Filed to story: The LORDS Series Free PDF by Shantel Tessier
No! Don’t think that way. He’s not going to find out. I’ll either die with this secret or the Lords will kill me before it gets out.
Haidyn wasn’t wrong, though. The Lords find a way to silence anyone who goes against them. He was trying to scare me today, and I won’t let it work.
I’ve got two weeks to get my shit together and return with a backbone. To prove to him that I can and will not be pushed away. I grew up in this society too. I know what goes on and how certain situations are handled. I can be just as ruthless, right? I killed a woman. I’ve got blood on my hands too.
Fuck Haidyn and whatever he was trying to prove tonight. I’ll put a smile on my face and show him that I’m not the terrified girl he thinks I am.
HAIDYN
I’m pulling up to the private airstrip and see Adam waiting by his Aston Martin with his arms crossed over his chest. I expect him to be smiling, but instead, he looks remorseful. Things have been turned upside down over the past week. Now our brothers know that we’ve kept in touch behind their backs.
Kash and Saint left town, and I took Ashtyn to dinner. Well, I was planning on it anyway. We were ambushed. I was shot, and she was kidnapped. Everything went to shit so fast I haven’t even had the chance to process most of it.
We board the plane as he speaks. “How are you feeling?”
“Fine.” I grunt. My hand on my chest. I wish I was still playing dead if I’m being honest. I didn’t feel like shit then. “Did you speak to Ashtyn?” I ask.
“Yeah.” He sighs, looking out the window. “Well…I tried to. She wants nothing to do with me. Not like I can blame her,” he adds softly.
I want to tell him that she’ll come around, but even I can’t promise that. And I know he doesn’t plan on returning to Carnage.
“What all do they know?” he asks.
“Nothing,” I answer.
He nods in understanding. I didn’t want to give Saint another reason to hate Adam. Plus, I’m not a rat. I made a decision four years ago, and I stand by it.
His eyes drop to my backpack at my feet. “Did she ask where you were going?”
I rub the back of my neck where my tracker once was. We all had them installed after we finished our training, but they cut Ashtyn’s and mine out when they kidnapped her and shot me.
“No.” I wouldn’t have told her anyway. She came to my room while I was packing my things. Our conversation from an hour ago is fresh on my mind.
“Are you leaving?” I don’t answer because saying yes will lead to more questions I don’t have answers for. “Please, Haidyn…don’t.” Her voice cracks.
I lean forward and gently kiss her forehead. “Be good, baby girl.” With that, I grab my backpack, sling it over my shoulder, and leave her sitting in my room.
I pass Saint standing outside my bedroom door, listening to our conversation, and when I get on the elevator, I turn to face him. The look on his face tells me what I already know. He doesn’t care if I ever return.
This isn’t about us or what I did. It’s about what’s to come. This isn’t over. We’re Lords-Spade brothers. Someone always wants what we have and thinks they can take it. And his biggest weakness sits on my bed.
I don’t know why Kashton hasn’t ever settled down, but I know why I haven’t. It’s too risky. Humans are vulnerable. Ashtyn proves that. Even thousands of miles away, she was still reachable. What if Benny didn’t have patience? What if he had acted when she first ran and killed her the moment she moved to Vegas? Or decided to kidnap and knock her up at any point over the past four years? He saw Ashtyn as an opportunity to attack us. And that greed is the only thing that saved her.
The door starts to close, and Saint rushes over to it, slamming his hand on it and forcing it to open. I square my shoulders as he steps inside the elevator. His hard eyes go to the strap of my backpack before they land on mine. “Running?”
I don’t respond. It’s better he doesn’t know what I’m doing. It’s not that he won’t try to stop me. It’s that he’ll want to go with me, and I won’t take him away from her. Not this time. I’ve seen the man he is without her, and he’s much better with her. Plus, Carnage is on lockdown now after what just happened. It’s the safest place for any of them to be. I have no doubt Saint will go on a killing spree just like Kash did when he thought I died. There won’t be any prisoners alive by the time I return.
He snorts at my silence. “I never thought you’d be like Adam.”
My teeth grind. Again, it’s not my story to defend. Saint can think what he wants.
Stepping back, he exits the elevator and says, “For her sake, I hope you stay gone.” With that, the door closes.
“He’ll forgive you,” Adam speaks.
“Doesn’t matter,” I mumble, looking out the window as we taxi down the private runway in the middle of the night.
“We should just tell him the truth.” He sighs, running a hand through his hair nervously.
I snort. “It’s too late for that.”
“I…” He’s unable to finish his sentence.
I’m not sure if he was going to say he’s sorry or if he wishes we had done things differently four years ago. The truth is, neither matter. He asked me for a favor, and I didn’t think twice to give it to him.
He closes his eyes, leaning his head back as the plane picks up speed. I pull my cell out of my pocket, unlock it, and make the call to give the heads-up that we’re coming. Then I’m going to pass the fuck out on this short flight. I’m not only tired but my chest is on fire. The fresh bullet hole feels like it’s burning. Devin gave me some pain pills, but I refused to take them. I’d rather feel pain than high.
FOURTEEN
HAIDYN
Less than six hours later, we’re pulling up to the most prestigious hotel and casino in none other than Las Vegas.
I hate this city! The people, the noise, it’s too much. I prefer the secluded life. Middle of nowhere, hidden in the mountains, woods, and a basement. I thrive in the darkness. It’s where all monsters feel most at home.
But here I am. I’ve been in this town for all of twenty minutes now. I didn’t expect to meet with the Kings, but the events that have taken place over the past four days have led me to their doorstep. Literally.
Getting out of the car, Adam and I walk up the fifteen steps and through the double glass doors. A man dressed in a black three-piece suit greets us. He reminds me of Jessie.
“Gentlemen.” He nods, walking over to a private elevator. “They’re waiting for you in the conference room.” The elevator door slides open, and we step inside, where he presses the thirteenth floor.
I look around the mirrored box as it ascends. Glancing at my watch, I see it’s almost three in the morning, which means the sun will be rising at Carnage soon.
The ding notifies us that we’re stopping, and the door opens. We step out, and the man holds open a glass door for us, and we enter the conference room.
The Kings stand around a large table that sits every bit of twenty people with all eyes on us.
“It’s too fucking early,” the one I know as Grave mumbles before throwing back a Monster.
The Kings and the Lords have been in bed with one another for years, but we’re not close with them. Our fathers had business with theirs back in the day. I don’t know how fucked up their fathers were, but I know what ours were capable of. I can only guess how fucked up it got.
Adam walks over to Cross and gives him a handshake hug. “What’s going on, man?” Cross asks him.
“Same ole, same ole,” Adam jokes.
“Haidyn.” Bones nods, gesturing toward a seat at the table. “This is all we were able to recover.” He points at the three cardboard boxes that sit in the center of it.
Last time I saw Bones wasn’t a friendly encounter. I got in his face in New York, defending Kashton’s actions over a friend of his. But I wasn’t wrong-he has no clue how far a Lord will go. I’d also like to tell him that there’s a lot about his friend he doesn’t know, but he can figure it out on his own. Eventually, the truth will come out. It always does.
“I appreciate it,” I say, looking over the table.
I called as we were taking off, updated them on what little we had to go on, and asked if they could help us out. Adam thought Las Vegas was the best place for us to start, and I agreed with him. “What was it?” I ask, looking at the boxes.
“Fire,” Cross answers.
I snort and joke, “Creative.”