when the king losses control

Chapter 10:

LUCIAN

The pliers felt heavy in my hand. Cold metal pressed against my palm. I walked around the chair slowly. My footsteps echoed off the concrete walls. The man's head hung low. Blood dripped from his mouth. Each drop hit the floor. Drip. Drip. Drip.

"The children," I said. My voice was calm. "Where are they?"

He lifted his head. His left eye was swollen completely shut. Purple and black. The right eye glared at me through blood and pain. He spat. The glob of blood and saliva hit my shoe.

"Go to hell."

I grabbed his hand. Rough. His fingers were already broken. All of them. Swollen like sausages. Purple. Black. All except one. The pinky on his left hand. Still intact. Still unbroken.

I positioned the pliers around it. The metal teeth bit into his flesh. He felt it. His entire body went rigid. Tense. Waiting.

"Last chance," I said.

"Fuck you!"

I squeezed. Hard. The bone cracked under the pressure. Loud. Sharp. Like a twig snapping underfoot. I pulled. Twisted. The finger separated from his hand. Tore away. Flesh ripped. Tendons snapped.

He screamed. The sound was inhuman. Raw. It bounced off the concrete walls. Echoed. Multiplied.

Blood poured from the stump where his finger used to be. Hot. Dark red. It splattered on my white shirt. My hands. My forearms. I didn't bother wiping it away.

"The children," I repeated. Same calm tone. Like we were discussing the weather. "Names. Locations. Buyers."

He was sobbing now. His whole body shook. Snot ran from his nose. Mixed with blood on his face. "I don't know! I swear! We just deliver them! We don't ask questions!"

I moved to the second man. His eyes went wide when he saw me coming. White all around the iris. Pure terror. He tried to pull away. Jerked against the ropes. They held him tight. Cut into his wrists. Blood trickled down his arms.

"No! No! Please! I'll talk! I'll tell you everything! Please!"

I grabbed his hand anyway. His fingers trembled in my grip. I found his pinky. Positioned the pliers around it. "Who hired you?"

"We can't!" The third man screamed from his chair. "He'll kill us! He'll torture our families! Our children!"

I squeezed. Slowly this time. Let him feel every second. The bone resisted. Then cracked. Then shattered. The second man's scream was even louder than the first.

"I'm going to kill you anyway," I said. Simple fact. No emotion. "The question is how long it takes."

I picked up the knife from the table. Six inches of steel. The blade caught the light. Sharp enough to shave with. I'd tested it before. I pressed it against the first man's throat. Not cutting. Not yet. Just pressure. Enough to make a dent in his skin. One small push and the blade would slice through. Hit his carotid. He'd bleed out in seconds.

"Talk."

"Viktor!" He screamed the name like a prayer. "Viktor Konstantin! Russian mafia! He hired us! He runs everything! The trafficking! The shipments! All of it!"

I pulled the knife back. Wiped the blood on my pants. Viktor Konstantin. I knew the name. Russian bastard. Old rival. He'd been trying to move into my territory for months. Stealing shipments. Undercutting prices. And now this. Children. He was trafficking children.

"Where is he?"

"I don't know! He moves constantly! Different safe houses! We never know where! Please! We told you everything! You have to save us! If Viktor finds out—"

"He won't find out." I looked at Dimitri by the door. Nodded once.

"Kill them."

"Wait!" The first man thrashed. The chair scraped against concrete. "You promised! You said if we talked—"

"I lied."

Three gunshots. Bang. Bang. Bang. The sound was deafening. My ears rang. Then silence. Complete silence.

I walked to the utility sink. Turned on the faucet. Water rushed out. Clear at first. Then pink. Then red as I washed my hands. The blood swirled down the drain.

I checked my watch. Six forty-five. Fifteen minutes to shower and get to Amara's.

I smiled. Viktor wanted war? He'd get one. But first, I had a date.

"Clean this up," I told Dimitri. "Send Viktor a message. Tell him it's time to play."

AMARA

The doorbell rang at seven exactly.

