Fall and Rise of the King (Kings Duet)

by Ruby Wolff

  At the moment, I’m nowhere closer to finding Harvey because he knows my moves before I even make them. I take in a deep drag of my cigarette and think about what I’m going to do next.

  I look over at my dad, and he looks at Warren. “Did you talk to him?” I ask.

  “Warren knows about it,” he replies, and I look over at Warren.

  My dad and I got information from our lawyer on something Elijah wanted to work on. He never told us about it because he wanted to make sure it was something we could do. This isn’t something we can just get into. This is not us stopping trafficking in England. This is us taking a step into something more, something Elijah wanted to make sure we were ready to do. Stop the trafficking coming to England from Mexico.

  “I’ve been looking at it all, and I’m in. I’ll look into all this. I'll see what we can do. I just—”

  “Can everyone leave the office?” I ask. I look at Warren as everyone leaves.

  “Angel, I can do this. I’ve been watching you. I’ve been learning from you, and Elijah has been looking into and doing this slowly, the Frost way. I'll do the same. I just—”

  “Warren, it’s not that I don’t think you can, but this isn’t a simple England family to put fear into. This is bigger, something we haven’t touched in many years. I can’t lose another brother.” I take a step around my desk, closer to Warren. “I don’t think you’re incapable of doing this. Elijah was going to make sure that, like always, the Frost boys would do this together, but—”

  “I won’t fuck this up, Angel. Let me pick up where Elijah left off. I won’t make any movements until I speak with you, just like Elijah would’ve done.”

  I light up another cigarette and lean on the table as I think about what I want to do here.

  Elijah felt like this was something he had to do. It was something he felt strongly about, and as a family, we have to finish this. I just don’t know if my head can be in it until I get rid of the Midlands.

  “Until the Midlands are dead, I can’t help in this. I still need you with me here through all this,” I say. “I need Harvey to be number one priority for the family right now. When it’s all over, I'll back you up with this.”

  “I’m with you, and I’m sure the devil will put me in my place.” Warren laughs, and I look at him for a moment. “I want to do this for Elijah.”

  “For Elijah,” I whisper to myself. Elijah and Warren are the two men I’d do anything for. If that means starting a war with the Mexicans, then that's what we'll start.

  Chapter 20

  Alice

  The bar closed thirty minutes ago, and Angel’s been in the office ever since. I didn’t think he could be more tense than usual, but I was wrong. All I know is that he’s trying to get his hands on Harvey before he goes fully underground; it’s bad if he does. I was about to ask, but Angel said that was all I needed to know. So, I closed my mouth and kept the thought to myself.

  “It’s nice that you came to the bar tonight,” Drew says as I stand on the other side of the bar from her.

  “The longer I stayed at home, the worse things were getting here. Angel needs to be here, and he wasn’t going to leave my side, even knowing that the freaking army couldn’t get in his place,” I reply with a small giggle.

  Pike has been added as my bodyguard along with Vinny, but they can’t work if they’re home with me, so I told Angel I'd come to the bar. It didn’t go over well at the beginning, but I told him the longer we stayed home, the longer it would take to finish this. I just want this over with. We both do.

  As brave as I was telling Angel that I was going to the bar, it hasn’t been as easy as I thought it would be. I’m still a little jumpy when I hear things. It’s been three weeks, and I’m feeling stronger than I was before.

  They broke me, broke me to the point I didn’t want Angel to touch me. I was scared when he told me we were going away for a little bit, but I’m so happy we did. We needed some time, just us, no crime, no guns, and no one else with us.

  The night Angel made love to me, I knew nothing had changed for him. He loved me more if that's possible. He’s been so gentle with me, not wanting me to feel horrible about myself, and I think I’m at the point now that I know I'll be okay. With Angel, I know I can overcome anything.

  “You certainly have enough people around you.” Drew looks past my shoulder to where Craig's standing behind me.

  Craig was told that when they have meetings in the office, he's to be my shadow. He goes everywhere I do. Angel didn’t just tell him to stay close, he told him that if anything happens to me, he’d cut off his dick and make him eat it. That’s the first time I ever saw Craig flinch.

