CADEnce (Deception Book 2) (25 page)

“Hell,” she whispered in return. “Greed takes us to hell.”

“And may he fucking burn there,” Jenson finished quietly.

I COULDN’T HELP BUT GRIN at Dante as he swung where Frank had hung, his bare feet scraping through Frank’s brain matter that still decorated the floor. The gag around his mouth made me happy, so did the bruising to his face and torso. It was surreal gaining pleasure from seeing my replica hurting. I loved him once but this cruel, ruthless man was not the kid I shared everything with as a child. He had destroyed that person with the crap he kept injecting into his body over the years. He was never truly all there but just how far gone he was made me not see the boy he once was. All I could see was a man who tortured the woman I love. The man who shot me. Kidnapped Blue and Alex and terrorized them. I saw a man I couldn’t possible let live. He didn’t deserve to live.

“Hunter, it’s Dante,” I spoke when the call connected.

“Hey, what’s up?” Hunter greeted as Dante thrashed in his restraints, his eyes narrow and blazing at me.

“I’m having a little . . .,” ‘Dinner
party,’
Faye mouthed. “Dinner party,” I said down the line to Hunter. “The guys who . . . shall we say
partied
with Blue, I need you to bring them with you. Star’s in need of a little lesson.”

“What? You bored with her already?”

“She’s driving me nuts with all her fucking whining. Stupid whore disrespects me, does the complete fucking opposite to what I tell her. Fuck, she’s even stopped fighting with me when I fuck her. She needs to understand what happens if she plays with fire. You have any bitches to bring with you that will entertain what I need?”

“Of course, but are you sure? You saw what they did to Blue, they won’t hold back with Star either.”

I laughed and clicked my tongue. “Why do you think I need the bitches? Watching that scene play out, fuck, I’m gonna need a slut who takes it hard.”

Hunter chuckled. “Then it will be a pleasure.” I gritted my teeth to his obvious delight at the thought of causing Faye pain. Motherfucking bastard. I clenched my fist, reining it in.

“Oh,” I added quickly. “Bring some brown with you. I need a high.”

He paused for a moment then said, “Sure.”

Ending the call I tapped Dante on the cheek and winked. “Time to play.”

I SMIRKED WHEN THE TWO guys were dragged into the room by Liam’s men.

Chuckling, I opened the only eye they hadn’t ruptured and grinned at Cade. “You fucking fool. As soon as you told Hunter to bring some brown he knew it wasn’t me. I don’t touch that shit, Cade. I only consume what I make; it’s the only thing I trust.”

Cade shrugged. “Don’t worry, Hunter will get his. I’m fascinated by how easily he gave up his two men though.”

I laughed. “You really are stupid. He hasn’t paid them yet.” Hunter was the lowest bastard out there. He had no scruples. And Cade had given him an opportunity to save him thousands.

I flicked my eyes to the scene playing out at the other side of the room. Jenson stood by the door, watching the brutal gang rape of the two men who had hurt his girl so much she wouldn’t walk for a long time.

I shivered, looking away when one of them drew a long iron baton and shoved it so far up the blond’s ass that I wouldn’t have been surprised if it emerged out of his mouth. Their screams were loud and ugly, blood splashing everywhere as I tried to hold onto my stomach.

Unable to watch when they started hacking at their dicks I turned my back on them and prayed my death would be swift and clean.

Eventually the room quietened, the silence confirming their brutal death.

Jenson walked over to Cade, his pale face telling me he had made himself watch every second in respect for Blue, his hand delivering the final blow.

“We’ll be outside.”

Cade nodded, giving him a faint smile as he patted his shoulder. Then he turned to me, his face full of sadness.

“This is it then.” I eyed him just as sadly.

Cade sighed, his eyes lifting to mine. “What the fuck happened to you?” He wasn’t angry, just resigned.

“Love.” I answered simply. “But in that one little word are so many others we forget about, brother.” He blinked at me, his face tight with emotion. “Jealousy. Control and greed. Desperation and insecurity. And we mustn’t ever forget possessiveness.” He dropped his eyes, closing them for a second. “And they’re only some of them, Cade. I loved Star with everything I had. I breathed for her, lived for her. Yet somewhere deep inside, both our insecurities drowned the good parts, the parts that love should be about.”

