Rook POV I walk down the stairs, trusting that Mercer will stay put, for now. But it’s Mercer. He pushes, and tests boundaries, even when it puts him at risk. Like leaving the damn hospital when he knew Axel was still out there. If he’d stayed, Axel wouldn’t have had the chance to get near him.Rubbing the back of my neck, I make it to the front door, only for a hand to catch my arm before I can step outside.“I’m coming,” my father says, his voice firm, already making it clear this isn’t up for discussion.I sigh, but I don’t argue. “Fine with me,” I say with a shrug before heading out to the car.Sliding into the seat, I lean back, letting my head rest against the cushion as I wait. I already know where we’re going, and so does Axel. The second he sees where he’s been taken, he’ll know exactly what’s coming.The drive is quiet, tension settling thick between us, but it’s not uncomfortable. My father isn’t the type to fill silences with unnecessary conversation. He only speaks when
Rook POV **This chapter contains torture**Letting out a low chuckle, I tap my fingers against his knee. “Now, see, that’s interesting. The others? They weren’t getting to you. The ones on your shirt, your arms, even the ones near your throat. But this?” I nod toward his hand, where a faint red mark is already starting to bloom. “That one actually got a reaction.”Axel breathes hard, his fingers twitching again, and I know exactly what’s happening. His brain is desperate to believe that if he moves the right way, if he angles his hands just so, he can maybe get free.He won’t, but I like that he’s still holding onto that sliver of hope.It makes this even more fun. I reach into my pocket again, pulling out a zippo lighter this time instead of another match. I flick it open, and let the small blue flame flicker higher.Axel stiffens, his whole body going rigid, and I tilt my head slightly, watching him. “You know what’s coming, don’t you?”His jaw locks, his breath sharp. “Rook, listen
Rook POVI press my boot harder against his thigh, pinning him to the chair, keeping him in place. “It amazes me, really,” I muse, dragging the tip of the knife along his arm, barely any pressure, but enough to send another shudder through his body. “You were brutal on the ice, weren’t you? Hard, merciless, fucking relentless.”I dig the blade in suddenly, just below his wrist, watching as the skin splits open, a fresh trail of red weaving down his arm.“But off the ice?” I tap the hilt of the knife against his forehead again, mockingly. “Your body is weaker than most.”Axel exhales sharply, his entire frame shaking.“Oh, look,” I murmur, watching as the blood drips, slow and steady onto the floor. “You do bleed. Just like the last guy I killed.”His throat bobs violently, his breath catching, and I see it—that flicker of horror, the realization setting in.I grin wider, leaning in, my voice dropping low. “You’re going to beg me for death, Axel,” I whisper, letting the knife hover jus
Rook POV **Contains Murder**A full, sharp laugh that echoes through the warehouse, bouncing off the walls, filling the space like it belongs there.Behind me, my father sighs, already done with my shit. “Rook, don’t fool around,” he mutters, arms crossed. “Just finish this.”But I’m already shaking my head, already grinning as I step forward, pressing the knife against Axel’s cheek again, just enough for him to feel the weight of it.“I’m bored of playing alone,” I say, voice low, sharp with mockery.Axel still thinks he can take me? After all this?Fine, let’s play.I cut the rope from around his ankles. Then, I step behind him, cutting through the ropes, letting his arms drop limply to his sides. He doesn’t move right away, his body still stiff from being restrained for so long. But he will.I grab his wrist and press the handle of the knife into his palm.“Go on,” I murmur, stepping back, stretching my arms lazily. “Let’s see what you’ve got.”Axel doesn’t move. His fingers twitch
Kade POVA hand wraps around my waist, dragging me from unconsciousness, and before I even register what’s happening, my body reacts on instinct. My fist slams forward, hard and fast, followed by my knee thrusting upward in a sharp, brutal motion.My eyes snap open just in time to see Rook dodge at the last second.“The fuck is wrong with you?” he snaps, staring at me like I’ve personally offended him. “Do you also kill people in your fucking sleep?”I groan, shoving him away, maybe too hard, because he topples off the bed with a loud thud. Good. I don’t give a shit.“I was sleeping,” I growl, glaring down at him. “Don’t fucking touch me when I’m sleeping.”Something shifts in his expression, and fuck, I realize I just gave him exactly what he wanted—another thing to push, poke, and test. “I swear down, Rook,” I warn, narrowing my eyes. “I will sleep with a fucking knife in my hand. You touch me, and you die.”He chuckles, the sound low and amused as he climbs back onto the bed, compl
