by G. Bailey
I can have the girl I’ve always loved, and the revenge I’ve always wanted.
But it’s never that simple.
Lies, secrets and death have always followed the King brothers.
Luke King can’t escape The Cage and the brutal life it gave him.
Luke was born into it...and he will never stop until he destroys it.
18+
Quote
Loving you changed my life.
It should come as no surprise that losing you has done the same.
- Chloe Frayne.
Prologue
Luke
Smoke and fire are everywhere, suffocating me as much as it burns my skin, yet the pain is refreshing. It reminds me that I am alive. There is nothing but swirling smoke above me as the burning parts of the ceiling fall, crashing near my head. The embers graze against my skin, though the pain is almost nothing compared to the rest of my body. It’s ironic to die in a place that looks like hell. I’ve lived in hell for so long, embracing the heavenly moments the last few months have given me only to die in a place like hell in the end. Life is fucked up like that.
“LUKE!” I hear my brother scream, his voice panicked, though I can’t move. I can’t call for him. Tell him to get out of here. I did what I planned, and it is all over now. Harley should not be here. All my stubborn brothers should not have followed me. I know dying here is fitting for what I have done. I can feel my jacket on fire, my skin burning and the pain paralyzing me to the spot so I can do nothing but lie here. Suddenly arms are slowly lifting me, making the pain worse as I can’t see who it is that is trying to save me.
“I just got you back. Your girl is outside, and so is the rest of your family. Don’t you fucking give up on me now, Luke,” Harley’s voice growls, making me sure it is him holding me even if I can’t reply.
“It’s o-over,” I manage to cough out.
“Yeah it is, but not for us. You are going to live, Luke. I mean it,” Harley says, his words are the last thing I hear as I look up, seeing the fire covered ceiling heading for us, a large chunk on fire falling down through the building. I don’t get time to warn Harley or do anything as it collapses on us, and everything goes black.
113 Luke
Five years ago…
“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 bla
ck. 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.
114 Luke
“Can I come in?” I hear someone ask, though I don’t recognise the voice. I lift my head up from where I’m sitting on the floor, my back resting on the edge of the bed, my blood splattered all around the white tiles under me. This is the fifth time I’ve been visited in this hellhole by Arthur’s men, and I really hoped they would kill me this time. Things are broken, my head is fucked up to the point I can’t focus on anything, and it’s a struggle to get up.
“Do I look like I could stop you?” I sarcastically reply, staring through my one eye that isn’t swollen shut at the prisoner. He has dark skin, a shaved head with a long scar down the one cheek, and he’s wearing the same orange jumpsuits we all wear. I don’t think I’ve seen him in the two weeks I’ve been in here. Though I haven’t exactly left my room thanks to Arthur’s fucking friends. Every day they are around, watching me, teasing me. They take my food, piss in my bed, rip my clothes and then every so often group up to beat the living hell out of me. If Arthur wants to destroy me, he’s going the right way about it.
“No, mate, you don’t look like you could hurt a fly,” the guy points out.
“I’m not your mate,” I growl, before coughing and tasting blood in my mouth. The prisoner closes the door slightly, and comes over to me, crouching down to my level.
“I’m a friend, one you don't want to kick out. I want to offer you a deal,” he tells me. “The name’s John.”
“Arthur’s friend too, are you?” I ask and laugh. “The answer is still hell fucking no.”
“I’m not his friend,” John says in disgust, tilting his head to the side and lowering his voice. “I’m undercover for the police. I have been working for Arthur for five years, but no one can get close enough to do what is needed to end him. Then there is you.”
“The police put me in here. I am not making any kind of deal with them,” I reply.
“We have an offer. One that will make sure you and your family are safe. Forever,” he says, and it’s the first interesting thing I’ve heard him say. My brothers and sister have been trying to come and see me, but I’ve rejected them all. They can’t see me like this. They’ll do something stupid. Each one of them has a family, people that need them around. And then there’s me. The only woman that needs me will hate me by now, yet I can’t get her out of my head.
“What is the deal?” I ask, coughing once again.
“Accept Arthur’s offer and work with us to take him down. We need you to help us get spies into every one of Arthur’s fighting rings, drug dens, and anywhere else he takes you. It will take years, and you have to pretend you hate your family for it to work. Arthur needs to believe you are so angry that your brothers let you rot in here. That you would choose to be on his side instead,” he says. I know I could do it, and it would be far better than the life I have right now. It would be helping my family- saving them.
“Could you tell my brothers what I’m doing? They would hate me,” I ask.
“No. They can't know. No one can,” he replies. "If you did this, all charges, including the ones your brothers will face when this is all over, will disappear. You get to walk away from all of this, from a life we know you were born into."
"If I do what he wants, it will destroy me," I mutter my only fear. “I won’t be a good man.”
"Yeah, it will. I know that," he says. "But my family got out free, and that's why I’m here. I did some messed up shit, and I pay for it, but my family won’t. You get me? It comes down to one thing; will you pay the price for your family, Luke?" His question runs around in my mind until I can think of nothing else. It feels like this is the only way to escape the life my brothers and I have been born into. There isn't another answer. I pull myself up off the floor, groaning in pain from multiple bruises and broken ribs. I offer my hand out to John, and he shakes my hand.
