Fallen Empire (Dirty Empire)

But he never hid that, and I fell for him anyway. That fault sits entirely on my shoulders. Still, despite everything that’s happened, all I feel now is joy and solace that I’m in his arms again. I can’t imagine being anywhere else.

“I’ve never been more scared than I have been these past two days,” he admits, swallowing hard. “That you were gone was bad enough. That you were with that psychopath….” His teeth grit.

Gabriel knew exactly what kind of man Bane was. But of course he did. Vic’s words linger in the back of my mind. “The things Bane did to your cousin—”

“Shhh… I know.” His lip graze mine, tentative over the cut. “It’s over though. No one’s going to hurt you again.”

“No, that’s not where I was going with that.” I find his chest with my palm, pressing against it to push him back a touch, enough that I can meet his gaze and judge the truth of his answer. I wasn’t going to bring this up but I can’t help it. “Did you ever hire Bane to do anything for you? Did you ever ask him to do those kinds of things to anyone—”

“No. He was my father’s dog. He did what my father wanted. We stayed far away from him. I’d only ever met him once, and that was enough.”

“And all those people…” All those bones. “Was that all just for your father? Or was it for the family?” Did Bane ever torture people to help Gabriel and Caleb?

“I can’t control what my father does, Mercy. That should be obvious by now.”

“But you told him what your uncle did. How your uncle was the one who helped put Vlad in jail. You knew he’d send Bane after them and you knew what Bane would do. To your family.”

Gabriel hesitates, but then nods. “We made a deal with Merrick and Vince to help take care of each other’s problems. But it’s gotten messy, and it isn’t unfolding exactly as we’d hoped. There are a lot of pieces in play that I can’t explain right here, but it all begins and ends with our father. I’m not proud of any of this, but I don’t want this life. You know that, Mercy.”

“I thought I did.”

“You do,” he pushes, as if using a stern voice to push out any lingering doubt. “And there’s only one way Caleb and I can avoid it.” He looks meaningfully at me.

Vlad Easton has to die.

“A top-up?” The night waitress hovers by the table with a full pot of coffee, a ketchup stain on her blue diner uniform, her suspicious gaze on Gabriel. I’ll bet she thinks he’s behind all my bumps and bruises. The few patrons at the counter seem to be thinking the same thing, based on their judgmental looks. It’s probably best we get out of here before one of them decides to challenge Gabriel.

“No, I’m fine,” I answer with what I hope is an appreciative smile. The cup she poured me earlier is still full and now cold, sitting next to an untouched plate of toast and eggs. I push the wad of cash toward her. “I think that should cover everything.” I can’t keep Bane’s blood money and, with luck, that will buy her silence.

Her eyes widen at the bundle, but then, with a curt nod, she collects it. “Have yourself a better day today.” With another cagey glance at Gabriel, she strolls back behind the counter, tucking her windfall into her apron pocket.

Gabriel curls his arm around my shoulders and leads me from the diner and into the back of the SUV, sliding in beside me. Farley sits in the driver seat. At some point, the enormous bodyguard climbed into the spot without my notice. Now he meets my eyes in the rear-view mirror. “Glad to have you back.” A rare smile touches his lips.

“It’s a long drive. Here, take this and you’ll wake up in Phoenix.” Gabriel produces a small blue pill from a container along with a bottle of water.

“What is it?” Somewhere in my distant memory, I recall a humiliating experience with doctor-prescribed sleeping pill that I don’t want to relive, especially not with Farley present.

The corner of Gabriel’s mouth curls. “Not Ambien. You should be fine. And if you’re not, I’ll wake you up.”

I hesitate for another second before downing the pill.

Gabriel ropes his arm around me and pulls the uninjured side of my face into the crook of his neck. He seems unwilling to release me. “Drive us home,” he orders.

Home. That word brings one place to mind and it’s not my apartment. It’s the palatial house atop the mountain. It’s the lap pool overlooking the city lights. It’s Gabriel’s bed, the sheets silky soft and cool. And safe.

But is anywhere truly safe anymore?