Royal Bully Page 7

  The only reason I wasn’t freaking out was because I trusted Asher and Nikolai.

  The stairs stopped once we reached a huge room that had a long table in the middle of it. Chase walked around it and slowly started lighting the candles.

  And then Tex was handing me one to hold.

  My hands shook as I held the white candle out in front of me, Serena, Junior, Violet, Izzy, Maksim, and Breaker did the same. Asher was last.

  “Sangue in non Fuori,” Phoenix said in a low voice. “Seguimi.”

  I had no clue what he was saying.

  The rest of the group repeated what he said, I joined in with a shaky voice.

  And then he approached Junior, they looked a lot alike, Junior obviously inherited his parents’ good looks and enough muscle to look like a professional athlete. “No more lies.”

  Junior’s eyes turned cold. “No more lies.”

  Nixon moved to stand in front of Serena, he drew a knife down the center of his palm, blood dripped in rapid succession onto the concrete floor, he held out his hand. “Until another man gives you his blood willingly—you are owned by this family, your body belongs to this family, your very soul. Do. You. Understand?”

  It was a horrible feeling, watching the last part of light leave someone’s eyes and darkness take its place. Serena nodded coolly and said. “I won’t let you down, besides—” her voice lowered. “—there’s nothing more important than the Family.” She hesitated. “Nothing and No one.”

  I expected Junior to have some sort of outward expression, a flinch of pain, something, anything.

  Instead, a cruel smile spread across his lips as he stared straight ahead as if she’d taken every last piece of his soul and turned him more monster than man.

  A shiver ran down my spine.

  Because no matter how intoxicating the bad may look, how addicting, the truth remains.

  Evil is evil.

  Bad is bad.

  And I had a sick feeling I’d just helped unleash exactly that. I couldn’t look away from the two people I’d helped destroy.

  I did it knowingly.

  Helped Asher take the last shreds of innocence away.

  I did it because I loved him.

  It was still wrong.

  All of it.

  And now I was trapped.

  With a guy I loved and would destroy for.

  And people who expected me to do it again and again until it became my default mode.

  Could I really do this?

  Nikolai faced me, and then slit his hand and pressed that same bloodied hand against my cheek.

  He leaned in and kissed the skin that was stained red with his blood, I could smell it as it dripped off my cheek.

  And then something cold was pressed into my hand. “Survive.”

  “What?”

  He moved out of the way. “A final test.”

  “Test?” I repeated my brain numb as someone sat in the dark corner, a bag over the head. It was clearly a woman; she was in a professor’s uniform.

  My brain didn’t have to do the calculations.

  I knew exactly who it was.

  The same professor who had defied them today.

  Asher took a step toward me, but Chase stopped him.

  “Italians are touchy,” Nikolai explained. “And you come from a Russian bloodline. Trust is everything, so prove whose side you’re on.”

  “I can’t,” I whispered, “kill a person.”

  “She’s not a person,” Nikolai fired back. “She lost the right to her humanity the day she tried to defy the Families. Besides, I wouldn’t make you kill her; that’s Asher’s job.” I suddenly felt sick to my stomach. “Your job, as part of his soul, is to stand by his side. And as a token of your loyalty, you shoot first.”

  The gun shook in my hand. “I don’t—”

  “—lie, and you’ll be next.” Nixon intervened. “You were taught to shoot, so shoot.”

  I wanted to say years ago.

  I wanted to tell them it was different when it was clay pigeons.

  I didn’t.

  I looked around the room.

  Damned if I do, damned if I don’t.

  I lifted the gun and pulled the trigger aiming for the lower half of her body, hitting her in the right thigh.

  She let out a scream. And I knew I would remember the noise forever.

  Because it accompanied the way I felt all of the light leave my body.

  An exchange took place that day.

  My soul, hers.

  For the living breathing monster that is, The Family.

  “You can’t go back,” Asher whispered sadly.

  “Why would I want to,” I responded in a harsh voice, realizing that I wasn’t the only one broken, still breaking, something shattered between us that day too.

  I just wish I knew what it was.

  I thought about it later that night when he held me in his arms, when he wiped away the tears I didn’t realize I still had.

  When he kissed me like he was afraid I would disappear.

  And when he told me he’d die in order for me to live.

  Something was gone.

  Missing.

  I scrambled for it, mentally searching my thoughts, my actions.

  And in the morning, I came up empty.

  And realized sadly that it wasn’t missing.

  It was still there.

  It had just quieted.

