Cross (Dark Kings 3)

“Whenever she needs a reminder,” he answers ominously.

“I won’t allow you to do this,” I growl.

He laughs at that. “What are you going to do to stop me?” Arching a brow, he lifts the cross and begins to heat it up again.

I charge him.

Alexa gets my attention, sitting in my passenger seat, legs bouncing up and down while she bites on her fingernails. I’ve tried to avoid letting her see my back. The tattoos I’ve gotten over the years cover up most of my past, but she saw them. She touched them. I tried not to freak out, but I couldn’t help it. The way it felt when she touched them had memories rushing back. Ones I buried long ago.

She sits up straighter and gasps as I pull up to her bar. Firetrucks surround it, and black smoke rolls from what’s left of the burning structure. Stopping my car, she jumps out before I can even say anything to her.

I get out and walk over to her as she stands there crying with her hands to her face. I got the call that a 911 call was made and that it was on fire. I have an idea who did it and why, but I just need a way to prove it.

Reaching my arm out, I wrap it around her shoulders, and she turns into me, her hands gripping my shirt. “It’s going to be okay,” I tell her.

It’ll be better than ever.

_______________

WE ALL SIT up in our Royal Suite. Well, everyone except for Grave and April. They are still away.

Titan stands at the kitchen island. Bones stands over by the floor-to-ceiling windows while Jasmine and Alexa sit on the couch.

“What are we doing here?” Alexa asks. “Shouldn’t we be at the police station?”

“That’s not needed,” I inform her. I’ve got something better than the police.

“Then what—?”

Her voice is interrupted when there’s a knock on the door. I walk over and answer it.

“Well, maybe you should just put me on a monthly salary.” The guy winks at me as he enters.

“Seems that would be best, Jeffrey,” I agree, closing the door behind him.

He goes to the center of the room and removes his shirt up and over his head and undoes his jeans.

“Uh …” Alexa scoots farther back in the couch cushion as the guy gets down to his boxers.

Once done, he spins around in a circle with his arms out wide. I nod my approval. And he gives me a “when are we going to stop doing this” look. Never is the only answer. We were raised not to trust anyone. A person can have your back a million times, but someone could get to them to backstab you once. I’ll never give anyone that kind of trust. Especially someone who can be bought.

“It was arson,” he states, bending down to pick up his shirt.

“What?” Alexa jumps to her feet. “Lucky’s? Are you saying someone set it on fire?’

“Yeah,” he says, buttoning his shirt and then pulling his pants on.

“How do you know?” she asks, moving her head back and forth to look from me to him.

“I know what to look for,” he answers vaguely. “And they weren’t even smart. The bar area was covered in an accelerant and lit by a match.”

She falls back down onto the couch.

“Who all has a key?” he asks her. “There was no sign of forced entry.”

“Me and my brother,” she answers, bowing her head.

“And me,” Jasmine speaks. “Alexa just gave me one yesterday.”

“I know you didn’t do this.” She waves her off.

“You think your brother did?” Jasmine goes on.

“No.” She shakes her head. “Maybe he lost his key.”

“Or maybe he gave it to someone,” I offer.

Everyone’s head snaps up in my direction.

“He’s framing you.” Bones is the one who speaks to me, mimicking my thoughts.

“Who?” Alexa demands. “And why would they frame you by catching my bar on fire?”

“Because this is what I do,” I answer, flipping my Zippo open and closed.

Her eyes widen at my honesty. “I don’t understand,” she mumbles.

That’s because you don’t know me. Not the real me. I walk over to the side of the couch and pick up my duffel bag. Dropping it onto the coffee table, I look at Jeffrey. “It’s all there.”

He nods. “As always, it’s nice doing business with you Kings.” He picks up the bag, and Titan helps him out the door.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

ALEXA

MY BAR WAS burned down. Well, thankfully, it didn’t ruin everything. It’s salvageable. Thank God. The structure is still there from what I saw. The police wouldn’t allow me to walk through it. Said it wasn’t safe. I’ll go back tomorrow and see what kind of damage was really done.

Titan closes the door and comes back to the living room with us. Leaning forward, I place my face in my hands. “I’m confused.” I look up, and my eyes land on Cross. “Tell me what is going on,” I demand, getting irritated.