Prologue

Please read book 1: Gunnar first! Just in case you haven't. It's easier to understand this book if you read that first! 

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ACE

"Motherfuc—" I tossed my phone onto the passenger seat, slamming an open palm down on my steering wheel.

God, I needed a drink or I needed to fuck. Maybe both. Yes, definitely both!

Expelling a harsh breath, I dropped to first gear and took off, heading for home. I barely saw the four walls of my room. It was a depressing as shit place before both my brothers' decided to run away from it. Now, it was a vacant house filled with horrors I didn't want any part of. Too many memories filled that house.

I instantly made a U-turn, barely giving two fucks about the honking horns and phased drivers that almost collided with me. With a sigh, I made my way to the clear destination I had in mind. My life was rapidly rolling down a steep hill and there were no brakes to stop me from falling off the cliff that awaited me at the end. I may have been an impulsive psychopath — as Gunnar liked to put it — but when it came to what I did best, I made sure not to mess up.

However, during these last few days, I could sense myself being watched. So, I did what anyone in my place would do, I put a stop to all future business deals and had my youngest brother run a search. The results did not please me. Not one fucking bit. I would have taken Gunnar's help but he was happy and everything seemed to be going smoothly for him, I didn't want to disrupt that.

There was no other choice. I had to figure this out for myself. Somehow.

I pulled into a vacant parking lot and shut the engine off. It wouldn't be long until someone caught me here and ordered me to move. Until then, I knew I had to get at least an hour of sleep in. I wasn't going to sleep in that desolate house by myself. Those eerie halls would have to stay one more night without my presence.

I dropped the seat and laid back, placing my forearm over my eyes. Maybe I didn't need a good fuck or a strong drink. Maybe I just needed a good night's sleep for once. Or just to talk. Maybe I just needed someone who would listen to me drone on about things that didn't matter to everyday people.

I thought of calling up Quinn. She always seemed interested enough to listen to me. The girl hadn't realized it yet, but she had become someone I loathed to someone I confided in for the most part.

The vibration of my phone snapped me out of my thoughts. I read the caller ID and internally groaned. The last thing I needed was an ex-army buddy phoning to check up on me, but I needed to keep this guy in my good graces. He was the contact that allowed Gunnar to get his hands on military-grade weapons.

I swiped my thumb across the screen and placed the phone next to my ear, "Logan?"

"Ace, I've got a new shipment ready. I thought I'd inform you. I know you like to be there with your brother when a shipment arrives," he wasn't wrong. When it came to these shipments I preferred to be there with Gunnar. One: because I knew the merchandise well and two: because sometimes my brother needed the backup.

He was a good shot but I became the better one over the years.

If I were truly being followed, going with Gunnar to collect this shipment would put him in some deep shit he didn't need, "I'm not going to be there to receive this month's shipment, Logan. I have something to do and we both know Gunnar is fully capable of handling this on his own."

"Too bad, make sure to check the shipment out. I've sent another batch of ammunition for you if you need it," Logan didn't know why I used so much ammunition and he never questioned it. It was what I liked about him. He couldn't judge me either way.

I killed people for a living and he stole weapons and sold them to others. We weren't all that different. We could have turned out worse — suffered from severe PTSD that would have messed us up entirely.

"I'll do that when I find the time," I mumbled, stifling a yawn. Sleep was knocking at the door and I was eager to let it in, "I'll call you when I get my hands on it," I said a quick goodbye, ended the call, and then switched my phone off so no one else could disturb me.

There was one other place I knew I could go to but I didn't want to seek refuge there tonight. I had done so too many nights for it to be legal. It was illegal, anyway. I broke in so much that the resident wasn't even fazed to see me anymore. It became my comfort zone during these past couple of months.

I closed my eyes, placing my arm over my eyes once again. Sleep pulled me under moments later.