  Because it was broken.

  Bloody and beaten, just like the professor.

  Asher and I had done more than just break Junior and Serena’s hearts.

  Mine was included in that scenario.

  And I wondered in that moment, if Asher knew it all along, but did it anyway out of selfishness. Out of the need to have someone to share this life with.

  And for one second, I hated him.

  And then he was kissing me again as he woke up from a dead sleep, his hands on my body, his lips flush against mine, his hands sliding down my hips tilting me toward him like he needed my body in order to survive.

  And I released the hate.

  And clung to his love instead with full knowledge that if anything ever happened to him.

  I would die too.

  There was no other option.

  Blood in. No out.

  “You okay?” he asked against my mouth, his hands already pulling my clothes from my body.

  His kisses drugged my common sense.

  They made me forget about the death.

  But my hands, they were still stained red.

  I shook in his arms. His blue eyes flashed as he pressed an open-mouthed kiss to my chest.

  I didn’t realize it until he left to report to his father an hour later.

  But the minute I let him into my life, I welcomed death.

  When he came back hours later, his sexy smirk didn’t do the same things it had done to me before, it made me afraid, fearful for what our future would look like, would we have kids and treat them the same way? Would he always look at me with love in his eyes? Or would a lifetime stuck with me only breed hatred after he realized his mistake?

  Because things aren’t always what they seem, are they?

  On the surface, I was Nikolai’s niece.

  But beneath it all, I knew the truth.

  I wasn’t for this world.

  I was too human.

  Too humane.

  And I knew, in order to stay with him, to stay with them, I would have to do the unthinkable, and already, I was testing the word freedom on my lips and wondering if I was strong enough to embrace it even though it meant saying goodbye to Asher forever.

  Maybe that was my weakness.

  My own inability to walk away from him when I knew it was the smart move to make.

  “I love you,” Asher took a long stride toward me, and then I was in his arms, and my thoughts were forgotten, replaced by a need to drink him in, because at least in the arms of my monster—I was numb.

  “I love y
ou too,” I repeated, and then I wondered if this was my life now, watching behind my back, waiting, wondering.

  His love was worth it.

  His heart was worth it.

  But I had to ask myself.

  At what cost.

  I gripped Asher with both hands as our foreheads touched. “Promise me you’ll always be there, no matter what.”

  He trembled beneath my touch. “My life for yours, Claire.”

  “My life, for yours,” I repeated.

  A chill ran down my spine as I wondered how long that life would even be.

  “Live in the now.” He brushed a kiss across my lips. “It’s all we have.”

  “Okay.” I hugged him tight. “Okay.”

  Want more Mafia Royals?

  Check out Ruthless Princess, Serena and Junior’s story!

  Each book is a standalone novel in this series, CLICK HERE.

  About The Author

  Rachel Van Dyken is the #1 New York Times Bestselling, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of over 80 books ranging from contemporary romance to paranormal. With over four million copies sold, she's been featured in Forbes, US Weekly, and USA Today. Her books have been translated in more than 15 countries. She was one of the first romance authors to have a Kindle in Motion book through Amazon publishing and continues to strive to be on the cutting edge of the reader experience. She keeps her home in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, adorable son, naked cat, and two dogs. For more information about her books and upcoming events, visit www.RachelVanDykenauthor.com.

  Also By Rachel Van Dyken

  Kathy Ireland & Rachel Van Dyken

  Fashion Jungle

  Eagle Elite

  Elite (Nixon & Trace’s story)

  Elect (Nixon & Trace’s story)

  Entice (Chase & Mil’s story)

  Elicit (Tex & Mo’s story)

  Bang Bang (Axel & Amy’s story)

  Enforce (Elite + from the boys POV)

  Ember (Phoenix & Bee’s story)

  Elude (Sergio & Andi’s story)

  Empire (Sergio & Val’s story)

  Enrage (Dante & El’s story)

  Eulogy (Chase & Luciana’s story)

  Exposed (Dom & Tanit’s story)

  Envy (Vic & Renee’s story)

  Elite Bratva Brotherhood

  RIP (Nikolai & Maya’s story)

  Debase (Andrei & Alice’s story)

  Mafia Royals Romances

  Royal Bully (Asher & Claire’s story)

  Ruthless Princess (Serena & Junior’s story

  Scandalous Prince (TBA)

  Destructive King (TBA)

  Fallen Dynasty (TBA)

  Cruel Summer Trilogy

  Summer Heat (Marlon & Ray’s story)

  Summer Seduction (Marlon & Ray’s story)

  Summer Nights (Marlon & Ray’s story)

  Covet

  Stealing Her (Bridge & Isobel’s story)

  Finding Him (Julian & Keaton’s story)

  Wingmen Inc.