  “He still scares me,” I whisper to Drew.

  “Good. I think everyone's scared of him, which means no one will come close to you.” Drew looks up at the office when we hear Angel yelling at everyone.

  Angel doesn’t seem to care who he's yelling at lately. His dad's in that office with them. He’s been working down the list of names of the people who bid on me.

  Angel’s been coming home in the early hours of the morning and leaves before I even wake up. I don’t care what he says, he needs to sleep. How can he focus on what he has to do with lack of sleep?

  The Midlands still seems to be one step ahead of him, and that's pissing him off more than anything. Angel's playing a blind chess game at the moment. He’s taken down their pawns, and a few other pieces, but that has also taken down some of his.

  Losing Elijah hit him the hardest. Even though he let it all out while we were away, I know it’s still a ticking time bomb in the back of his mind. The mole killed his brother, and that guilt is weighing him down.

  “All I’m saying is that once the Midlands show their faces, Angel's going to make sure their deaths are very slow and painful,” I say, turning back to Drew as she sits next to me on the stool.

  Drew takes my hand in hers. “How are you? You look like you’re getting back into life, but it’s only been a month.”

  “I’m good, honest. Angel’s been my rock. He’s told me every day that he loves me. He’s been there to hold me when I’ve needed to cry. I’m waiting for him to finish this so we can get back to normal life.” I look up at the window as I watch Angel talking to his family. “I know the business will still be running, and he’ll still be target number one, but now…”

  “Alice, once the dust settles, you and Angel will be fine. He'll be more relaxed,” Drew says.

  I nod and hope she’s right.

  The fire has been set, but the dust is still up in the air. Will it settle or will it blaze?

  I look up the stairs when I hear the door open. One by one, they leave the office, but no Angel. Pike, Vinny, Warren, and Robert stand by the bar, and Drew walks around to get them all a drink.

  I look over at Vinny, and he shakes his head. “He got a call and kicked us all out. He doesn’t trust anyone right now,” he says.

  I could’ve told them all that. You can see it on his face. He trusts no one, not even his family.

  The door of the bar slams open, making me jump. As the first person walks through the door, my breath sticks in my throat. I feel the air being pulled out of me. The sound of that laugh will never escape me; it’s been burned into my eardrums.

  Pike grabs my arm as my eyes move to Ben. My heart breaks slowly in front of me. His face is swollen from a beating with blood escaping his mouth.

  They know—they know everything.

  I move to take a step closer, but Pike pulls me back. My back hits his chest hard, and his arms tightening around my waist. I turn to look up at the stairs and see Angel making his way over to us. His gaze locks with Harvey’s. He slides his hands into his pocket and stands to the side.

  Both sides have their guns pointed at each other. Vinny watches me more than the Midlands. My body trembles, seeing how much Ben's hurting right now.

  Bruce paces back and forth in front of his crew. “You need to lower your guns.” He gl
ares at everyone who don’t listen to a word he's saying. “Angel, tell your men to lower their guns.”

  “Lower them,” Angel tells them all.

  “What?” I scream. I watch them all, one by one, lowering their guns. “Vinny, no. Vinny what…? No.” I sob as Vinny breaks eye contact with me.

  “Oh, princess, let me explain.” Harvey takes a step closer to me, and a cold shiver runs through me. I fucking hate him. I fucking hate him so much. “We found your man, and we also found out he's the only person who you'll give yourself to me, to protect.”

  “No!” Ben shouts. “Alice, you stay there.”

  “Ben.” I move to get closer to him, but Pike's holding onto me too tightly to break free. I try to fight him, but it gets me nowhere.

  Harvey starts laughing. “Oh, Ben, I don’t want her to come to me. I suppose the sight of her on her knees, begging me, does arouse me, though.” He turns to look at me, but my tear-filled eyes are locked on Ben. “I want to take her from him.” He points to Angel, the words coming out like venom from a snake. He only wants to hurt Angel and doesn’t care how he does it. Harvey walks closer to Angel, and I continue to fight with Pike to let go of me. “I’m going to break you. I’m going to fucking checkmate you. Then, I’m taking your queen.”

