The Kingdom (Preacher Brothers 1)

“Once we get the money, I’ll start filtering it through our three properties and cleaning it.” Although the guys knew the process, how we laundered the money, how it was all set up so we didn’t get caught, I felt the need to reiterate that fact to Frankie and Wilder after every job.

“We know the drill, dude,” Frankie said.

“We’ve been doing this a long time,” Wilder replied and grinned, his eyes bloodshot from being high as fuck.

They were smart, damn smart, but they could also be reckless. I supposed that was the benefit of being young and having two older brothers that shouldered most shit.

They lived in the moment, not really thinking about what would happen next. And although that was risky, although it was dangerous, it was also what made them damn good thieves. It’s what made all of us damn good thieves.

“Frankie, Wilder?” I waited until they looked up at me before I continued. “Keep your head down and focus on your own shit. No talking about the job when you’re at the bar getting drunk.”

Both of them scoffed and looked offended, and although I trusted them with my fucking life, had to, I also had this paternal relationship with them.

They nodded and pushed away from the wall. “We done here?” Frankie asked.

I grunted and tipped my head toward the door, watching him and Wilder leave.

“Let’s hit up the bar and see about finding some company for tonight,” Wilder said to Frankie, his voice distant as they walked away from us.

Then it was just Cullen and me.

I faced him and saw he already watched me, his arms crossed over his chest as he stood there and leaned against the wall. Thick seconds passed, and I knew he was waiting for me to say something, maybe to back down when it came to Amelia.

I wouldn’t.

“I don’t know if you’re so hard up for a piece of ass that you’re not thinking clearly, but I’m giving you the benefit of the doubt.” He let those words hang between us for long moments.

I didn’t bother responding. It wouldn’t have made a difference anyway. Cullen’s mind was made up. Besides, I wasn’t going to explain myself to him. Cullen had done a lot of shit in his life—deplorable shit—throughout the years. But it had been for us. It was always for us and our protection as far as Cullen was concerned.

And I might have given him shit about it each and every time, but if the roles were reversed, I would have been supportive of what he wanted.

“Put yourself in my shoes, Cullen. How would you feel if you wanted someone so fucking desperately you risked everything to make her yours?” I took a step closer to him. “What if one of us wanted to get rid of her?”

Cullen narrowed his eyes and pushed away from the wall. He didn’t speak for a long moment but then exhaled, as if he were frustrated with the situation.

“I never would’ve put us in this situation. This family is everything to me. It’s all I fucking got. And if there was something that could risk all of us, I would’ve had no qualms about getting rid of it.” He placed his hands on the desk and stared at me with his cold, dark eyes.

I knew he meant every word. Being the oldest, Cullen got the brunt of our father’s abuse and aggression. Beatings, belittling, just an array of bullshit thrown his way. I knew Cullen had placed himself between us and our father, because he was protecting us. He’d shouldered a lot of shit, took the brunt of it to watch over us. And there was no doubt in my mind it had changed who he was.

No emotion, no fucks given. He did what he had to do and that was that. Even if that meant killing to protect us.

“Cullen, brother, I know your heart is in the right place, but I’m asking you to trust me and my judgment. I’m asking you, as my brother, to stand the fuck down.” I didn’t want to go toe-to-toe with him, but there was this marrow-deep need in me to protect Amelia.

Cullen didn’t say anything. He just stood and shook his head slowly. “I hope she’s fucking worth it, Dominik. Because if she rats us out or hurts any of us, I’ll kill her whether you want her or not.”

He left me standing there, letting his words play through my head. I knew he meant every word he said. But in the back of my mind, I also knew that if this was what I wanted—with Amelia—I needed to make her irrevocably mine. I needed her to see she wasn’t going anywhere.

Chapter Ten

Amelia

I didn’t know what woke me, but I felt my eyes flutter open. I stared at the wall across from me for a suspended moment. Everything was quiet, still. Silent.