Tempted Hero by Ella Miles

Beckett

Ri’s gone.

I can feel it before I even open my eyes. She’s gone.

The question is, who took her?

Or did she sneak out on her own?

Did she leave willingly?

And how the hell did she sneak out or get taken without any of us waking up?

I open my eyes, confirming the empty spot on the bed. I sit up quickly, hoping no one is hurt or missing.

As I scan the room, I see Caius and Hayes sleeping on the floor. Gage is asleep in the chair, and I presume Lennox is out on patrol.

She could be in the bathroom or kitchen with Lennox.

I jump up and run to the bathroom, but it’s empty.

When I make it back to the bedroom, the guys begin to stir.

“What’s going on?” Caius asks, probably noticing the way my hand is balled into a fist and my jaw is clamped tight.

I don’t answer him. I storm out of the bedroom. “Lennox!”

He comes running down the hallway but stops dead when he sees me.

“Where is Ri?” I bark.

He looks at me like I’m crazy. “In the bedroom, asleep.”

“No, she’s not in the bedroom.”

He frowns. “I don’t understand…someone has been awake all night. How could someone have taken her without waking everyone up? Are you sure she’s not somewhere in the condo?”

The rest of the guys are now standing around, watching us with shock on their faces.

Gage is the only one who looks at me, and I know he’s thinking the same thing I am. The only way this could have happened is if Ri was in on it. Neither of us speaks our thoughts out loud.

“It had to be the same guy who left the note. Who else is capable of sneaking in and out unnoticed?” Hayes asks.

Lennox and Caius mumble their agreement. I keep silent.

“What should we do? Where do we start looking for her?” Caius asks.

My phone buzzes, and I pull it out—a message from Corsi.

“Is it her? Is she alive?” Hayes asks, worry in his voice.

“It’s Corsi. The game starts at midnight, and we are to bring our crews,” I say, looking at the guys. It was never my intention to put their lives in danger.

“If the stalker took Ri, I don’t think he’ll hurt her. I still believe he may be working for Corsi. We keep trying to track down the stalker. That will give us the best lead to Ri,” I say.

I take a deep breath. “But I don’t want anyone exhausted for tonight. We don’t know what the game is or how challenging it is. None of you have to come tonight if you don’t want to. The game will inevitably be dangerous, and I won’t ask you to risk your life lightly. It will be your choice.”

Everyone stares back at me like I’ve lost my mind. “We’re all coming,” says Caius.

It’s midnight on the dot when we arrive at the game’s location in an abandoned building. We’ve dressed all in black and geared up for battle.

“Everyone ready? You can still back out,” I say as we sit in the SUV, checking our weapons one last time before we enter what will surely be a life or death battle. I don’t know how many men survived the last game, but I saw the carnage. I saw men bleeding to death, and most that survived had serious injuries. Tonight, I can’t guarantee everyone’s safety.

“We’re all coming. Retribution Kings stick together. Besides, we need to make sure Ri is okay,” Hayes says.

I scan everyone else, and they each seem just as determined as Hayes. Even Gage, who knows more of the truth than anyone else.

“Keep your wits about you. And follow my lead,” I say as I get out.

“That’s what being the leader means. We follow your lead,” Lennox teases. Everyone chuckles, breaking the tension.

We walk up to the large building. The exterior looks like it hasn’t been occupied for at least a decade. Paint is chipping, the windows are broken, and the door is barely blocking the doorway.

We walk through the broken door and into the warehouse. It’s almost pitch black as we walk, water dripping down on our heads from broken pipes and the cracked ceiling.

Far off voices are the only clues of other people in the warehouse besides ourselves. We continue walking toward the voices, through a door where a lone light shines. The room is illuminated, and everyone else comes into view.

Men are gathered in groups around the room, but that’s not what has drawn all of our attention.

It’s Ri—no, Rialta Corsi. That’s who she is.

Manipulative.

Cunning.

Scheming.

Heartless.

Rialta Corsi—the mafia princess.

She’s standing in a group of men who are laughing at something she said. They’re hanging onto her every word as she grips their arms and flirts with each bat of her eyelashes. She’s dressed in all black like everyone else here, but her makeup is done up. Her long hair is flowing, and her tight clothes are meant for easy movement as much as they are for seducing every man here.

Hayes stops dead. “Ri’s safe and—”

“And happy to play her part,” I finish his sentence.

He frowns as he looks at me. “I don’t understand. Did one of those men kidnap her?”

I doubt it, but I don’t say a word.

I notice Leighton eyeing the crew she’s with suspiciously like he’s planning their deaths in his head.

Ri finally notices us staring at her. I watch as her eyes cut in my direction with a deep scowl on her face. She’s not happy we’re here, or at least that’s the ruse she’s currently playing.

I don’t understand her game. I don’t understand if she wants me for herself or she wants me dead, but I’m beginning to grow tired of playing the game.

Corsi steps forward and starts talking, but I’m barely listening. All I can do is stare at Ri, trying to read what she’s not saying, what she could possibly be planning.

Gage steps next to me. “What do you want to do?”

I know what he means. Are we going to keep pretending we don’t know it was Ri who is responsible for Odette’s death while my days as leader of the Retribution Kings tick away? Am I just going to run out the clock and let the Kings kill me instead of doing what has to be done?

I stare at Ri one last time, silently commanding her to confess from across the room. Explain how she could kill the love of my life. Explain any of her dozens of confusing actions. Of course, she doesn’t. She couldn’t even if she wanted to.

I’m no longer interested in risking our lives playing this game. I don’t want to win Rialta. I don’t want to marry her to get back at her father for what he’s done. There is only one punishment worthy of what has happened, and the sooner I get it over with, the better.

“We are going to end this tonight. We win her. We take her. Then she’ll face judgment in front of the Retribution Kings.”