  “Pike, please let me go!” I yell. I keep fighting him, but it does no good.

  I see a big man walking over to Ben, and I begin shouting as he starts punching him in the face over and over again. I kick my legs, hoping, begging Pike to let go of me.

  “Angel!” Pike yells, but Angel says nothing back.

  The man stops, and Harvey walks toward me. “How much are you willing to do to save him?” he asks me.

  I start to answer, but Ben shouts, “Nothing!” He coughs up a lot of blood. “You don’t touch her. Angel, you made me a promise—a promise to protect her.” Ben looks over at Angel. “You protect her with your life if you have to.”

  I lose it then. Ben's begging Angel to protect me. “Protect me by saving him,” I yell at Angel, my throat raw from crying, begging, and pleading.

  “Alice,” Ben whispers. I turn to him and see he’s now being held up by two men. “Always remember, I love you.”

  “No, no, no,” I sob, squeezing my eyes shut as the words escape shakily.

  “I really thought you were family. We treated you like one of us,” Harvey shouts at him. “But it was all a lie, and look where we are now.” Harvey punches him in the face.

  I look over at Angel, standing there as if nothing's happening. He hasn’t moved from that spot, and his hands are still in his pockets.

  “Pike, please,” I beg him through sobs.

  Harvey turns around to face me. “I want to hear you beg for him,” he says as he walks closer to me.

  Robert stands in front of me so he can’t get close.

  “Robert, please,” I beg. Someone has to help me. One of them has to help Ben.

  Ben shouts at Harvey, telling him to finish this, to stop with the games. His words only make me fight in Pike’s arms harder. Ben can’t give up like this.

  Harvey laughs and turns to me. “Is there anything you—”

  “Please, don’t do this. Please,” I whisper. The smile on his face right now is disgusting. I look over at Ben and recognise what he's telling me with his eyes. It’s all I need to hear, and all I can do is tell him one thing. “I love you.” Before I can blink, I hear the bang of gunfire and watch Ben’s body drop to the floor. “No!" My body crumples to the floor, and I’m left gasping for air. Pike’s grip loosens on me, and I run to Ben. I watch him fighting to breathe, and I lean closer to him. “I’m so sorry.” I see his mouth barely moving, and I move closer to him.

  “He-he had no choice,” Ben says, and that’s the last thing he says.

  My head drops on his chest, and I don’t even try to stop my tears from falling.

  Chapter 21

  Angel

  I can’t take my eyes off Alice. My queen is broken, even more than before. She begged him, and I couldn’t do anything. I had to stand there and do nothing while Harvey played his sick game.

  “Now, the King of London…” Harvey turns to face me, “that's checkmate.” He steps closer to me slowly, making sure I watch what he’s about to do. The smirk on his face incenses me. I’m going to make sure I fucking burn that thing off.

  “She’s never going to forgive you. You stood there and did nothing. You did absolutely nothing to save her brother.” Harvey laughs as my eye twitches for a second.

  What the fuck did he just say to me? That’s information I needed to fucking know. Why did they not tell me?

  Quickly masking myself, I bring the devil to the front and put Angel to the side for a moment.

  Harvey laughs even louder. “You didn’t know.” He turns around and nods to his family. “London is going to be ours, boys,” he shouts as he walks over to them. He looks down at Alice, then kneels next to her. I don’t move—I can’t move. I know he won’t touch her. “In time, I’ll come for you, too.” He looks at me as he says that last line, then walks out of the bar.

  I feel all eyes on me. I can hear the questions being thrown at me.

  Vinny takes a step closer to her, but she pulls a gun on him.

  “Don’t, don’t you dare come close to me. I begged, and you did nothing,” she shouts at him, still pointing a gun at him. “I knew one day I’d lose you to him, but I never thought it’d be this way.” Alice shakes her head. “I never thought you’d choose him over me.” Alice shakes her head.

