Volatile Love (The Gilded Sovereign 2)

“I guess you would’ve been able to help him if he were to stay. I mean, learning about your Dad would be about the same as what he’s feeling right now,” I tell Ares, who may understand Tarian’s situation better than most.

“I think we all could. Our parents, who are meant to be role models, are the ones who fucked us up.” I nod, agreeing with Ares. “Perhaps the time away will give him clarity.”

We sit in silence for a while before the guys rise and leave Dahlia and me. I know everyone is worried. He’s one of the four, and he has to be here. He’s our family, and that means he is a part of us.

29

Etienne

“This place is a fucking sty, man,” I tell Ares, when we pull up to the church. It’s only hit three in the afternoon, and I wasn’t expecting them to get here so soon, but since Fergus is bound inside the church, we have to get the information we need from him as soon as possible.

“It’s a fucking shithole. We need to get it cleaned up,” Ares tells me, as Tarian and I follow him toward the building. It’s been a while since I was here. Months even.

When we enter the building, we find Fergus bound to one of the chairs. Legs apart, ankles tied, arms behind his back. The asshole has the balls to look smug as we walk in, and I near him.

“The little boys are trying to be all grown up,” he mutters. It takes a lot for me to control my anger. This man will not get mercy from me because, by hurting my girl, he fucked up big time. Nobody hurts my girl.

Rearing my fist back, I shove it forward with speed so fierce, he can’t move out of the way soon enough. The feeling of bone hitting flesh is palpable, and the crunch of his nose beneath my knuckles sends exhilaration shooting through every inch of my body.

“Talk to any of us like that again, and it won’t just be your fucking nose that’s bleeding out.” I grin at him, and I realize I’ve completely lost all my restraint. I’m normally less violent, but when hate mingles with anger, I can’t help myself.

“Just because you’re fucking the girl doesn’t make you a man, Durand,” Fergus chuckles. This time it’s Ares who steps forward. Tarian’s hands grip my shoulders, holding me back, because I could easily kill this fucker right here and now. And I wouldn’t feel any guilt.

“Listen to me and listen really fucking good. I want names, and if you can’t give me that, I want everything else that’s stuck in your head—times, addresses, whatever you’re hiding, because you’re not leaving here until you tell us,” Ares speaks, leaning in to come eye-to-eye with the man in the chair.

But Fergus challenges, “What makes you think I’ll tell you anything?”

“Because you like money, and I have a lot of it,” Ares counters, knowing what to say to persuade him. Silence hangs heavily in the air, and I wonder just how long it’s going to take for Fergus Harrison to crack.

We wait. The silence is deafening.

“I’m not telling anybody anything until I have it in writing that I’ll be safe,” Fergus finally responds, causing Ares to laugh out loud. The sound bouncing off the walls of the empty, derelict church.

“You think you’re here to bargain?” I question. Staring at him, I can’t help but laugh. “This isn’t a debate. We’re not here for you to make a deal with us. What did Thane give you? What did he promise you?”

My muscles are tense, ready to punch him again and again, until there’s nothing left but a pile of blood and guts. My mind is awash with ways to make him talk, but something tells me that he’ll hold out for as long as he can. He’s strong; he’s been working for Abner for so long that I’m sure a bit of torture won’t bother him at all.

And I’ll gladly do it.

“Like I said, I want protection,” Fergus tells us, spitting the blood that’s dripping from his nose into his mouth. I revel in the fact that I did that. I want to do worse. Ares is normally the violent one; he loves fighting, but this time, I’m finding my need for vengeance bubbling over, and I want more.

“You want a contract?” Ares sneers. “I’ll give you one, and once you sign it, I want every piece of information from you. I don’t care who gets hurt, because if I have to, I’ll fucking lock you up in the darkness and leave you to rot. And my friends here,” Ares gestures behind him toward Tarian and I. “We won’t stop until you and all your friends who worked for my father are seen to. You seem to forget that I am Abner’s son, and everything he’s ever taught me will come to fruition. I’m not afraid of anything, and I will make you pay.”