They gazed back, unrelenting, as if I was spouting straight garbage. I pointed a finger at the centre of the map. “Right there, right in the middle. That’s where you will find Maximus.”

All three shared a loaded look, which I didn’t fucking like. “Nah, this isn’t happening. We get Micah. That’s the mission.”

Emerson rolled her eyes impatiently and I dragged a palm down my face. “I know you want Maximus. So do I. But tonight is not the night for a side mission. The Gladiator Games are on. No one will make it inside his quarters tonight. No one.”

Tanner grimaced, eyes roaming over his sisters before bouncing back to mine. “We will try.”

I lit another cigarette (chain-smoking at this point, nicotine the single leash on my dwindling patience). Every cell in my body called for Micah, the need to have her safely in my arms. The Caverns were vast, with numerous hidden recesses and possibilities. I had to work smart and plan ahead, because once I entered, there was no way I was leaving the underground without her.

We’d finally come up with a plan and geared up to infiltrate the Caverns. I was deposited in Micah’s room, cleaned and changed into black designer clothes supplied by Tanner, the fabric stretched tightly over my bulkier build. Her room was rudimentary and crudely carved, giving a cave-like exterior, filled with the essentials. Yet it still felt strange being in her space without her.

Ava approached from behind. I’d recognise her light footsteps anywhere. Without turning, I said, “I don’t care how many times you ask. You’re not coming.”

She huffed before offering another gun, which I secured in my chest holster. “You’ll get her back, August.”

My eyes lifted to hers, the reservation clear in my expression. She was direct evidence of one of my greatest failures. I wasn’t able to protect her for twelve straight fucking months. My own baby sister.

I lifted a hand to pat the top of her head, still mesmerised that she was in front of me. “How was it?” I asked. It would kill me to know everything she went through, but the least I could do was hear her experience if she had to live through it.

She extracted my hold and squeezed my hand between her palms, warmth saturating into my skin. “I was not harmed. Though I was a prisoner, I was mostly alone, and well protected. Maximus fears you, afraid of your capabilities. Why do you think he took me as a hostage? My abduction was the only thing he could do to keep you from hunting him down.”

“He should’ve killed me.”

Her head tilted. “I think he loved you, in his own twisted way. In the end, his fear overruled his fondness for you.”

“He’s right to fear me. As soon as Micah is safe, I will show him every reason why he shouldn’t have turned on me.”

Ava pulled back as her fingers trailed down my cheek. “He’ll be frantic, on high alert, knowing both of us are missing. Please be careful. I just got you back.”

I opened my arms, gesturing to all my strapped weapons. “I’m not going anywhere, lil sis.” I glanced through the doorway, not one King in sight. “Have you spoken to G?”

“I have spoken with him, albeit not much. You were both looking for me. I…I refused to give him my location.” Ava’s cheeks reddened, fingers twisting in front of her. “I’d already lost you. I couldn’t lose someone else. I’m sorry, August. I was alone. I couldn’t…I couldn’t risk him.”

I pulled her into a crushing hug. “Stop. I’m here now. You did the right thing. Is his line still active?”

She nodded. “He’s sent me messages, asking where I am.” My arms tensed. “I haven’t replied. He’s your best friend. You can trust him, August.”

“Give me your phone. I’m going to find out.”

We exited the room. Tanner sat on the couch, his legs outstretched before him, ankles crossed, drink in hand. Emerson lifted something small between two fingers before flicking it at me.

“An earpiece,” she said.

I managed to snag the tiny piece of plastic mid-air. “How does this even work?”

She rolled her eyes, strapping the rest of her knives to the waist of her biker pants. “Place it on the inside of your ear. It uses bone conduction to transmit sound vibrations.”

I followed her instructions. “For people that are supposed to be dead, you sure have a lot of shit.” My arms waved to encompass the room. “A hidden lair, expensive gear, copious resources. Again, who the fuck are you people?”

Tanner downed the remainder of his drink and flicked a finger to the bottom of his chin. “Micah told us you know she’s Ultraviolet. What she didn’t tell you is we all are. That’s where most of our funding and resources come from.”

My mouth literally fell open at the straightforward answer, as if he didn’t drop the biggest fucking bomb into my lap. The Ultraviolet were elusive beings, complete phantoms. Not true earth dwelling creatures, but more the epitome of death itself. To know I was in love with one and working alongside three others was frankly jaw-dropping.

Emerson failed to hide a chuckle and Tanner smirked. “Not what you were expecting?”

I snapped my jaw closed and swallowed through the lump in my throat. “I’m more surprised at how open you are, that you trust me with that information.”

“Micah trusts you, and we trust her. Which makes anything we think or feel null and void. She’s never wrong about anyone.” He approached with forced ease to halt in front of me. “And now you know each one of us is more than equipped to deal with you if you happen to prove her wrong.”

“I’ll bow down to death before that ever happens,” I admitted honestly.

“Get her back for us.” He offered his hand, which I accepted in a tight grasp of my own.

Tanner released me, then veered for the door. “Let’s go hunting, Meek.”

Spencer announced her arrival in the common area by loading a gun. My eyebrows raised to the roof, hand gesturing to her attire. “Why are you in a ball gown? You do realise we’re going to the Caverns…the fighting pits?”

Emerson and Tanner loitered in the exit, both their faces identically amused. Ava sat at the kitchen island stroking Fran, trying and failing to hide a laugh.

Spencer smoothed over her dress as if I’d personally offended her. We wouldn’t get two steps in without being spotted with that orange monstrosity. I directed a glare to the King duo that remained in the doorway. “She should go with you.”

“Don’t be like that, lil bro.” Spencer had to extend to her tiptoes to place a loose arm over my shoulders.

“Can you watch where you point that fucking gun?” I screeched, the barrel of her pistol carelessly digging into my side.

I detached from her grasp and, ignoring Fran’s growls, placed a kiss to Ava’s hair in farewell. I was over waiting.

Shouldering through the shit-stirring Kings, I descended the stairs to the garage.

“Ultraviolet my fucking ass,” I mumbled under my breath.

Chapter 27Micah

“Of course the meeting is cancelled, you idiot,” Oscar’s voice boomed. “Why would my boss enter this fucking shitshow? The Ludus promised discretion, and the brothel we were supposed to enter was blown the fuck up in pink smoke.”

A lowly Ludus pleb stuttered under Oscar’s aggressive ministration. My former uncle was an intimidating man, especially with his attention placed solely on you. “I’m sorry, sir. Boss apologises for the inconvenience, and has personally requested your presence at the Gladiator Games tonight to amend the oversight.”

The sound of smashing glass could be heard ricocheting through the rounded office. Eight large pillars surrounded the circular conference table, with arched doorways on either side. My back was plastered to one of those concrete cylinders, listening to these dim-witted men play their power games.

“I don’t give a fuck what Maximus has ordered me to do. I don’t answer to him. He answers to fucking me and mine, and he better remember that before he ends up in his own death match.” Oscar’s tone dropped deathly quiet. “And I’ll give you a tip: my money isn’t on him.”

Now, what the fuck was Mayor Oakview’s bodyguard doing shouting commands at an underground kingpin? Many people had been killed for less, and I should know.

“Now go and scurry off to your master. And tell him that his quota better be on time.”

“We are ready for our next distribution of Amp—" His words were cut off by a choking screech.