Kade POVI thrash immediately, trying to shove him off, but Rook is a fucking tank. He’s got the weight advantage, the strength, and worst of all, the audacity. My body still hasn't fully recovered which makes it harder otherwise it would be an even fight.“Get the fuck off me!” I growl, pushing against his chest, but he barely budges.“Nah,” he replies, smug as ever. “I think I like it here.”I grunt, twisting, but he just shifts his weight to keep me pinned, arms braced on either side of me, practically caging me in.“This is abuse,” I hiss.He grins. “Oh? What are you gonna do, Mercer? Call the authorities?”I glare. “I will."He leans in, voice mocking. “What’s the emergency? Oh yeah, some guy won’t get out of his own bed.”“Rook,” I warn.“Help,” he gasps dramatically, “he’s keeping me here against my will!"I snap and shove him hard, managing to roll us over, but he just laughs, the absolute bastard.“You think you’ve won?” he taunts, letting me sit up for half a second before h
Kade POVHe’s not consistent, he’s not safe, he’s a goddamn wrecking ball. At best, a bulldozer tearing through lives without a second thought. I’ve heard the stories—how deep he gets into people, how he worms his way in so far that by the time they realize what’s happening, it’s already too late. He ruins them. Leaves them craving him, desperate for even the smallest scrap of his attention.When he finally gets it, then? He refuses. I just realized it. I’m his next fucking victim.All the games, all the taunting, the constant energy, the push-and-pull bullshit, it’s exactly what he does to all of them. I don’t know the details, but I can guess this is the same exhausting, overwhelming, over-the-top bullshit he uses to reel them in.He’s not as bad as Axel. At least Rook has some limitations. Axel would fuck anything that moved. Rook? He at least picks his targets, And somehow, I just became his latest fucking mission.Rook shifts beside me, his attention locked onto my face, and I do
Rook POVMercer doesn’t move and I can see the thoughts running behind his eyes, the way his jaw tightens just slightly, the way his chest rises and falls unevenly. He’s processing.Processing the fact that I let Axel fight me, that I still won and that I tortured Axel before all of that.I should be focused on his reaction, but instead, all I can focus on is how fucking close he is to me right now. The space between us is gone. I can see the tension in his body, see the way he’s still lingering, hovering, not pulling away.That's interesting. I grin, tilting my head slightly, watching him. “You look surprised, Mercer.”His eyes flick up to mine, and I can see it, the battle raging inside his stupid, stubborn brain. He doesn’t want to care, but he does. Doesn’t want to acknowledge it, but he’s standing here, close enough to feel my breath, looking at me like I just did something unexpected.I did, didn’t I? He expected Axel to be dead. Expected me to kill him outright, not play with h
Kade POVShe keeps flirting, keeps finding excuses to touch me. A hand on my knee when she laughs, a brush of her fingers when she reaches for her drink. I play along, giving just enough to keep her engaged, but every touch makes my skin crawl. I don’t let it show.Her phone buzzes, and she glances at it, sighing before muttering under her breath.I take a sip of my drink, watching her. “You good?”She rolls her eyes. “Just my dad being an asshole.”Bingo.I let out a short laugh, shaking my head. “Yeah, I get that.” I exhale, swirling the drink in my glass before muttering, “Mine went and got himself killed.”She pauses, her fingers still resting against the stem of her glass as her eyes flick back to me. “Shit. How?”I shrug, keeping my expression neutral. “Got involved with the wrong people. The Volkovs. Thought he could play their game, but he wasn&rsqu
Kade POVThe taxi ride to the club feels strange. It has been years since I have needed to take one, but showing up in my usual car would be a mistake. I keep my hood up, staring out of the window as the city moves past in a blur. Titan is not my kind of place, loud and packed with people trying too hard to impress each other, but for now, it is where I need to be.When the taxi stops, I step out and pay the driver before heading toward the entrance. The bouncer barely glances at me as I walk inside, the heavy bass of the music vibrating through the floor beneath my feet. The scent of alcohol and sweat lingers in the air, neon lights flickering overhead.I move to the bar, keeping my steps casual, blending in. Sitting down, I glance around, scanning the crowd for her.It doesn't take long to find her. She's near the VIP section, sitting with two other women, laughing as she sips her drink. She doesn't look concerned, doesn't look like someone hiding a sto
Kade POVAfter a while, she grabs my hand and tugs me toward the edge of the dance floor. “Come on, let’s sit. I need a drink, and you need to tell me why I’ve never seen you before.”I let her lead me toward one of the small lounge areas near the bar, keeping my expression relaxed even though I don’t like the way her fingers press against my wrist. It’s light, barely there, but I still feel it, a reminder that I don’t like being touched by anyone book Rook. I don’t let it show.She slides into the seat first, crossing her legs as she leans back, completely at ease. I follow, keeping enough space between us to make it look natural but not enough for her to think I’m uncomfortable.“So,” she drawls, reaching for her drink. “Are you going to tell me your name, or am I going to have to keep calling you mystery man?”I smirk, taking a sip of my own drink before answering. &ld
