Vicious Dynasty (Reign & Ruin Book 3) Read online

Bartending and serving at the Lucky Seven had originally been something I began doing to cushion our bail money. That’s what I called the cash I’d been given when we got the hell outta dodge. The car was sold, and all cash advances were pulled from credit cards before those were pitched too. I wanted absolutely no chances of us being tracked down.

  I enjoyed my job more than I thought I would for the first few months. It allowed me to interact with people again on a regular basis, but now it was getting stagnant.

  Night after night there were eyes burning holes into my ass, women being extra cunty because their significant other was the one staring, and drunks of every variety to deal with. The ones who came off territorial for no reason were the worst of the bunch.

  I didn’t go out of my way to piss people off. I dressed comfortably while keeping my outfits subtly sexy. I knew I looked good, that was the point. Some saw it as vapid or self-conceited. I didn’t pay any attention to their negativity. I was simply doing the bare minimum to assist me in earning some fast cash.

  Men were visual creatures. Hell, often women too. I used what I was blessed with to my advantage to help pay my bills and keep food in the fridge--that was it. The generous tips resting in the bottom of my bag and waiting to be counted up were testament this method worked.

  Catching a whiff of familiar cologne, I paused in my pursuit of alcohol. “When was Diego here?”

  I had told him he could come over, but he clearly wasn’t in the apartment anymore.

  “Oh, yeah. Sorry I completely forgot. He ran to get some filters while waiting for you.”

  She grabbed her purse off the breakfast bar and by the look on her face I could tell she was amused by something.

  “What?”

  “You know his scent. You’re like a little Bloodhound.”

  I scoffed and turned away to grab a glass from the cupboard. “I’ve been seeing him for nearly two months. I better know what his cologne smells like.”

  “Uh-huh, is it as good as--?”

  “Don’t even say it.” I spun around and threatened her with narrowed eyes.

  Undeterred, she grinned and kept going. “Have you seen that he got engaged? And by he, I’m referring to--.”

  “Audrey, we don’t speak the devil’s name in this house!”

  She laughed loudly and started heading for the door. “I left you a plate in the microwave. Eat and get some sleep.”

  “Ah, see, you’re an angel. Stop trying to taint yourself by speaking blasphemy.”

  “Don’t tell anyone else that. I have a reputation to uphold you know.”

  I shook my head at her retreating form and grinned.

  Upon hearing the click of the front door and Audrey manually locking it with her key, I made myself the drink I’d come into the kitchen for and then went and got the plate she’d left for me. I wasn’t one for cooking and had a close relationship with the local delivery drivers, so Audrey being my personal chef worked greatly for me.

  Tonight, she’d whipped up chicken alfredo and sides to go with it.

  God, what would I do without her? Everyone needed a best friend like mine. She’d completely rearranged her life for me without being asked to. Rain, shine, and everything in between, she was there without question. We’d been through some heavy stuff together.

  We bounced around all over the place, feasting on Ramen Noodles and drinking cheap beer to make our money stretch. Looking at our life now, it was hard not to be somewhat proud. We weren’t rolling in dough by any means, but we lived comfortably and stress-free for the most part.

  There were still days I found myself looking over my shoulder half-expecting Judas to appear at any second. There were nights I woke so consumed by anger and pain I wanted to destroy this entire building.

  It had been over four years and I wasn’t sure it was right to feel like this still. Maybe I should’ve adopted the full FISH—fuck it shit happens, mentality by now. We each had much more pressing things to deal with than our trainwreck of a relationship. We’d been so damn young it could be argued breaking up was a natural, but Judas and I weren’t a typical couple, to begin with.

  I uncovered the dish and popped it into the microwave to heat. While I waited, I sipped my Bacardi and coke, mulling over what Audrey had said. It was easy to find humor in the situation when I could laugh with someone else. Laughter was much better than tears and I’d shed enough of those to fill an ocean. When I was all by myself and the hilarity faded, the wound felt fresh and raw as if I’d torn it back open.

