Cruel Temptation (Underground Kings 1)

That driver might have to get taken care of though.

“Hell yeah, I did. I hated the sound of his voice. It’s all pitchy.” Owen turned around when Brian’s pant leg got caught on something and tugged Brian’s arm so hard, I thought the damn thing was about to rip out of its socket. The pant leg ripped on a branch poking out from the ground, and the wood dug into Brian’s leg, creating a large gash.

“Don’t kill him yet,” I said, annoyed that he was treating the captive so carelessly.

Grayson chuckled. “He’ll be fine. It’s just a scratch.”

“He already has a bullet wound,” I growled from my patience wearing thin. I loved these guys like my brothers, I really did, but sometimes, I wanted to strangle them. I guess family did that to everyone.

“It’s a scratch. He’ll live,” Owen said. “Listen to Grayson. Everything is fine. You worry too much. You’ll be able to do what you want to him.”

Heaven snickered. “That’s what she said.”

Grayson, me, Sebastian, and Owen paused and glanced at the youngest of us. There were times when he was so immature that you couldn’t help but love him.

“What?” he asked, smile falling from his face a bit. “I couldn’t just ignore an opening like that. You set yourself up.”

“Get on the plane, Heaven. I’ll deal with you later.” I hoisted Quinn in my arms to get a better grip on her and realize how light she was. Had she been eating? She felt too thin. That would change with me. She needed to gain ten pounds, at least.

Heaven pointed at all of us. “You all need to loosen up. You’re wearing your ties too tight.”

“I’m not even wearing a tie,” Owen grunted, dragging Brian behind him toward the plane as Louis drove the car onto the ramp that would lift it into the bottom of the aircraft.

“Then you need to pull the stick out of your ass,” Heaven joked and laughed when Owen got out his gun and pointed it at him. “Someone is sensitive.”

“Someone is annoying, and it might get you killed one day.”

Heaven pouted. “Aw, someone didn’t get hugged enough at night.”

Owen brought his gaze to mine and pressed his lips together. “Can I kill him? I’m killing him.”

“No, we like him, remember?”

“Not right now.” Owen tugged on Brian’s arm, and this time Brian woke up and started screaming. Owen stopped in his tracks. “You have got to be kidding me.” he hung his head, clearly exhausted from Brian, not from dragging him, just…him.

“Help me! Someone, help me!” Brian’s screams echoed in the forest yet blended in with the crash of the waves against the bottom of the cliffs. No one could hear him. It was just us out here.

He wasn’t even asking about Quinn. He didn’t give a damn about her. I wondered if they had sex. Just the thought had me clutching her tighter.

No, I didn’t care. She could fuck whoever she wanted.

It was far from the truth, but I had to stay as far away as possible from that damn thing, or I’d get myself in deeper shit than I was in right now.

“Is anyone going to shut him up?” the wayward old lady scowled as she hobbled toward us on her cane. How the hell I picked up a grandma was beyond me and out of character, but I liked Ingrid. We jived. And I didn’t find many people that didn’t flinch when confronted with violence. Ingrid was a badass, and the guys could use a feminine figure around to keep them respectful. “Stop your moaning!” Ingrid chastised Brian and smacked her cane against the side of his head until he was knocked out again.

Well, maybe saying she was feminine was a bit of a reach.

“Damn! Old lady has moves!” Heaven gasped and pointed at Ingrid with his mouth open.

“Call me old one more time and I’ll shove this cane down your throat,” Ingrid warned and continued her way to the plane.

“I thought bringing her was a mistake, but I think she’ll fit in just fine,” Owen said, watching Ingrid walk away. “She kind of reminds me of my Nana.”

“I heard that! I ain’t no one’s fucking Nana,” she cursed at him and climbed up the steps of the plane, refusing Louis’s help, shrugging his arm off her shoulder, and almost making my favorite driver fall down the airplane steps.

And here I thought she wanted to be a grandma. I didn’t know what the hell I was doing. Bringing Ingrid was a last-minute choice, one that told me it would be good for her to be there for Quinn. Women need Women, right?

Not that I cared. I just didn’t want to hear Quinn bitch.