Violent Ends

Parking up at the zoo parking, he bought a ticket and made his way inside.

“What the hell is this?” he asked, walking up to Gabriel.

“This is so we can talk.”

“What is there to talk about?”

“What happens after Maddox is gone.”

“You know, I’d love to know how you found out all of our shit.”

“It’s not hard to do. You guys don’t exactly whisper.”

“It’s none of your business. No matter what your DNA says, you’re not a Denton.”

“I don’t give a shit about my position here, Gideon. I can take care of myself. I want to know what happens to Emma. She is my only fucking concern right now. Owen and Wyatt can take care of themselves. Always have been able to. Emma’s my sister. No matter how much she hates me. She loves you, and I know she would pick a life with you over everything else.”

Gideon ran a hand down his face, trying to clear all the shit from his brain. He had to focus, but right now, everything was going to shit. “If Maddox is dead, then I can’t run. Whoever does the deed, they’ve got a bounty on their head. That’s no life for Emma.”

“Then you’re not doing it.” Gabriel made to leave, but Gideon caught his arm.

“What the fuck does that mean?”

“Exactly what I said. You’re not going to leave my sister. She’s never known much happiness in this life. When I look at the two of you together, I see how happy you make her. I don’t want to end that for her. I refuse to do that to her. You’re not killing Maddox Denton. I will.”

“No. This is not your fight,” Gideon said.

“It is my fight. We may not have been brothers for long, but I can do this. He means nothing to me, Gideon. Unlike you, Jacob, all of the others. I can do this.”

He saw the darkness within Gabriel.

The fucker finally let it shine free, and Gideon stopped him from moving. He gripped Gabriel’s arm, and he didn’t even know himself why he was fighting.

He was Emma’s brother, and slowly, he loosened his grip, allowing Gabriel to go. Within a matter of seconds, his back was lost in the crowd. He’d just let another man go to his doom.

Emma would never forgive him.

His cell phone buzzed inside his pocket, and he pulled it out, seeing a text from Jacob.

Jacob: It’s time. We’re ready. He’ll meet us at the warehouse. Be there.

Gabriel wouldn’t know where he was.

Pocketing his cell phone, he rushed back toward his car.

His hands trembled, and he stared down at them.

He wasn’t afraid.

He didn’t feel fear, and yet, staring at his hands, some would think he was lying. Throughout his life, he’d faced enemies. He’d gotten into fights just because it amused him. Not a day went by when he didn’t thirst for blood, for the anger, and rage to be unleashed. The only kind of calmness he’d ever found was in Emma’s arms.

Gripping the steering wheel, he pulled out of the zoo parking lot and headed toward the warehouse where they would all take a piece of their father. It had to be done.

He’d gone too far, and now it needed to be over.

They had men looking for Tamsin.

They also had men keeping an eye on the Savona men. They were not so easily swayed. When Jacob took over the reins of this family, he was going to inherit a shitstorm.

Gripping the steering wheel tightly, he arrived at the warehouse just as he saw his brothers do so.

Their father’s car was already there, waiting.

“He’s inside waiting for us,” Jacob said.

They all looked ill.

“I can’t believe it has come to this,” Damian said.

“I called Rick and Stuart. They didn’t know about the bounty he’d placed on his killer’s head,” Jacob said.

“What are we going to do about them?” Abel asked. “They’re our uncles, but they won’t allow this kind of thing to just be pushed aside. There will be consequences.”

Gideon looked toward Jacob.

He knew deep down into his soul his brother was ready to take over. After Maddox had all but sold their sister to the highest bidder, it had to be done.

“Then let’s get this done with,” Jacob said. “I don’t care about the consequences. Our sister is out there somewhere. He’s making deals that could completely undermine the entire running of the Denton family. It’s now or never.”

Standing at Jacob’s back, he and his brothers followed behind him.

Entering the warehouse, they came to a stop when they saw Landon, a knife pressed against their father’s neck.

Maddox was tied to a chair, and he already had a bloody face.

Gideon had wondered what happened to Landon.

Staring at his youngest brother, he was shocked by the mad rage staring back at him.

“There are always consequences in this life,” Landon said.

“What are you doing?” Jacob asked.