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I’d been preparing to take him out ever since I’d heard of his sudden return

Twenty-five years he’d been gone Twenty-five

For the first few years,Perhaps a woman? Perhaps a new addition to his arsenal But when no one ca had happened to hies and politicians stopped protecting us Word started getting out about Ten Club

After that, things turned into the Wild West until Serina, a longtih favors to be voted in as the new “King”

I hated that bitch She was always too greedy, wanting a slice of everyone’s pie At least King left us alone We paid our dues We called e needed so once every few decades If anyone broke rules—like stealing fro’s Seers would show up and issue a warning

That was all it took

Because everyone knew the next visit would be froain And no one wanted to end up with their head in a jar in his infamous warehouse For the record, those heads never died

So when Serina took over, trying to insert herself in our business, no one was happy We paid ten fucking billion dollars a year each to belong to Ten Club, and the entire preht us iht our freedon up for a bullshit share-my-evil-loot model Serina wanted to knohat people had in their arsenals, what they were trying to acquire, and she wanted dibs

After a few decades of that, so Serina, but I questioned what I was really getting out of Ten Club I didn’t need access to corrupt lawyers and judges I didn’t need deal enforceh to handle all that on my own

What I really wanted was to get rid of anyone ht try to acquire my family members after I restarted my bloodline To Ten Club members, ould be mere objects to collect, like the Seers

Ten Club had to go

Then King returned A gift He did most of the dirty work for me, and now all I had left to do was eli, because King was still going to come after me

And now I’ve kept my word to Jeni Our new deal stipulated I come here and save him Which I’d done I never promised I wouldn’t kill hi Jeni inrun She needed to witness King atte to eliminate me first I would defend myself

I scooped Jeni fro to her sides as I carried her to the living room

I deposited her on the sofa, where she let out a groan “King…” she muttered

“Not King Ansin,” I said

Her eyes fluttered open “What happened?”

“You looked is what happened”

“Oh…”

“I’d offer you water, but I doubt any of it is safe to drink in this house How about a beer?”

“No No beer” She pointed to her purse near her feet “I have juice”

I grabbed it, and she took a small sip