  As hard as I tried to put that portion of my life behind me it was impossible to forget.

  I hadn’t ever dealt with the shitshow that went down on the border of my hometown. I compartmentalized and shoved it somewhere deep and dark. I didn’t have the slightest clue where to begin working through the wreckage that had crushed me when my world caved in.

  There were three people I held responsible for the destruction and not a single one of them had reaped what they’d sown. They took turns bludgeoning my heart until it was hardly recognizable. The worst part about that was how much I’d loved each of them. It had all been so unnecessary. I think that’s what gutted me the most. They took the love and trust I was ready to give and shredded it apart.

  The woman that had the balls to call herself a mother, I hadn’t seen nor heard from since she put a bullet through my father’s chest. I couldn’t tell you where she lived or if she was living at all.

  I hoped it was the latter and her life was a consistently despairing hell.

  My father had gotten to slip away without ever answering for or explaining his transgressions. I saw his death play out before my eyes for far too many days to count. I was angry about that too. There wasn’t a tombstone for me to sit and curse until my throat was raw or an urn to illogically smash against a wall.

  Worse, I missed him.

  I missed him so fucking much. Despite his betrayal I still loved him, and he wasn’t here for me to let him know that. He’d died thinking he was saving me when I was the one who indirectly got him killed. I carried that guilt with me every day, struggling to shake off the fog it cast over my life.

  Then there was the boy I loved. The one I never wanted to speak of. Just the thought of his name could make me feel the sting of the blade he’d buried between my ribs.

  On a few occasions, my curiosity got the best of me, and I looked him up. God, reflecting on those times always brought on a fresh wave of embarrassment. I became one of those women who couldn’t let go and stalked every web page they could to get a glimpse of their ex.

  There wasn’t much on him specifically but the Barron’s, in general, were more prominent than I’d initially assumed. The few things I did come across about Judas resulted in my resentment growing even more.

  I wasn’t surprised to hear he was engaged. From what I remembered when we were together, this was years overdue based on his family’s traditions. I wonder where the wedding would be held. Wouldn’t it be fitting for me to show up and destroy the whole thing? I highly doubted it would be in a chapel. I don’t think Judas was religious.

  If he prayed to God, I knew he didn’t listen and for someone that had claimed to be one himself, that didn’t seem likely either. I couldn’t give two fucks about his bride. I’m sure she was as beautiful and devious as he was. Like me, she’d be a casualty.

  I’d planned out a million scenarios where I got retribution for being used as a pawn in a war that I didn’t ask to partake in. My mind was full of twisted fantasies I wasn’t suicidal enough to act on. Common sense told me that I single-handedly alone couldn’t ruin the Barrons. To destroy someone powerful you needed power. I was a badass bartender at best.

  The microwave beeped mere seconds before the intercom chimed to alert me that there was someone here. I sat my glass on the counter and went to see who it was.

  Diego.

  The sight of him helped re-solidify the barrier I kept between myself and the ruins of my past.

  As
if he knew I was looking at him, he grinned and waved at the camera that allowed me to see who buzzed. It was hard not to return the gesture even if he couldn’t see me. His smile was infectious, it lit up his whole face. That grin of his is what ultimately made me give in to his advances.

  I’d been solo-dolo for a while before he started coming into where I worked as a regular. Just like with my other bed buddies, I wasn’t looking to make him anything permanent.

  As soon as I got a sign someone wanted more from me than I wanted to give, they were put on my list of do-not-fuck under any circumstances. Diego hadn’t even made it to the do list quite yet. He never hinted at wanting to change his position either. I could tolerate his presence more because of that.

  I hit the button that granted him access into the lobby and then walked back to the kitchen to finish prepping my dinner. If there was one thing that hadn’t changed over the years, it was my love for food. I couldn’t cook but I could damn sure eat.