  The Matchmaker’s Playbook (Ian & Blake’s story)

  The Matchmaker’s Replacement (Lex & Gabi’s story)

  Bro Code

  Co-Ed (Knox & Shawn’s story)

  Seducing Mrs. Robinson (Leo & Kora’s story)

  Avoiding Temptation (Slater & Tatum’s story)

  The Setup (Finn & Jillian’s story)

  The Dark Ones Series

  The Dark Ones (Ethan & Genesis’s story)

  Untouchable Darkness (Cassius & Stephanie’s story)

  Dark Surrender (Alex & Hope’s story)

  Darkest Temptation (Mason & Serenity’s story)

  Darkest Sinner (Timber & Kyra’s story)

  Ruin Series

  Ruin (Wes Michels & Kiersten’s story)

  Toxic (Gabe Hyde & Saylor’s story)

  Fearless (Wes Michels & Kiersten’s story)

  Shame (Tristan & Lisa’s story)

  Seaside Series

  Tear (Alec, Demetri & Natalee’s story)

  Pull (Demetri & Alyssa’s story)

  Shatter (Alec & Natalee’s story)

  Forever (Alex & Natalee’s story)

  Fall (Jamie Jaymeson & Pricilla’s story)

  Strung (Tear + from the boys POV)

  Eternal (Demetri & Alyssa’s story)

  Seaside Pictures

  Capture (Lincoln & Dani’s story)

  Keep (Zane & Fallon’s story)

  Steal (Will & Angelica’s story)

  All Stars Fall (Trevor & Penelope’s story)

  Abandon (Ty & Abigail’s story)

  Provoke (Braden & Piper’s story)

  The Consequence Series

  The Consequence of Loving Colton (Colton & Milo’s story)

  The Consequence of Revenge (Max & Becca’s story)

  The Consequence of Seduction (Reid & Jordan’s story)

  The Consequence of Rejection (Jason & Maddy’s story)

  Curious Liaisons

  Cheater (Lucas & Avery’s story)

  Cheater’s Regret (Thatch & Austin’s story)

  Players Game

  Fraternize (Miller, Grant and Emerson’s story)

  Infraction (Miller & Kinsey’s story)

  M.V.P. (Jax & Harley’s story)

  Red Card

  Risky Play (Slade & Mackenzie’s story)

  Kickin’ It (Matt & Parker’s story)

  Liars, Inc

  Dirty Exes (Colin, Jessie & Blaire’s story)

  Dangerous Exes (Jessie & Isla’s story)

  The Bet Series

  The Bet (Travis & Kacey’s story)

  The Wager (Jake & Char Lynn’s story)

  The Dare (Jace & Beth Lynn’s story)

  The Bachelors of Arizona

  The Bachelor Auction (Brock & Jane’s story)

  The Playboy Bachelor (Bentley & Margot’s story)

  The Bachelor Contract (Brant & Nikki’s story)

  Waltzing With The Wallflower — written with Leah Sanders

  Waltzing with the Wallflower (Ambrose & Cordelia)

  Beguiling Bridget (Anthony & Bridget’s story)

  Taming Wilde (Colin & Gemma’s story)

  London Fairy Tales

  Upon a Midnight Dream (Stefan & Rosalind’s story)

  Whispered Music (Dominique & Isabelle’s story)

  The Wolf’s Pursuit (Hunter & Gwendolyn’s story)

  When Ash Falls (Ashton & Sofia’s story)

  Renwick House

  The Ugly Duckling Debutante (Nicholas & Sara’s story)

  The Seduction of Sebastian St. James (Sebastian & Emma’s story)

  The Redemption of Lord Rawlings (Phillip & Abigail’s story)

  An Unlikely Alliance (Royce & Evelyn’s story)

  The Devil Duke Takes a Bride (Benedict & Katherine’s story)

  Other Titles

  A Crown for Christmas (Fitz & Phillipa’s story)

  Every Girl Does It (Preston & Amanda’s story)

  Compromising Kessen (Christian & Kessen’s story)

  Divine Uprising (Athena & Adonis’s story)

  The Parting Gift — written with Leah Sanders (Blaine and Mara’s story)

 

 

  Rachel Van Dyken, Royal Bully

 

 

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