Page 33 of Vicious King

“What do you do that you have to leave the country?”

I notice that he shares a look with Spider in the rearview mirror.

“I own a lot of businesses, and sometimes I have to travel because of those,” he says simply. “Being the head of a crime organization has a lot of working parts.”

I nod thoughtfully. “And you share that with Rome, Mateo, and Julian?”

“Some of it,” he confirms. “But most of our businesses are independent of each other. We help each other when needed, of course.”

“Does Rome still own Rapture?”

“Yes, and it’s bigger and better than ever.”

“Did he make it into the exclusive club he always envisioned?”

“Beyond that,” Carson confirms. “It’s a hefty six-figure annual membership fee, and now it’s invite only. Royalty, billionaires, celebrities. It’s fancy as fuck.”

I grin and wish that I could see the club. Good for him.

“You said that he’s married and had a baby?”

I can’t imagine Roman Alexander married. He doesn’t like to be touched, he’s not terribly warm and fuzzy, and he’s so . . . stoic. Although all four of the guys can be that way. Cold and hard. It’s because of the world they grew up in and what they do. They softened whenever I was around, but when I saw them in action for their jobs, it always sent a chill down my spine.

And that was before any of them was in charge.

I can only imagine how ruthless they can be now.

Carson pulls his phone out of his pocket and brings up a photo, showing it to me.

I can’t help but gasp because there’s Rome, older than I remember, with tattoos on his hands that weren’t there before, and he’s holding the tiniest little girl on his shoulder, that tattooed hand splayed over her back, and I feel tears spring to my eyes.

“Oh, how precious.”

“Never would have thought someone would refer to anything Rome does as precious,” Spider says with a laugh.

“I’m so glad he’s happy,” I murmur.

“Mateo just married a woman named Violet,” Carson adds. “And Julian married Natasha Ivanov.”

I lift an eyebrow. “The pakhan’s daughter?”

Carson’s lips twitch into a small smile, and he lifts my hand, kissing the back of it. “Yes. That organization has been taken out. By us.”

“Wow, so much has happened.”

And I want to know more. It feels so good to talk about people I actually know. To have connections. Since I’ve been in hiding with Charlie, I’ve never let myself get close to anyone except Mildred. I don’t have friends that I go out with. I don’t join clubs or even help out much at Charlie’s school.

So to have a conversation about people I’ve known for all my adult life is so damn nice.

But before I can ask more questions, the SUV comes to a stop in front of a restaurant.

“Stay,” Carson says firmly as he lets go of my hand and pushes out of the SUV. He looks around, his eyes skimming the area, and when he seems satisfied with what he sees, he offers me his hand. “It’s safe.”

This is all new. I love that it seems to be his one goal to keep me and our son secure, and it’s sexy as fuck when he gets so hard looking, so intense. I think it would terrify most people, but to me, he’s my husband. The man that has nothing but my best interests in mind, and it’s a total turn-on.

“You’re hot,” I whisper to him, and his head whips down to me in surprise. “This whole badass, hard, ruthless look you have going on? Yeah, it does things to me.”

His eyes narrow. “It makes most people piss themselves and try to run in the other direction.”