Pretty Sinner (The Oligarchs)

Kaspar looked at Redmond. “Would you mind if I did the honors?”

Redmond shrugged. “Go ahead. I’ve got enough blood on me today.” The Oligarch moved away from the group as Kaspar held the gun out and pressed it against Maeve’s head.

“I always liked you,” Kaspar said quietly.

“And I always thought you were a psychotic monster. I suppose that’s life.”

He pulled the trigger. Maeve’s head snapped back, and she was no more.

Redmond’s soldiers killed the remainder of Maeve’s lieutenants. Blood coated the blacktop as Kaspar returned to me, tucking his pistol away.

“I didn’t know,” Darren said.

“We both told you.” I shook my head and turned my back on him. “Like I said, go home, Darren. You aren’t needed here.”

For once in his life, Darren listened. He returned to the cars, and his caravan pulled out. I had to imagine Roman was slinking away after him somewhere in the shadows.

Kaspar held my hands and kissed me.

“Was it everything you hoped?” I asked when he pulled away. His soldiers milled about, clearing the club, making sure all of Maeve’s people were finished.

“It was and more. Darren hearing her confession in the end was perfection.” He kissed me again. “But hearing you say you wanted to marry me? That was heaven.”

“I meant it.”

“Are you sure?” His eyes blazed. “You know what it’ll mean.”

“Oh, I know. You won’t leave me alone. You’ll hound me for sex constantly. You’re an insatiable animal.”

“Damn right. And you’ll gobble up every ounce of pleasure I lavish on you.” He kissed me and I fell into it.

Blood coated the ground at our feet. Corpses grew hot in the sun. In the distance, police were screaming closer.

We’d have to leave in a moment.

But I wanted to hold on to this. My Kaspar in my arms. My love, blossoming into the future.

I didn’t want to forget a single detail.

We pulled apart. Redmond stood nearby and cleared his throat, grinning. “You two done?”

“Just about,” Kaspar said.

“Before you start fucking on top of all this gore, we need to finish a conversation from earlier.”

Kaspar sighed and turned to Redmond. “Yes, we do.”

“Will you trust me to handle our problem?”

“I thought you were already doing that.”

“Kaspar.”

He waved a hand. “Do whatever you think is best.”

“Good. Consider it done.” Redmond winked at me. “Invite me to the wedding. I bet it’ll be a smash.” He stalked off, shouting orders to his men to gather everything up and roll out.

“What’s he talking about, your problem?” I asked, genuinely confused.

Kaspar ran a hand through his hair. “Your sister. Erin.”

I felt rooted to the ground. “I thought you were giving her a family now.”

“I can’t do that. You know I can’t.”

“But Kaspar—”

He looked at me, his face exhausted. “I won’t hurt her and I don’t think Redmond plans to either. I’m not sure what he thinks he’ll do to keep her under control, but I’m washing my hands of it. I have you and I want to focus on you.”

I blew out a breath and hugged him. “All right. So long as I never have to hear about her again.”

“I promise, I’ll do my best to keep her away.” He led me back across the street toward the cars. The cop sirens were getting louder. “Now let’s leave before we have some uncomfortable conversations with local law enforcement.”

We got into the back of the armored SUV and the driver pulled out.

I sat close to Kaspar. I held his hand and felt giddy.

Like I did back in college.

Kaspar brought that out of me. I had a future now. I wasn’t stuck, wasn’t left rotting in a pretty cage.

Kaspar would free me, bit by bit.

I leaned my head on his shoulder.

32

Penny

Three Months Later

Somewhere in the Caribbean

I lounged back and watched the ocean lap against the sand. Nearby birds sang in the trees and the wind blew over my body in a slow cooling mist. I smiled and stretched.

“Another drink, Penny?”

The staff member smiled at me. I grinned back and shook my head. She was young, with thick, curly dark hair and an easy, comfortable manner.

“No, thanks, Jannah. Did you see my husband back in the house?”

“He’s on his way out.”

“Thank you.”

She grinned and walked off. She’d sit in the nearby cabana and look at her phone until I needed her for something. Before I got here, Kaspar was strict with his employees—but I liked to make their lives a little easier if I could. He complained that they were extremely well-paid already and I was just going to make them lazy, but I would rather a bunch of happy, lazy staff than bitter ones.

Kaspar joined me after a few more quiet, comfortable minutes. The private beach was an oasis in the middle of nowhere. The nearest town was an hour drive away, and I still smiled to myself. I couldn’t believe I ever thought I’d be able to swim there.