I opened it. Lucian stood there. Black tux. Perfect fit. His hair was styled back. His eyes traveled down my body. Slow. Deliberate. They stopped at the slit in my dress. At my exposed back. At the neckline.

"You're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen."

His voice was rough. Like gravel. Like the words hurt.

"Lucian—"

"I mean it." He stepped inside. His hand cupped my jaw. Warm. Gentle. His thumb brushed my cheekbone. "Every man there will want you. They'll all know you're mine."

The gala was at a massive mansion. Lit up. Glowing. Expensive cars everywhere. People in diamonds and designer clothes.

Camera flashes exploded when we stepped out.

"Mr. Volkov! Who's your date?"

"Is this official?"

Lucian's hand pressed against my lower back. Firm. Possessive. He guided me up the steps. Ignored the reporters completely.

Inside, everyone stared. Conversations stopped. Heads turned.

A server appeared with champagne. Crystal glasses. Bubbles rising. We each took one. Drank.

Music started. Lucian pulled me onto the dance floor. His hand at my waist. Our bodies close. We moved together. Perfect rhythm.

Another server appeared. More champagne. We drank as we danced.

Then the heat started.

It crept up from my stomach. Spread through my chest. My arms. My legs. Everything felt too tight. Too hot. The room tilted slightly.

"You okay?" Lucian's brow furrowed.

"Just hot. I'll go splash water. Be right back."

I walked away. Down a hallway. Pushed through the bathroom door.

The mirror showed flushed cheeks. Dilated pupils. Sweat on my forehead.

Wrong. This was wrong.

I turned on the faucet. Splashed cold water on my face. It didn't help.

I needed to get back to Lucian.

I opened the door.

Two men in server uniforms stood there.

They grabbed me. One hand over my mouth. Hard. Bruising. The other grabbed my arms. Twisted them back. Sharp pain shot through my shoulders.

I tried to scream. Nothing. I tried to fight. My body wouldn't respond. Too weak. Too hot.

They dragged me. Up stairs. Down a corridor. Through a door.

They threw me inside. I stumbled. Hit a dresser.

The door slammed.

Damien stood there. Smirking.

"Hello, Amara."

"What did you do?" My words slurred.

"Something to help you relax." He walked toward me. Slow. Predatory. "I'm going to take very good care of you."

"Stay away."

I tried to back up. My legs gave out. I fell onto the bed.

Damien was on me. Fast. His weight crushed me. His hands grabbed my dress. Pulled. The fabric tore.

"Get off!" I pushed his chest. No strength.

"You're mine." His breath was hot. Reeked of alcohol. "Always mine."

His hand covered my mouth. I bit down. Hard. Tasted blood.

He yanked back. "You bitch—"

My phone rang. On the floor. Lucian's name on the screen.

Damien saw it. His face twisted. "Him? You want him?"

He grabbed my face. Fingers digging into my cheeks. "I'll make you forget."

His mouth crashed onto mine. Forced. Brutal.

The door exploded.

Wood splintered. The lock shattered. The frame cracked.

Lucian stood there.

His eyes were gold. Pure gold. His wolf present. The air felt heavy. Thick. Power radiated off him.

He looked at the scene. Damien on me. My torn dress. My tears.

"Get. Off. Her."

The words weren't human. Layered. Deep. His wolf's growl underneath.

Damien scrambled off. Too slow.

Lucian moved. Fast. His hand was around Damien's throat. He lifted. Damien's feet left the ground. Lucian slammed him against the wall. The plaster cracked.

"You drugged my mate."

His fist connected. Damien's nose exploded. Blood sprayed. Another punch. Cheekbone shattered. Another. Jaw cracked.

Each hit was precise. Calculated. Brutal.

"Lucian." I whispered.

He stopped. Dropped Damien. The body crumpled.

Lucian was beside me instantly. His hands gentle on my face. "Did he—"

"No. You got here."

He pulled off his jacket. Wrapped it around me. Lifted me against his chest.

"I've got you."

I pressed my face into his neck. His heartbeat was steady. Strong. Safe.

"Always," he whispered into my hair. "I'll always come for you."