Page 97 of Devil’s Promise

I hear Promise’s cry of pain and my gut wrenches. But I’ve got to play my part for just a minute longer.

“I agreed to take care of the Winthrop problem,” I snarl, shifting Vinnie’s gun into my gloved hand.

“That’s right,” Don cackles, his voice so high-pitched and excited, he sounds fucking insane. “And I’m calling it in. If I’m going to have a broken nose, I might as well be the hero who tried to save his daughter before she was killed by drug dealers.”

“Don,” Vincent grits out. “I don’t want that kind of shit in my place.”

But Don isn’t listening. He takes a step toward Promise, Gunner sneering. “You fucking little bitch. Don’t think I don’t know that you and your mother were conspiring against me. That she put you up to this little game you’ve been playing, trying to ruin my campaign. But you can’t stop me. And neither could she. She was going to leave me. Ruin everything.”

Promise’s eyes blaze in a way I’ve never seen. “Everyone will leave you. Every time. Because you are a soulless vampire, consuming all that is good in this world.”

“Oh, daughter. Don’t you see. Everyone will leave you. Because you are weak and pathetic, and as useless as your mother.”

“Don,” I push out through my teeth. “Step to the side.”

He turns to me, his eyes alight with his giddiness as he does as I command, leaving Promise and Gunner open to my view.

I raise the gun as Don howls. “It’s about fucking time.”

“It is,” I answer. “But just so we’re clear…Promise is a Sinclair.”

“What?” Don asks, his brows drawing together. “What the fuck does that⁠—”

But I swing the gun, aiming right between his eyes and pull the trigger before another word can work from his filthy, disgusting mouth.

He drops like a stone.

Opening the chamber of Vinnie’s gun, I empty the rest of the bullets.

“Christ, Angel,” Vincent spits, pulling out a pistol of his own and pointing it at me.

“Put it down, Vin,” I say, sounding almost bored. Gun empty, I drop it at Vinnie’s side. “Our agreement stands.”

Vincent drops the gun back to his side. “What?”

“You do have a problem though.” I take my pistol and move to Don, placing it in Don’s hand. “Vinnie’s got gun powder on his sleeve, and his gun killed a high-profile political figure.”

“You little piece of⁠—”

“Tut-tut.” I click my tongue against my teeth. “My suggestion? Dump the body and make it look like Don was part of a drug deal gone bad. My wife would be most appreciative if you could also pull his pants around his ankles. Prostitutes. Drugs. Really besmirch his name. Paint a picture.”

I hear Promise’s gasp. I finally look at her, silently begging her to understand.

I see pain reflected back, as tears stream down her cheeks.

Shit.

But I’ve got to finish this and get her to safety.

“Angel.” He raises his gun again. So does Knox. That’s when Killian and Rock fill the door. “Heard shots,” my brother rumbles. “Sorry about your guards, Vincent.”

Vincent lowers the gun again, looking around the room. He’s alone against us in his own place. I know it’s not lost on him.

“Just so we’re clear…” My lip curls. “This is the price for what you just tried to pull. As far as I’m concerned, you brought this on yourself.”

“You are a little fucking upstart, aren’t you?”

“Upstart or not, you will bow,” I answer. “And if you behave, I may have a second deal with the new property I’ve acquired on the waterfront.”