  Vinny takes a step closer to her, but she shoots him in the shoulder. He stares at her, not even reacting to the bullet wound.

  Alice turns to face me, and I hear my heart break. “You said you’d protect me, even from yourself,” she yells. Everyone’s watching us.

  Right now, I don’t have any answers for her. Even if I did, she wouldn’t hear me out. What can I say to her?

  She pushes me hard, hard enough that I take a step back. Her eyes are red, and her cheeks are wet with tears. I want to hold her. I want her to take her anger out on me. I’d do anything to make her feel even a little better.

  Her head drops, and I hear her sobbing again as she slowly walks back to Ben. Craig walks closer to her, making Alice raise her gun again. “You don’t touch him!”

  Craig looks at me, and I nod, telling him to leave her be. Alice sits on the floor next to Ben, and everyone’s silent as we all watch her.

  I go to take a step forwards but I’m stopped by my dad. “Office.”

  I watch Vinny sadly stare at her. He’s barely holding himself together. The hurt he’s going through is terrible. He’s just lost the man that was like a son to him, and now he has to watch Alice hurt and blame him for it, even though it was all me. Everything she’s going through is all on me.

  Everyone walks past me. I let the rage run through me at the game Harvey just played on me. One thing is for sure, someone’s dying tonight.

  I look over at Drew, who’s wiping her tears away. Without saying a word, I make my way up the stairs. I’m the last person Alice wants next to her.

  The second I get into the office, Pike hands me a whiskey. Out of anger, I throw it against the wall. Walking over to the chessboard, I throw it to the side, too.

  “Fuck!” I shout. I place my hands on the desk, not saying anything to anyone.

  “Stuart, they found out… Killed him in front of her… Not good… Send me the details.”

  I turn around and see Vinny looking out of the window at Alice. “You should have told me about Ben—”

  “You should’ve saved him,” Vinny interrupts and turns to face me. “You stood there and let her fucking beg him, and all you did was fucking stand there!” This is the first time Vinny has said anything to me, but he's right. I stood there. “I was a fucking idiot for listening to you. I listened to you, and now Ben’s dead. Her brother is dead!” He turns to watch Alice again. “Ben didn’t want you to know. He didn’t trust y
ou. Alice and I agreed. I guess he was right not to trust you. Someone told them about him.” Vinny looks over his shoulder as Doc walks in. Ben didn’t trust me. Right now, I don’t trust anyone. “She’ll never forgive you—she’ll never forgive me. Ben meant the world to her. She begged him to leave—she cried every night worried about him.”

  I don’t say anything to him. I don’t know what to say to him.

  The room goes silent for a moment. I know everyone has questions, and they need to know what happened.

  “The phone call was Harvey. I didn’t have enough time to work on a plan. They played us. They played me.” I look over at the family as Doc works on Vinny. Lighting up my cigarette, I say, “They had a plan… A plan that, no matter what, I couldn’t stop this.”

  “What did they say?” my dad asks.

  Walking over to the desk, I turn the TV on in the office. “Call Ellie,” I say to my dad.

  As the screen comes on, Ellie appears on the screen and her phone’s ringing in the background, but the tone turns off immediately.

  “It went dead,” my dad says.

  “Harvey got Ellie. The rules were simple. I don’t do anything, and they let Ellie go without touching her. If I reacted, Ellie would be sold. We didn’t know she was missing—no one told us. I thought I had time, but when I saw Harvey walking in, I knew it was too late. He planned this to the second. He knew I wouldn’t let anything happen to Ellie.” I look at Vinny who still has his back to me.

  I saved my sister but killed Alice’s brother. Nothing about this is right.

  “Angel,” a voice says. I turn to the TV. “I’ve been told you played by the rules. I’m a little upset. I wanted to taste her, see how the Frost family tastes, but Harvey told me not to touch her. She'll be outside your father's house within the hour.” The TV goes blank, and I turn back to my family who are all staring at me in shock.

  “Tell me I did the wrong thing! Someone tell me I fucked up! Someone tell me what the fuck I should’ve done!” I shout at them all.