It struck something deep in my chest, and I almost ripped my grip away from her neck. Her tiny hands were wrapped around my wrist, grounding her to me.
I tilted my head, keeping the mask on even as the voice in the back of my mind screamed at me to let her go. But Acelynn needed a reminder of who she was under the protection of, and how asking questions was going to get her killed the next time. “What are you sorry for, kitten?”
Tears clung to her lashes. “For running.”
I hummed low at that. “For running? Is that why you think I have you pinned underneath me?”
Her head bobbed once, no words coming from her open mouth. I licked my lips. “Acelynn, we both know that’s not true.”
A jumbled mess of pleas began to spill from her lips, but I cut them off with a simple squeeze, just enough to remind her I was in control. Her nails clawed at my arm again. More tears mixed with black mascara spilled down her face. The next time she would look like this for me would be when I slid my cock in her hot, wet mouth, hands tangled in her dark hair as I fucked it. The thought alone had my length hardening, but I shoved down the primal need to take her here and now. I would own Acelynn Thorton in every way imaginable and make her the Queen of Lovelen.
Ripping her from the ground by her forearm, I placed her on her feet and began to drag her through the bar and out the back door. She slammed her heels into the ground, gravel flying in every direction as I forced her stiff body closer to the circle of Knights. They all had their backs toward us as they waited for my instructions. Pushing past them, I brought her upon the scene playing out in front of us. Blood sprayed across the ground, mixing with the dirt, and becoming a muddy mess as Vince laid another punch on the initiate who had sold us out to the cops. His nose sat crooked on his bruised face, and the T-shirt he waswearing was hanging in strips across his body. The fresh inked Knights of Lovelen symbol seemed to glow in the moonlight. Oscar’s helpless pleas rang into the night air.
Acelynn tried to pull away from me, away from the horror in front of her, as I locked my arm around her upper chest and held her tight against mine. The crunch of Vince’s fist against Oscar’s cheek caused her to flinch into me. I gripped the underside of her chin, squeezing just enough that it made her cry out for me.
“Do you see that, kitten?” I spoke calmly. Her body began to shake in fear as I forced her to watch the beating. “This is what happens when one of our own betrays his brothers.”
Vince paused his movements. “Come on, Oscar. You were so forthcoming about your theories of who the rat was at the roundtable. But then we saw you cozied up to little Miss Sunshine over there, and you can’t remember what you said?”
“Seems like kitten’s got his tongue.” Nolan stepped up next to me, arms crossed over his chest as he watched the initiate he had just tattooed last night heave on all fours. Kicking out his foot, it met Oscar’s stomach with a sickening crunch.
The man howled out, only causing Acelynn to sob louder.“I swear…” Oscar’s voice was desperate. “I didn’t tell her shit. She kept asking me for my secrets, but I didn’t tell her a thing about the Muze shipment. She’s just like every other bartender you have at the Queen’s Table who is willing to spread her legs if you tip them well.”
“Watch your mouth,” Nolan snarled at the man, throwing a punch that clipped him under the jaw.
Oscar’s head snapped back, causing him to lose his balance and topple into the dirt behind him. Nolan stood over his body and ripped him up by the sides of his torn shirt.
“Astoria is a bartender at the Queen’s Table, and if you speak about her like that again, I will cut your balls off and feed them to you. Are we clear?”
Acelynn shivered at the venomous tone Nolan took with Oscar. It was rare that he got this angry during a club issue, but when it came to my sister, any disrespect would set him off. If they both would stop being so stubborn and finally admit they had been in love with each other since we were kids, then maybe this pent-up rage would subside. But then again, maybe it would just fuel it more.
Nolan tossed Oscar back onto the ground before turning and stalking away, his shoulder meeting mine as he did. I ignored the sign of disrespect, knowing he probably didn’t even realize he had done it and was going to cool off for a moment.
“Why don’t we ask Acelynn about these secrets she so desperately wanted to know?” I called out, releasing her jaw lightly so she could answer my questions. “What did you ask Oscar about during your shift on Monday night, kitten?”
She turned around in my hold, and I could now see just how pretty the gold in her hazel eyes shone in the moonlight. Acelynn began to speak through broken sobs. “Nothing. I served him drinks, and we talked about how busy the bar was that night. I swear I don’t know what secrets he’s talking about or anything about a Muze shipment, Kaius.”
“I know you don’t, pretty girl.” I smirked, my thumb coming up to brush over her bruised lip. She shivered at the contact, and I didn’t miss the fact that she slightly leaned into my touch. “We just needed to show you what happens when someone we trust rats us out to the feds.”
Oscar’s voice argued my point in the distance, but I ignored it as I watched Acelynn’s face drop in relief at my words. Good, now she understood, even if she doesn’t realize that this test sealed her to the Knights for life. Sealed her to me for life. I tucked a dark piece of hair behind her ear before calling out over my shoulder, “Nolan, hold her in place.”
Acelynn’s eyes widened slightly as Nolan returned and gripped her arms behind her. Her back arched against him, pleading with the man to let her go, but Nolan held firm, making it impossible for her not to witness what I was about to do. I reached into my pocket, pulling out the glass syringe Vince had retrieved for me earlier. Oscar began to scramble backward, but didn’t get far as the heel of Vince’s boot connected with his chest, pinning him to the ground.
“Hold him still,” he barked out the order to the Knights standing behind him.
Ryan and Wes, two of our newest initiates, raced forward. Even though both of their faces were as pale as ghosts from fear, they each willingly held one of Oscar’s arms down by his sides. I stepped over Wes, leaning down to grip Oscar by the forehead and pulling his neck taut for me. I chuckled at his screams. “I do not tolerate betrayal of any kind, Oscar. You understood that when you joined the club.”
Grinning at the pathetic whimper he let out, I called out to the Knights surrounding me, “We will take it to a vote. Any objections to the punishment of death for Oscar Jameson’s crimes against the Knights of Lovelen, including being a double agent for the feds and feeding them information about pertinent dealings?”
Silence from each and every man. The only sounds filling the surrounding air were Acelynn’s screaming pleas, but she didn’t get a vote on this. I hovered over Oscar. “The jury’s out, Oscar boy. Say hi to old daddy dearest for me when you get to hell.”
Plunging the needle into the side of his neck, I released the lethal hemlock dose into his bloodstream. I dropped him, watching as his body reacted to the drug as he convulsed against the gravel. A white foam pooled from his lips, and I couldn’t help but feel a sense of amusement at the sight. After a minute, he stopped moving, and I knew the hemlock had done its job.
CHAPTER TWENTY
acelynn
I was royally fucked.
