Heart Recaptured (Hades Hangmen 2)

AK shook Ky, murmuring something in his ear. Eventually, Ky ripped his attention from the two trembling women, almost buried in the wall, and focused on me.

“Lilah! What the fuck, baby,” he said in exasperation, pulling his arms away from AK and Smiler. They now had no choice but to let him go. Ky came barreling toward me, scooping me straight up in his arms, no time for me to protest.

His lips brushed against my forehead and his strong hold made me feel safe.

Ky’s hold was almost painful as he gripped my legs. Somebody coughed from behind, and when I looked to the side, Letti was walking through with Bull, Tank, and Beauty not far behind. They must have been at the back of the room.

“Let me take care of them, VP,” she said in her strange accent. Bull’s tattooed face shone proud as he hovered behind his wife, his mammoth arms crossed tightly over his chest. “You’ll never have to see them again. They won’t dare come back. And thank fuck for that, ‘cause I was getting real sick of their rancid pussies always out for the men. I ain’t had any fun in a while, so messing with their faces’ll make my damn day. They fucked up touching Lilah. They’ll never fuckin’ get near her again.”

Ky paused for a moment but eventually conceded. “Make it real fuckin’ slow, Lett. Make the cunts suffer.” Turning on his heel, Ky marched us out of the door and back to his room. Sitting down on the edge of the bed, he kept me in his arms and said, “We’re getting you cleaned up. Then I’m getting you the hell outta here.”

“Where are we to go?” I whispered in shocked relief, still reeling from all the violence. There had been so much. I could not take it. I did want to flee from this place. All I could see was Tiff and Jules pinning me down.

Tempting… always tempting people…

“Away for a few days. Club don’t have business until next week. AK, Tank, and Bull can hold down the fort until we’re back. I can’t have you here when I’m feeling like this. I’m gonna kill someone else if I do. And I don’t want you looking at me like I’m gonna hurt you ever again.”

“No more violence,” I begged. “If I can ask that of you.”

Ky sighed in exasperation. “Li, it’s the life I’m in and the man I am. But yeah, if we get away, I won’t be shedding any more blood… tonight. But that’s how it is in this life, baby. You gotta get with that shit.”

All I felt was relief. And I did not want to be here at this compound right now either. It was all becoming too much. My curse was not diminishing. If anything, it was gaining strength.

“Okay,” I agreed.

Ky stood and gently lowered me to my feet. “I need to get shit arranged. Get a shower. I’ll get your clothes. We’ll be gone in thirty.”

“Okay,” I said, but when Ky turned away, I asked, “Ky?” He stopped and looked at me. “Can… can I request that you spare Tiff and Jules? I do not think it right that they are harmed. Let the Lord judge their sins.”

Ky put his hand on the doorknob and, without glancing back, said, “Not a fuckin’ chance in hell. Those sluts abused you ‘cause they’re jealous bitches. The two of them can rot in Tartarus for all I care. I’m their judge, jury, and executioner right now. They fucked with the wrong brother. They’re gonna die, and they’re gonna die real slow.”

I shook my head in protest, feeling dread in my stomach. “No, please. I don’t want blood on your hands because of me!”

Ky remained unmoved. “I already got a helluva lotta blood on my hands anyway, sweet cheeks. They fuckin’ die. End of. No one walks into Hades and pulls that shit on my woman!”

With that, he closed the door, locking it on his way out.

I took a shower, trying to just block everything out.

And thirty minutes later, we were in his truck and on the road to I knew not where.

Chapter Twelve

Ky

Beauty had agreed to stay with Maddie. After Flame heard what had happened to Li, why I was taking her away, I knew that brother weren’t gonna sleep while protecting the young bitch. Maddie was the safest woman on the damn planet right now.

We were on our way to the country, to my ranch. I hadn’t taken anyone out there before. No one knew I even owned it, apart from Styx, of course. There was a good reason. A reason Lilah would learn about in about forty fucking minutes.

Lilah was silent most of the journey, her head pressed against the passenger door window. I couldn’t keep my eyes off her, her face all bruised and her back in another long, gray dress. Her headdress was tightly covering her hair, and I couldn’t do shit to make things better.

She’d just been attacked because of me. I weren’t sure I could be redeemed in her eyes. It was driving me insane that I didn’t know what she was thinking.

Flicking from one rock station to the next, I left it on Judas Priest and asked, “You good, Li?”

“Yes, thank you,” she replied without turning her head.

Hands tightening on the wheel, I gritted my teeth, pressed on the gas, and got us to the ranch as quickly as I could.

Thirty miles later, I saw the sign for High Ranch and turned onto the dirt road. Lilah looked forward and shuffled to the end of the seat, her eyes drinking in the wooden barn, the surrounding fields, and the stables to the left of the log house.

I loved this place.

The lights were on in the log cabin, and I pulled the truck to a stop next to an old beat-up Chevy.