  I leaned over the breakfast bar and took a few generous bites of steaming alfredo. It tasted just as good as it looked, no surprise there. I managed to polish off half the plate before Diego made it to the door and lightly knocked twice. I took a quick swig of my drink before going to let him in.

  As soon as he saw me his infectious smile slid back in place, causing the skin around his honey-colored eyes to wrinkle at the corners.

  “Hey.” I stepped out of the way so he could come inside.

  While I went about locking the door, he respectfully removed his boots and neatly lined them up beside my heels.

  When he straightened and faced me, I was already ready for his embrace. He wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me into him.

  “How was your shift?”

  I gave him the same answer I’d given Audrey, pressing the side of my face against his chest. Diego was tall and athletically lean with a head full of dirty blonde curls. He’d played baseball all through school and fortunately for me, had kept himself in shape long after. I sighed contentedly, laughing when his hand slipped down to my ass.

  His sandalwood cologne was potent enough that I could tell he’d spritzed himself before getting out of his car.

  He’d been attempting to remove the lingering scent of his milds even though I’d told him on multiple occasions I didn’t mind. I let myself be held for a few more seconds before finally stepping away from him and making my way back to my plate.

  “Do you want a drink?”

  “Sure. I’m glad to see you’re eating.”

  I glanced back at him with a smile. “When do I not eat?”

  “I meant, I’m glad you’re not eating some combo from Wendy’s.”

  “Wendy’s is amazing. Those fries dipped in a large vanilla frosty? Golden.”

  “That sounds seriously disgusting. So, are we binging or going to bed?”

  “We’re definitely binging. I’m off for the next two days and you owe me just as many episodes. Matter of fact, you get us set up while I make your drink.”

  “Your wish is my command, princess.”

  I forced a laugh and quickly turned away from him before my expression betrayed me. It was a harmless figure of speech, but I fucking hated that pet name. The only person to ever call me that was the one I had just banished back to some dark crevice of my mind.

  Refusing to give old memories any more of my time, I focused solely on the present.

  There was good food, a strong drink, and a handsome man waiting to preoccupy me with Bob’s Burgers.

  The sound penetrated my state of sleep.

  My eyes flew open and right away my senses screamed that something was wrong

  I sat straight up and looked over at Diego.

  It took a second for disorientation to fade and when it did my brain immediately keyed into the fact that there was a decorative pillow from the sofa covering his face.

  “What the hell?” I muttered.

  Any lingering drowsiness vanished when I saw the outline of someone standing a few feet away. A rush of adrenaline shot through my veins. Without voicing my panic, I reached for the pillow covering Diego’s face. The lack of light made it hard to see the extent of the wound, but I couldn’t miss the hole in the center of Diego’s head.

  His eyes were wide open and unblinking, fixed on my ceiling. With a sharp gasp, I scrambled out of my bed as if it was on fire. Unsteady on my feet, I crashed into the drawer of my nightstand with so much force that the lamp on top of it rocked and fell over.

  The impact sent me to the floor with a solid thud that had a sharp pain caressing my tailbone.

  This drawer… why was it?

  Shit. My gun!

  I didn’t waste any time thinking of the who or why. Fuck all of that. I got to my feet and ran out of the room, making it across the apartment in record timing. It looked like I was going to make a clean exit. I should’ve known the universe would never be as kind as to let me get away scot-free.

  I felt the overbearing presence of my intruder right behind me, causing the hairs on the back of my neck to stand on end. It was like a goddamn horror movie where the girl runs and the killer walks but still catches her in the end.

  The front door began to swing open just as I reached it. Audrey’s tired sigh boomed in my ears. There was no fucking way she could come in here.

  I launched myself forward and used my body to slam the door shut, hurriedly turning the lock.

  “Rhia?” From her tone, I could tell she was instantly on edge.

  “You can’t--!”

