“Luke King you have been sentenced to minimum five years jail time for carrying an illegal firearm,” the judge states, and everything else in the room fades away as I slowly repeat the coldly spoken sentence in my mind. I barely hear the sounds of my family shouting, pleading for another verdict. Nor do I feel the hands of the guards who grip my upper arms, leading me off the stand as the handcuffs dig into my wrists. There is nothing that catches my attention for a moment until I see one girl in the room. She is standing still even as the room explodes around her, even as I see the pain the verdict causes her. I know it will destroy what little is left of us. We had a future planned, a way to save her and now that is all gone. By the time I get out, there is no way Emilia will be waiting for me. Emilia watches me with pale cheeks, dark hair and a broken expression that hurts my heart to see. I’m leaving her, and there isn’t anything I do to stop this. I can’t find a way for someone to help her. I made a choice to save my brother and his child... and now I have to pay the price. “Take him down.” I hear the judge say, his words almost drowned out by brothers shouts, pleads with the judge as they’re escorted from court. I only look at them once, catching Harley’s destroyed expression. Elliot’s face is a mask of pure anger, his arms held by two guards as he is escorted out. Sebastian holding Izzy as she cries, shaking her head and his expression is similar as he looks at me.

“I will get you out! I promise!” Harley growls, pushing the guards hands off him, but two more come over and drag him further out of the door. I don’t reply, knowing shouting isn’t going to make this easier. I turn back to see where I am being escorted to. The guards lead me down a few stone steps, the metal of my handcuffs digging into my wrists with every movement. I keep my head low as I wait for the guards to unlock the gates and lead me outside, to a white police van waiting for us, the backdoors held open by other guards. The guards holding me chuck me in the van before slamming the doors shut, along with my freedom. It’s over for a long time, and I don’t know what the hell do with myself. I could freak out about prison, or not seeing my brothers or Emilia but instead, I almost feel numb to it all. I sit myself down on a bench in the van, my mind running over and over the events that led me to this moment. I barely remember how I felt as I lifted the gun and shot the man who stole my niece and was going to kill my brother. I remember the instant fear I felt when the police rushed in as I dropped the gun on the floor. I don’t think I could ever forget the look of horror that spread over Harley’s face as he held Hope close to his chest, her little cries filling the silent room. The van suddenly stops, making me slam my shoulder into the side of it and jolting me out of my thoughts. I frown as the doors are pulled open, and I should be shocked at who is standing there, but I’m not.

“Luke King, how unfortunate that we have to meet under these circumstances,” Arthur comments, climbing into the van and someone else shuts the doors behind him. Arthur sits down opposite me, crossing his leg over the other as I eye his black eye and cut lip, which throws off his perfectly crisp designer suit and styled grey hair.

“Why are you here?” I ask, knowing this visit won’t end well. It would have taken Arthur some effort to get me alone.

“Why would I not be here? I spent a good deal of time and money bribing that judge to find you guilty after the lawyer your brothers hired you nearly got you off with nothing more than community service. See the judge has some extracurricular activities he would rather not be shared with his wife,” Arthur says, the big grin never leaving his lips as I tighten my fists to the point of pain. The fucking bastard. I grit my teeth before replying, knowing I can’t give him the reaction he wants. Arthur has always been like a child, begging for any scraps of attention.

“Congratulations,” I dryly reply, noticing how we’re still not moving anywhere, and I wonder if it’s possible for me to escape. Arthur crosses his arms as he watches me closely like he can figure out everything I am thinking.

“I have an offer for you,” he says. “A very nice offer considering how much your family has disappointed me recently.”

“Get out,” I coldly reply. “I won’t make any deal with you.”

“Oh, now that is rude. You should at least hear me out,” he says, laughing ever so slightly. “Luke, you are just like your father, you realise that? I always assumed Elliot would follow him the most, considering he looks so much like him. Yet, you have more of him than I thought.”

“You’re not going to leave until I let you talk, are you?” I respond.

“No,” he replies, and I wave a hand before crossing my arms again. “Outside this van is a car, a new ID, and a life at my side. You will be at my side, fighting, killing and doing anything I ask you to do for the rest of your life.”

“You’re crazy,” I point out. Absolutely fucking crazy if he thinks I would accept an offer like that from him. My family has spent years paying back our father’s debt to this lunatic. I’d rather make a deal with the fucking devil.

“Possibly, but I think you will come around to my offer in time,” he says, standing up and smiling down at me. “If you don’t, this will never stop happening to you. Make a wise decision, Luke King. I need someone like you at my side, and you need someone like me to get you out of this mess before it kills you. Your brothers aren’t going to save you now.”

“Nothing you can do or say will ever make me change my mind. The answer is no, Arthur. Find another puppet,” I snap, and he chuckles, raising his eyebrows before walking to the door.

“Think of the next few visits of mine as nice warnings. I will start killing your family next and making you watch,” he says and pushes the doors open, walking out. Three beefy men step into the van, their faces are hidden in creepy masks and their clothes are all black. They close the door behind them as my heart pounds in my chest, knowing what is coming. The next moments are full of pain, anger, and my screams until thankfully, I black out.