didn’t matter anymore, they were both bound by the choices they had made. And though this looked like another betrayal, Kit was sure, he couldn’t tell him otherwise.

Not just because of Luna, but because of Uilleam.

Despite it all, he was still Kit’s brother, and he didn’t want to see any harm come to him. Until he could see a way out of the hole, he had his part to play.

Even if he had to hurt everyone he loved.

“You were sloppy,” Kit said. “You were in over your head and this—this is the result. There’s no reason for you to be here anymore, is there? You’ve said they were beneath you, there’s no reason why you should be upset that I’ve taken them on. Don’t be a sore loser, brother. It’s unbecoming.”

For a moment, Kit thought he could actually see the younger version of Uilleam standing there, staring up at him with wide eyes filled with hurt.

Kit didn’t gloat.

Yet, here he stood making a mockery of the only family that had ever truly loved him.

“I’m going to make you bleed,” Uilleam said, eyes never straying. “I’m going to cut the heart out of you.”

“Don’t threaten me unless you’re ready for war.”

“You must have forgotten,” Uilleam said as he backed away, “I excel at wars.”



They were acting weird.

From the minute Luna arrived in the building, service was sluggish. It almost felt as though they were purposely taking their time. But Luna didn’t have time to wonder about their behavior, not when she was going over her explanation to Belladonna.

She couldn’t imagine the woman would be pleased with what she had to say, especially considering the fees the Den charged for finding someone. Undoubtedly, she wouldn’t like that her target was dead before she could get whatever she wanted from him, and worse, Luna still didn’t know who was responsible.

As she stepped out of the elevator, she had to double-check to make sure she was on the correct floor. Unlike the last time she had been there, the walls had changed colors, the receptionist’s desk had been moved, and if she wasn’t mistaken, half of the people she was seeing inside the office were new.

What the hell?

“I trust you’re here because you have news?” Belladonna asked, heels clicking as she came around the corner. The white of her outfit was nearly blinding against her tan skin. She gestured to her office and said, “Shall we?”

Belladonna’s offie seemed to be under construction as well, plastic wrap covering majority of the surfaces in the room save her desk and the flat screen hanging on the wall. Though the TV was on and turned to one of those celebrity gossip shows, it was muted.

With everything going on with Kit, Luna didn’t want to waste any time with excuses and preambles. “Andrei is dead.”

Luna expected surprise, or annoyance maybe, but she got neither. In fact, Belladonna hardly reacted to the news that the man she was hunting had been killed.

“Before or after you found him?”

“After—I saw it happen,” Luna explained further.

“How?”

“Sniper.”

Belladonna’s red painted lips curled up. “You know two of those, correct? Red, I believe he’s called, and Fang.”