Kade POVI glance between the men, weighing my options. Who can pull this off? Who can get close without looking like exactly what they are?Before I decide, Nikolai sighs and gestures toward them. “They all look too much like capos to do it.”He is right. None of them blend in. They all carry themselves like what they are, dangerous men who make people nervous when they walk into a room. I need someone who can pass as harmless. Someone she won't see coming.“Rook could work,” Nikolai glances at me.“I’m not getting him involved in this.” It’s too much of a risk.“Plus, you have to remember, Declan knows Rook, so his daughter will as well.” Jaxon looks at us.Good, because I didn’t want Rook in the center of this. “I’ll do it,” I say, and Nikolai stares at me. “No one knows me yet, not enough to know who I am, which was proved by your friend and
Kade POVThe clock on the wall reads just past two in the morning, but neither of us has moved from our seats. The only sound in the room is the faint hum of the security system and the occasional click as Nikolai skips through the footage frame by frame.I lean forward, elbows on my knees, staring at the screen. We have been at this for hours, combing through every angle, every possible lead, trying to figure out who the hell took the shipment.“Pause it,” Nikolai says suddenly, his voice sharp. My eyes snap to him as he leans in. “Zoom in on that.”One of the men in the frame shifts slightly, turning just enough for the camera to catch his profile. The image is grainy, but it is enough.Nikolai exhales through his nose, his expression unreadable. “That'ss Declan Voss.”I recognize the name the second he says it.Declan doesn't live here. He is from out of town, from another city and doesn't come h
Rook POV“Is there anything I can do?”He shrugs slightly. “Until we get a name of who took the shipment, nothing can be done. Then it is up to Kade.”I roll my eyes.“Are you really not going to ask him?” He leans back and laughs.“No.” I will not ask Kade if there is anything I can do.“Why?”“Because I told him if he needs me, he should ask, and I will be there instantly. So me asking if there is anything I can do to help him is unnecessary. It also makes it sound like I am checking in on him or trying to say he cannot handle it alone.”He laughs and lifts his glass. “You are delusional if that is what you really think.”“Maybe he would not, but that is how I feel.” I rub my face, feeling exhaustion pull at me.“Look, I am going to see him. Go to bed and get some sleep.”I watch him stand and grab his jacket. “Why are you going? You do not need to.”“Because you are worried about him and will not
Rook’s POVI don’t usually worry about Kade when he’s working. Okay, I do, because I know how quickly things can change. But today? It feels different. There is something heavier about it, something I do not like. He has done his usual thing of messaging me every few hours with an I’m alive! like he thinks it is a joke.Still, the time between those messages? Torture. Normally, my dad is around, so I can ask him for updates, and he has them. But even he is gone today.I place the box down, and Rose smiles at me. “He will love it,” she says.I am not so sure. Buying for Kade is hard. He is weird. His only real interests are hockey and work. Outside of that, he has no hobbies.He is not picky when it comes to gifts, but every time I ask what he wants, or at least for an idea, I get the same response. I do not want anything.That response caused an argument last month. I told him if he really did not care enou
Kade POVRook smirks as he flips another pancake onto the growing stack. “You look like you’re plotting something.”I set my coffee down, crossing my arms. “Yeah, I’m thinking about throwing you out of your own damn house.”He bursts out laughing, and it's loud, like I just told the best joke he’s ever heard. He tilts his head, still grinning. “You think that would stop me?”I arch a brow. “Pretty sure it would.”He scoffs. “Kade, come on. I know this place better than you do. There are secret ways in. I could be in here before you even realize it. You’d go to bed thinking you’re safe, and then…” He leans in slightly, lowering his voice. “Bam. There I am, watching you and waiting.”I stare at him. “You do realize how creepy that sounds, right?”Rook shrugs, completely unbothered. “Yeah, but that just makes it better.”I shake my head, picking up a pancake from the plate and taking a bite straight from it. “You really don’t have
Kade POVI’m late, and I can’t afford to stay in bed with Rook any longer. “I need to move,” I murmur, pressing a quick kiss to his lips before slipping out of bed and heading straight for the shower. I hear him moving around the room, and moments later, he joins me.“When I said I’m late, I meant I need to get going,” I say, turning to face him.Rook just shrugs like it’s nothing. “You’re fine. My dad said he’d keep things moving and let you sleep.” His gaze locks onto mine, waiting for me to argue. “So slow the hell down and actually spend time with me. Or is this just going to be a case of you fucking me and running off after like always?”I tilt my head, frowning. “You know that’s bullshit.” The words come out firm, meant to be the truth, but even I know there’s some weight to what he’s saying. More often than not, I barely stick around for five minutes after.Rook leans into me, a teasing smirk playing on his lips. “So, what’s