Page 2 of Savage King
Dear Violet:
I’m alive. That’s the first thing you need to know. I’m not in Seattle anymore, and I can’t tell you where I am, because they said they’d kill you if you knew, but I’m alive. God, I miss you so much. I hate that we argued the last time I saw you because we hardly ever argued. I wish I could ask if you finished becoming a tattoo artist. I bet you did. You’re so damn talented, and I wish I had some of your ink on me, rather than what they gave me.
You know, I thought it would be so fun to go see the fight that night, but that seems to be all I do now. Damien makes us go all the time and watch a bunch of sweaty guys beat the hell out of each other. It’s, well, enough about that. I have to hurry and get this out so I don’t get caught.
I love you so much. I can’t stand the thought that you’re all by yourself. I’m so sorry, Sissy. But as long as I’m breathing, you’ll never walk alone. You’re always in my heart.
Forever,
Rosie
I can’t stop reading it. Rosie’s alive. How many times did those fucking detectives tell me that the case had gone cold and it was likely she either ran away or was dead.
I knew she didn’t run away.
And now I know she didn’t die.
But where the fuck is she?
I scramble up and look at the envelope again, but there’s still no return address. There is, however, a postmark.
Las Vegas.
My sister is in Las Vegas.
I take a deep breath, wipe my tears away, and start to make a plan. Because if Rose is in Vegas, there’s no way in hell that I’ll stay in Seattle. I can work in Vegas, and when I’m not working, I can look for my sister. She’s alive, and I’m going to find her.
I have to find her.
One
MATEO
“How much money?”
Fabian’s shifty eyes flit over to Diego, my second in command, but I fist my hand in his collar and force his gaze back to me.
“Don’t look at him. He can’t save you. I asked you a fucking question. How much money have you stolen from me?”
“I didn’t?—”
I shove him away and circle the tiny office in the back of one of my gyms. I own twelve gyms throughout Las Vegas. They’re just some of my legitimate businesses in the city. They’re excellent for cleaning money from my less legitimate holdings.
I’m a man with vast interests.
And this motherfucker thought it would be a good idea to skim money from me.
I turn to Diego and lift an eyebrow.
“Just under a hundred and fifty thousand over two years.”
Nodding, feeling the frustration bubbling beneath my skin, I turn back to Fabian and watch as the idiot wets himself.
Why do they always piss themselves?
“Fuck.” Exhaling, I look up to the ceiling and shake my head. “The thing is, I pay you well. I’m not unreasonable. However, I’malso not a fucking doormat. If you steal from me, you make me look weak. And if there’s anything in this fucked-up world that I can’t stomach, it’s looking fucking weak.”
“No, I?—”
