“I suppose I would be the meaning of this.”
Lorcan’s eyes widened as I stepped into the room. His skin turned ashen; it was as if his soul had left his body, wanting no part of what was to come.
“You.”
“Hmm…yes, me.” I nodded to the security in the room and they promptly exited, leaving the two of us alone. I pulled out a chair and sat across from him. Danny and Toni waited outside the office; there was no danger for me here.
“Gideon.”
I held up my hand. “Save it, Lorcan. Nothing you could say will save you. How could it? You tried to kill my entire family, repeatedly. Attempted to dismantle my empire, and honestly, just pissed me off.”
“You killed my brother.” He was still pale, but there was a fire built from anger in his eyes.
“I did, yes. He became untamable.”
“For you. He was rising in power, you were threatened, and so you killed him. He was my only family. You deserve to feel the same pain.” His hands were clenched atop the table. He was so lost to his rage.
“I never intended for Callan to die. We had a truce, an agreement that his greed couldn’t keep. His reign was one of terror, blood, and violence. That is not what Northchester is about, and he knew it but didn’t care.” I leaned forward. “And you let it get to you. Your need for revenge over a brother who didn’t give a shit about you, is why the entire Anders bloodline dies today.”
His smile turned cruel. “Nothing ever really dies.”
“Oh, I’ll make sure to salt the earth after I bury you.”
He chuckled darkly, still ashen. “You’re so sure killing me keeps your family safe, Gideon? What makes you think I don’t have contingencies?”
“Like the commissioner whom, as we speak, is being set up for Bainer’s murder and, oh no, he’ll be so distraught, he will end his life.”
Lorcan gave apfft. “I don’t give a shit about that pig. I am smarter than my brother was. I prepared for the off chance I would be killed.”
“Enlighten me, then.” I relaxed in the chair, arms crossing my chest.
“You have your family nestled safely in a house somewhere now. Do you plan on keeping them there forever? Because here’s what’s going to happen. The second you go to them you’ll be followed, their whereabouts unveiled, and they will be slaughtered. If you never go to them, maybe they live, but not with you in their life. Either way, they’re gone to you forever.”
“And you think after you’re dead, anyone will remain loyal to you?” I pressed my palms to the table and rose. “You think anyone who actually attempts loyalty will live? I’m going to clean house after you’re gone. If you’ve wasted money on some afterlife vendetta, you’re dumber than your brother, not smarter.”
He went to open his mouth, but I was done listening to his empty threats. I moved to the door and opened it. Danny and Toni stepped in. “Let’s get this garbage out of here.”
I didn’t wait to hear Lorcan rant about anything else. I waited in the hallway. Lorcan would be cuffed as would the two other men with him. Once in the van, they’d be transferred to one of my warehouses together. I wanted Lorcan to watch his men die first, knowing what was coming for him.
“Where am I taking you, Boss?” Danny asked once Lorcan and his men were in the van headed toward the warehouse.
“We follow. I need this to be over before Penn wakes up.”
On the way to the warehouse, I texted Dean, wanting to see if there were any updates on Penn. He said no and added that the kids were all fine as well—as if he knew what I was thinking.
I stayed in the SUV while Lorcan and his men were brought into the warehouse. This was going to be unpleasant. I’d thought long and hard about how it would go down. It was easy, really. Lorcan had planned to burn my family alive. He’d beaten, sliced, and broken Penn. It was only fair he and his men face the same fate.
I stepped out of the SUV and entered the warehouse. One of Lorcan’s men was pleading as he was strung up on the hook. One at a time, they’d each die.
“Please, please, I was only doing as I was told.”
“And so am I,” Toni responded with a chuckle.
Then the man started crying. I slow-panned to Lorcan, who was shackled to a chair, watching. “I haven’t even touched him, and he’s already crying?”
Lorcan didn’t respond, simply glared at me, which made me laugh.
“All set, Boss.” Toni moved to the side as I stepped closer to the man hanging.