He shook his head. “They only control if you let them, Dante. You were strong, so strong. I idolized you, you’re my big brother. Only by a couple of minutes, but we came as a unit. I never saw the moment one of us destroyed that.”

“The moment we both fell in love with the same woman, Cade.”

He nodded, verifying the truth of my words.

“I loved you both but she was mine, I needed her,” I whispered, the pain of finality making my heart still. “Promise . . .” I blew out a breath and smiled sadly. “Promise you’ll love her like she deserves.”

He snapped his teeth together, sucking in a deep breath before he turned away, gathering the strength he needed.

“And I loved you,” he whispered as he pressed the muzzle of the gun to my forehead gently.

I watched as a single tear rolled down his cheek. I nodded to him, holding his gaze as a tear left my eye, the twin to his. “Do it, Cade.” He knew if he didn’t kill me and let me live I would have to kill him. The fury would come back tenfold to me and demand I take his life. He didn’t have a choice, kill or be killed. “Be happy. Make her happy.”

“I promise,” he whispered as he pulled the trigger and freed my soul from the pain of obsession for possession of another soul.

I WAS SCARED TO DEATH of finally pulling that trigger. It was like killing a part of myself. I felt it; the pain of killing my own flesh and blood, but with it the cleansing relief of knowing Faye was safe.

She was on the floor outside the doorway when I left the room. Her eyes wrenched open as she battled not to show her sadness. I wouldn’t judge her for showing human weakness. He was a bastard but a bastard we loved once.

Scooping her up into my arms we left his place in flames. Destroyed the evidence of us ever being there.

3 DAYS LATER

WE TOLD THE HOSPITAL STAFF Faye took a fall down the stairs. They didn’t believe us if the deadly looks I received were anything to go by but they were paid an exceedingly stupid amount for their discretion.

It was the first time I had ever felt uncomfortable in my own house with Faye. She had showered and was standing in a pair of her slouch pants and one of my t-shirts, her face bruised and full of sorrow. I didn’t know what to say to her. Was she grieving for him, Malik, Frank? Did she want to be there?

“I can take you home if you want?”

Her head shot up to look at me, a look of panic in her expanding eyes. Her teeth came out to worry her bottom lip and her fingers dug into the side of her thigh, her nervous actions making me wince slightly. “Can I . . . ? Please don’t make me go back there alone, Cade.”

I walked over to where she was standing, taking her hands away from her damaging her already torn up legs. “I don’t want you to go, Faye, I just don’t know what you’re thinking. For the life of me I can’t think what you need from me right now.” I hated this. She was everything. I always knew how to read her emotions but she was a new person now, we both were.

Her hands gripped mine. “It’s not him.” I closed my eyes. She was always aware of what I was thinking. “Dante died a long time ago. I didn’t know who that man was, Cade. He was an animal and stole things I can never recover.” I implored her with my eyes to keep talking. Her own eyes softened. “He stole us. He made me into someone I despise.” She was so defeated. He had broken my girl, dimmed her spark and beat down her spirit. “If you knew, you wouldn’t want me here,” she stuttered.

Damn, should I tell her I know?
If I didn’t she would always live in fear that I would one day find out somehow and turn my back on her which was impossible. Dante wasn’t the other half of me, she was. She was my other half, she completed the man I was, the man I wanted to be for her. My soul was created with hers and sent here for us to find each other. Love wasn’t condemning your soul mate for actions out of their control. Granted, love is painful, the most painful thing we endure on this earth but it’s also non-judgmental; it’s shameless and freeing the other person of all the things they find imperfect about themselves because to the person that loves them there is no such thing. Love is pure, true, enduring and for me, everlasting. I would love her forever and cherish the time we had. Love like ours was strong, intense and beautiful. Nothing she did without being right of mind could dirty how pure our love was.

“Faye.” I lifted my hand, gently cupping her cheek, my heart sighing contently with the simple touch of her. “I know what you went through and that you’re punishing yourself for it. It was abuse, baby, no matter what you tell yourself or what he told you.”

Her breath shuddered, her tremble coming back with a force. Fuck, would she ever recover from this? “Do you know?” she asked softly.