  A gloved hand clamped over my mouth, cutting off my warning. I instinctively reached up to pull it away, slamming my elbow into the gut of whoever was behind me. The second I was able, I bit into the side of their palm like a rabid dog. Smooth leather and chalky, acrid gunshot residue coated my tongue and made me gag.

  With a low curse, the gloved hand was torn from between my clamped teeth and dropped to my waist, dragging me deeper into the apartment and away from the door.

  “Don’t come in, Audrey!” I contorted my body so that I could finally face whoever was in our apartment. “Get the hell off of me!”

  I was let go without any further struggle. For the second time that night, I hit the floor with a thud. Wincing, I took notice of the shoes the person towering above me was wearing and a creeping suspicion began to sprout in my brain.

  No one came to rob or kill people in their Sunday best unless they were an absolute psychopath. There was only one person I could think of that fit such a description. I swallowed and slowly raised my head, confirming what I should’ve known minutes ago.

  There wasn’t any denying it was him. I knew those eyes all too well. Judas Barron--the star of all my warped fantasies.

  CHAPTER THREE

  It’s one thing to imagine something and another entirely to experience it. In my mind, Judas had always looked the same. I never went too far beyond the boy I once knew becoming a man. Even when perusing the net, I tried to avoid looking at images of him.

  Of course, I’d wondered what he would look like in the flesh grown and more mature. I had done that long before we went our separate ways, though. I didn’t have to wonder anymore. The kitchen light clicked on, and I became acutely aware of everything at once.

  Gavin, or at least who I assumed was him was there with a bag of my Doritos in his hand. He watched Judas and I completely relaxed, leaning against the countertop like he didn’t have a care in the world.

  Audrey came barreling through the front door like a superhero minus any kind of heroic abilities. I could’ve throttled her. I just sacrificed myself so she could get away. She made it a few steps before coming to a complete stop.

  Her eyes went from Judas to his accomplice, a stormy look settling on her face. “What exactly do you two think you’re doing?”

  “Good to see you again too, baby girl” Gavin drawled, “Shut the door and stay awhile.”

  Again?

  His tone implied he’d seen her recently.


  She gave me a look I think was meant to be reassuring before doing as he said. That wasn’t like her, to comply so willingly.

  Judas moved and my attention went back to him, lips parting in equal parts shock and disgust as he brought the side of his glove still wet with my saliva to his nose and sniffed.

  “You still use the same mouthwash.”

  What the hell? I scooched backward to put some space between us before picking myself up off the floor. A bevy of emotions rolled through my chest as I stared at this intimately familiar stranger. I grasped at one I was well acquainted with.

  “Why the fuck are you in our apartment?”

  Paying my hostility, the same amount of attention someone would a hissing kitten, he lowered his hand and smoothed out the suit I’d wrinkled.

  “You’re still as reckless as ever.” His eyes slowly swept over me from head to toe, “And even more beautiful. Why are you so pretty?”

  In a camisole and short set, I wasn’t close to being naked. His predatory regard gave me a strong urge to cover myself. If it weren’t for the pounding of my heart or adrenaline still coursing through my veins, I wouldn’t believe this was real. I had just been watching television with…

  Oh, no.

  “Rhia!” Audrey called.

  Ignoring her, I took off back across the apartment and re-entered my bedroom, flipping on the light as I crossed the threshold. It was a total wreck in here.

  Rounding around to the opposite side of the bed, I approached Diego as if he were still sleeping but there was no denying that the man was dead. A small bullet hole was in the center of his forehead.

  That must have been what woke me up, the muffled gunshot. I swallowed and reached out to gently close his eyes before covering him with the comforter.

  When I looked up, Judas was watching me from the doorway. I refused to hold his stare, focusing on the black duffel bag in his hands. He hadn’t had that just a minute ago and it didn’t belong to me or Audrey, which could only mean he’d brought it with him.

  He walked over to my dresser and began pulling open my drawers as if he were looking for something.