Nine
Heath
When all that shit had gone down, all I’d cared about was the phone call.
The moment Catalina betrayed her family to save my life.
I didn’t think about Damien’s intentions, how he would navigate life once I’d been killed. I just assumed that he was too impulsive to think about the repercussions of my death, that he wanted me to pay for what I did, regardless of the consequences that would follow.
But now I knew the truth.
Vox.
He’d plotted against me, took advantage of the opportunity to take my place on the throne. He didn’t necessarily plan my execution, but he was disloyal by not telling me about it.
I descended to the Underground and couldn’t believe my luck when I found Vox sitting there, chatting with his cronies by the fire with a woman on his lap. Their mugs of newly brewed beer were in front of them.
I pulled out my gun and shot him in the arm, carefully avoiding the innocent bartender on his lap.
Every man in that room cowered down once the gunshot rang out, their heads snapping in my direction as I walked across the room.
The woman screamed and ran away, blood all over her bare tits.
Vox cupped his arm with his palm and grimaced, refusing to let out a scream even though a bullet had pierced his arm all the way through.
His men stilled, watching him then watching me, unsure what was going to happen.
I made my way to him, taking my time as the silence surrounded us, as the fire made the only noise in the room. I walked up to him, seeing him staring at me with fury, looking past those thick eyebrows as he panted through the pain, the blood dripping down his arm. “Tell them what you did.” I raised the gun and pointed it at his head.
He was silent, refusing to cooperate.
“Then I’ll tell them.” I lowered the gun. “You plotted to overthrow me. When Damien took me out, you intended to take my seat on the throne. You know that’s a crime punishable by death.”
He didn’t rise from his seat on the bench, continuing to his grip his arm to stop the bleeding. He kept his mouth shut, refusing to beg for his life, refusing to admit he did anything wrong.
All the men stared, unsure what would happen.
I’d already shot one of my men and that had cost me popularity points, plus Vox was one of the better Skull Kings, in terms of enforcing laws and collecting payments. So, I had a better idea to punish him, one that would work out for me and heighten the opinion of the men underneath me. “So, this is what we’re going to do.” I moved past him and walked up the steps to the wall behind my throne. I pulled out the blade from my pocket and approached the wall.
The Wall of Traitors.
A few names were already there, carved into the wall even though those people were long gone, but the memories of them were forever tainted by the inscription. I slammed the tip of my knife into the wall and took my time, making sure the cuts were deep, that they would never fade in time.
V.
The men were so quiet, I could hear the knife slice into the wood.
O.
If Vox could pull out a gun and shoot me, he would. But he was outnumbered by all the men who were loyal to me.
X.
I sheathed my knife and turned back to him. “You’re forever known as a traitor—and traitors can never be king.” I snapped my fingers. “Get your ass up here.”
He stared at me from his seat, his look venomous.
Steel rose from a different table and wrapped his arm around Vox’s neck. “The Skull King just gave you a command.” He dragged him off the bench and onto the floor. “Get your ass up.” He kicked him hard in the side.
Vox moaned as he continued to grip his arm.
The humiliation must have been overwhelming, to feel all your comrades look down on you like you were garbage.
He finally pushed himself up and stared at me.
I snapped my fingers. “I’ll shoot you again.”
He finally moved, walking up the steps as he gripped his wound.
I yanked his hand free of his shoulder and slammed it against the wall, making his blood smear across his name, fill the crevices so the stain would dry and last forever, so all the Skull Kings could see it every goddamn day.
When the deed was done, I released him. “I now pronounce you a traitor. You’ll live as a traitor. And you’ll die as a traitor.”
When I pulled into the garage, her car was still there.
I’d told her to go home.
I entered my house and took the stairs to the second floor.
She must have heard my arrival because she ran to the top of the stairs, relief moving into her eyes when she saw me, saw that I was unharmed, that I was in one piece. “Thank god…”
I reached the top level and walked past her. “I told you to go home.” I turned my back on her and grabbed a bottle of vodka before I filled my glass to the brim. I took a deep drink, trying to wash away the bullshit I’d just had to deal with.
She was quiet for a long time. “I had to make sure you were okay…”
“I’m fine.” I took another drink and turned around, seeing her in my shirt. I crossed my arms over my chest and tilted my chin to the floor, staring at the hardwood floor beneath my feet. “I told you I would call.”
“And you didn’t.” She didn’t come close to me, crossing her arms over her chest. “I couldn’t