"I want one more thing, and you have a spy. You’ll have me on your side," I say, knowing one more thing is so important.
"What is it?" he asks, looking interested.
"There’s a girl."
"Isn't there always?" he chuckles. "We’ll work it out. Welcome to your new job, Luke King. Let's hope you are as strong and smart as the rumours said you Kings are."
I smirk. "We are so much more than the rumours, but you’ll see. We will do anything for family."
115 Emilia
Seven years ago…
"Emilia, where are you going?" Meg asks, carefully grabbing my wrist as I walk past her dressing table. I look down at my best friend, her thick layer of makeup covering her natural beauty and her dyed blonde hair curling around her shoulders. I like her natural red colour better, but the boss doesn't. Meg is stunning with her slim body, long legs, and perfect features. I used to be intimidated by her when we first met, but she soon made me realise she was no competition. She’s my friend, and that’s that. We have each other’s back, which is something worth a lot in a place like this.
"I want to get a drink and dance, like normal dancing for once. No eyes on me," I admit, knowing my family isn’t in the cage tonight and neither is Arthur. I could pretend I'm no one and dance with the rest of the people here.
"Arthur wouldn't like it. Neither would your brothers," she warns, but she lets me go with a long sigh. "I’ll cover for you. Have fun," she says, flashing a wink at me before standing up and pulling off her long, red silk dressing gown and revealing her lacy corset, and stockings. They leave little to the imagination, much like I usually have to wear when I’m working. I walk past a mirror and look over at myself before walking by, wondering if I look normal enough. My red dress is tight, clinging to my body and showing off my tattoos on my arms. I have tattoos all over my stomach and two at the top of my thighs, which are just about hidden by the dress. My black hair is wavy, covering my shoulders as little strands hang into my face. I look confident, beautiful, and nothing like I actually am. It's just a pretty image, hiding the cracks underneath the surface. It's the innocent, could do no harm image that Arthur likes to sell to horny men to pay to watch. It’s the pretty image he will marry off one day to whoever he wants under his thumb. As much as he loves to use my brothers to protect him, and one of my brothers has already paid the cost of that job; I can't lose the others or any of my family. I shake my head, knowing there is no point to running this over and over in my mind again. I want a night off, and that's damn well what I’m going to give myself. I walk out of the changing rooms and to the back of the bar, keeping my head down. I pass through the doors to the other side of the bar and walk past everyone, only looking up once at Meg as she dances on the stage, noticing that every man in the room has his eyes on her body as she slowly removes her clothes to the sensual beat of the loud music. I walk past a table, keeping my head down in case anyone recognises me, but Meg is doing a damn good job of being a distraction tonight. I slide out of the doors and climb up the stairs, pushing the door open and stepping into the main part of the cage. The loud music blasts against my ears and the warm, sticky heat of the room grazes my skin as I step into the throng of people dancing and head to the bar. I know there was a fight tonight, one of the famous King brothers again. Every time they come here for a fight, they win, and it's busier than ever. I don't know what Arthur has on those guys, but it must be good to have them fighting all the time like they do. I've never watched a fight for more than a few seconds as it really isn't my cup of tea. I keep to the back of the cage, do my job, and that’s it. I slide past a couple who are so busy with their tongues down each other’s throats to notice me passing them before I get to the bar. The bartender finishes serving two guys who are talking quietly to one another on the other side before coming to me as I slide into a seat.
"What can I get you?" the bartender asks, leaning against the bar.
"Martini," I reply, pulling my card out of my br
a and handing it to him as he grins.
"Interesting hiding place. Mind if I join you?" a deep, seductive voice asks, and I turn to look at the guy who slides into the stool next to me without waiting for my answer. Like he is expecting me to say yes, which guessing from the look of him, a lot of women don't say no to his company. His hair is dark brown, shaved at the sides and slightly messy on top, though it compliments his strong jawline and dark green eyes that watch my own. He’s wearing a blue button-down shirt, with the sleeves rolled up and showing off tattoos that cover his arms. He’s muscular, his chest pressing against the shirt and leaving little to the imagination. Even in this place, I can smell his seductive cologne; and from the cheeky grin on his lips, he knows how good he looks and smells. He is bloody stunning. I’ve never seen anyone who looks like him before, and I’m a little lost for words for a moment.
"It was a drink for one, actually," I reply, knowing I can't get messed up with a guy tonight. If my brothers found out, they would kill him and ruin his pretty face. Even one dance would be pushing it too far. One kiss would be breaking every rule and risking my family’s lives. I’ve never experienced a kiss because it breaks all the rules Arthur made clear to me when my father sold me to him. I have a role to play; I’m the innocent one until he tells me otherwise. The poor guy in front of me has no clue how dangerous it is to be talking to one of Arthur’s toys.
"Shame. I guess I’ll have to order my own drink and sit here all alone while I look at the prettiest girl in this room," he says, and I laugh as he calls the bartender over with a wave of his hand. "Her drink is on me, and I’ll have a beer."
"So, prince charming, since you're not leaving; what's your name?" I ask, regretting asking the moment the question left my lips. What the hell am I doing?