Sitting back, I sip the beer I’ve been nursing since I spoke to my woman. The house is quiet without her here, and I miss her. The contract I’ve been commissioned for is complete, and I can take time off before starting the next one.

I’m about to turn on the TV when my phone rings. Thinking it’s Paige calling back, I answer quickly, expecting her melodic voice. Instead, I’m met with a response from the man I’d walked out on so many years ago. “Brother.”

I’ve been expecting him to call with news about Harkin. We’ve only spoken a few times since I helped Sam get Freya out of Caged. He met her the year after Paige was freed and she was there for years before he finally called me. I don’t know if it was his need to keep her close, or if he was too proud to ask for my help, but he finally came to his senses.

Before I found Paige, I swallowed the anger of the past and helped free the woman my brother loves. Not long after, I walked into Inferno and saw the redhead who held my heart.

“I hope you have news for me, Sam.” I respond. My brother and I never had an easy relationship. You could call it prickly. But I’ve seen the change in him. And no matter what, he’s my brother. The only one I have. And if my uncle is still alive, then we need to make sure that he’s either put away for life, or we can teach him a lesson in torture ourselves.

Paige is convinced we need to put our dark history where it should stay. In the past.

“I do have news, it involves Paige,” he responds. When he mentions my girl’s name, my body goes rigid.

“What is it, Samael?” I question warily. Setting the bottle down, I push off the sofa and stalk over to the window, shoving a hand in my jeans, trying to keep from smashing the glass. The city below shimmers in the dark as I listen to him take a deep breath.

“It’s about what happened to her before I took over. That night, after you left, I had to take her to Dad, but there was another man in the room I didn’t know would be there.” He’s silent as if gathering the words, or his thoughts, I’m not sure what, but then he utters the name. “Harkin Wolfe.” Even though we suspected, I forced myself not to believe it. My uncle?

“You mean our dead uncle?” I ask incredulously. Shaking my head, I rake my fingers through my hair and watch the lights below flicker on and off.

“He’s alive. We have footage of him. Kael, I found recordings after they closed Caged and there’s one of Paige. I think you need to come here and we need to make this fucker pay for what he did. My PI is on the case. He’s got a lead and I’m sure by the—”

“You do realize this is us chasing a ghost?”

“He’s no ghost. I’ll send you the intel I have. If you feel it warrants a visit, then it’s your choice, but I’m going after him.” He sounds adamant. One thing about Samael is that he never takes no for an answer, and when he’s got his mind set on something, nothing will stop him.

“Send it over. Paige is in New York, so I might be able to get away for a few days. Only if I feel that you’re right. You may have saved her, but I haven’t forgotten that you touched her.”

“Look, I know we’ve not had the easiest relationship, but I need you to trust me. Even if it’s only this one time. I’m not our father, and I certainly am not our uncle. My life is...full. I’ve got a woman I love, and I have my kids. I don’t need this asshole coming back to cause trouble. Yes, I did take over as Paige’s trainer when you left, but only because you asked me to. It was the safest thing for her and you know it.”

He’s got a point, so I nod in agreement, even though he can’t see me. As much as I was angry for what my brother did, I can’t deny that he’s right, and as much as it hurts knowing he was with her, I’d trust him more than any of the other men my father had working for him. “Fine, send what you have. I’ll pack a bag.”

“Thank you, brother.” With that, we hang up, and I realize I’m about to spend more time with him than I have in almost ten years. I’m not sure what to expect. He’s a father now, a married man. Paige told me to give our relationship as brothers a chance, and as much as I know she’s right, it’s a difficult thing for me to do.

Heading into the bedroom, I pull the rucksack from the closet and fill it with what I’d need for a few days away. I’m about to message Paige when an email comes through from Sam. Pulling it up, I find the information he has and it seems the filth I call uncle is alive.

Without a second thought, I pull up my contacts and send a quick message to my girl. I can’t explain what I’m about to do because, honestly, I don’t know what we’re going to find when we finally come face to face with Harkin. My uncle is known for every illegal deed in the book, and I don’t doubt he’ll be wanting a fight. And if that’s what he wants, I know the Wolfe brothers will give it to him.

Tapping out another message, this time to Sam, I tell him I’m on my way. If what my brother found is as bad as he says it is, I’m about to rip into the old man and make sure he never sees the light of day again. Pulling up the number for the airline, I hit Send, and as soon as my call is answered, I book a flight.

Once I’ve finalized my ticket, I head out the door with one thing on my mind. Watching the asshole bleed, killing him and making sure he doesn’t hurt anyone again.