Page 29 of Beast's Wife

“You’re not invited,” Rigel said, holding a fake smile on his lips.

“Last time I checked, I didn’t need an invitation, and seeing as I’m here, I would say I don’t need one now.” He stared at Rigel.

The other man tried to hold his stare, but he couldn’t handle it. Less than a minute, and he was already looking the other way. Carver had no respect for him.

“None of us agree with what you did to the Rose family. You have put the whole organization into chaos,” Rigel said. “You should be thankful Romone hasn’t asked for your head.”

“Oh, you mean the way you have several times, and I suggest you tell your men to back off right now. I’ve got my wife here tonight, and if anything spoils her pretty dress, there will be a punishment. I don’t like anyone hurting my wife.”

Rigel looked toward Morgan. “So, the rumors are true. You did marry.”

“And that is why the Rose family had to die,” Carver said. “Anyway, where is Romone tonight?”

Rigel went bright red and glanced around the room. Carver watched him spread out his hands, telling his man to back down.

He took a step toward Rigel. His wife was by his side as hedidn’t let her go. The silence in the air was deafening.

“He was unable to make it tonight,” Rigel said. “I’ll be sure to let him know you were asking about him.”

Carver smirked. “We both know what that means. He’s too much of a coward to face me himself.” He let out a tut. “When are you going to stop defending a coward?”

“Romone is no coward.”

“Kind of how you’re no pervert, but you hide behind the women. We both know they’re all a little old for you, don’t we?”

The anger on Rigel’s face was so clear to see. The redness of his cheeks, the rage brimming in his eyes.

Carver smiled. “We should catch up.” And with that, he turned on his heel and left the party. He walked so that Morgan kept up with him and looked every part regal.

“We’re not staying?” Morgan asked.

“Only if you want to,” he said.

“Hell, no. I cannot stand those parties. Unless you’d like to stick around?”

“No, no, and no. I hated them when I was younger and I still hate them now.”

****

Rigel poured himself a glass of whiskey. He sent the young woman away. She hadn’t been able to tempt him in any way. He’d already called Romone and tried to reason with the man. They needed to end Carver, The Beast, Turner, now. The man’s influence had gone on long enough. The security guard that allowed him to enter had already been dealt with.

Sitting in his chair, he leaned back and drank a nice big mouthful of the most expensive whiskey he owned. Tonight’s party had only been allowed the cheap stuff, especially when Romone had heard the whisper of Carver’s entrance into the party and made his escape. If he had the means, he would havetaken Romone out many years ago, and taken over the running of the ship. As it was, he didn’t have the means. If only he’d not burned his ties to Carver.

He’d tried to end Carver, to bring that man to his knees more than once, but each time, he seemed to come back fighting. The man was a machine who killed without remorse. If it wasn’t for his men around his home, he would have feared Carver coming to him.

What Carver did to the Rose family had caused a wave of fear throughout Romone’s connections. No one wanted to take on the women, and they had shipments coming in weekly. There were a lot of men and women to deal with. It was giving him a headache, as people feared what Carver would do. No one had known why he killed the Rose family. All they knew was one day they’d been making deals and the next, all of them were dead. The house burned down, the bodies unrecognizable.

They all knew it was Carver. He did what he wanted and there was no one who could stop him.

“Enjoying a nice drink after your meal?”

Rigel jumped so hard he spilled whiskey down his white shirt. He glanced around the room, and only then, as he looked into the shadows, did he see the man people feared. Carver stood in the shadows.

“Carver, what are you doing here?” he asked.

“I figured it was best to pay you a visit when you didn’t have your men giving you the courage they seem to do.”

Rigel didn’t understand how Carver was able to get into his home without him being alerted. He reached beneath his desk and clicked the panic button.