What if they could relate to what I was going through?
Being a billionaire was empowering, intoxicating, and lonely as hell sometimes. When even people who thought themselves generationally wealthy had a tenth of the net worth you had, when people who were at the top of their industry had their assets dwarfed by yours, resentment naturally formed. It became nigh impossible to form friendships, because once people bothered to Google you, they saw you as a means to an end, not the end itself.
But what if the person on the other end didn’t give a fuck about your money and power?
That was rare. Sarah Carpenter had been one such example.
The Black Reapers was the other.
Fuck.
This was either one of my dumbest or my boldest ideas yet. I picked up my phone, barely taking the chance to contemplate what I was doing—willing to blame it on the excess bourbon if I must—and dialed Prince’s number.
“You better make this quick,” Prince said as soon as he picked up. Right. Our last encounter hadn’t exactly been hugs and cheers.
“I’m calling to ask questions about Wesley Dread, not Prince.”
A pause on the other line came, a hitch that told me I had an opening—but I had better tread really fucking carefully.
Well, I didn’t believe in letting others guide my caution, but I was still sober enough to recognize a chance.
“I need your advice, not your arms or a favor,” I said. “Why did you stop?”
“Stop… what, exactly?”
Prince’s—Wesley’s—voice still was marked with heavy suspicion. And who the fuck could blame him? Getting called at eleven p.m. this late after everything was probably the early stages of what sounded like a threat.
“All the MC shit,” I said. “The violence. The bloodshed.”
Wesley snorted.
“I got tired of my father’s actions, if you must know,” he said. “What the fuck is this really about, Cassius? Don’t fuck with me.”
“What role did your wife have to do with it?” I said. “Just shoot me straight. I’m not going to ask for any meeting or favors. This phone call is the fucking meeting.”
Another hitch in the voice, another pause. Good. The longer I delayed him hanging up on me, the more likely I was to get the results I wanted.
“I was already sick of my father by that point, but Sasha played a big role in encouraging me to follow through on everything,” he said.
“And did you guys encounter trouble along the way?”
“What do you want, our entire relationship story? Have you been fucking drinking, King of Hearts?”
“Entirely too much, but I will remember this,” I said. “I willnotforget what you have to say, Wesley.”
“I see,” he muttered. Drawing a breath, he pressed on. “Yes, we encountered trouble. But you know what? Sasha made every decision easy. I knew it then and I certainly know it now, not one fucking thing matters more than my wife and kids. That doesn’t mean I don’t stay involved in the Black Reapers. That doesn’t mean I worship at her feet and beg for her grace every morning.Fuck no. There’s a difference between prioritizing my family and being supplicant to them. But they’re number one, and when push comes to shove, they remain number one. And if someone wants to fuck with them?”
Wesley didn’t answer his own question, but he didn’t need to. I knew full well how far I’d go to destroy the Morrils to protect Sarah, and I didn’t even have a ring on her finger, let alone years of marriage and a kid. I could only fathom how much of Vegas would burn if Wesley thought Sasha might be in danger.
“That’s all I needed to know,” I said. “You didn’t have to take this call, Wesley. I… appreciate it.”
“Don’t make it a habit, King of Hearts,” he growled. “You’re lucky I’m alone right now. And don’t you fucking think this somehow means we’re interested in joining you.”
“I—”
I never got to finish what I wanted to say, because the line went dead. Hard. But fair enough. Wesley had spoken briefly, but Prince needed to return.
And that’s how I suspected it needed to be with Sarah, should I ever get the chance to have her back in my arms. Cassius Vale, the man, needed to be present; not the King of Hearts, not the ruthless billionaire, not the vengeful Vale.
