Spark ( Book 3: Stronger Series )

54. Comeback

Another month went by with barely any change in Jaden. She still wasn't training on her own, only when I asked. Her muscle tone was disappearing, and she was losing weight in muscle mass. After finally forcing her to train with Scott, he'd never been so disappointed in his life. She was still able to complete every move and keep up, but her drive and power were completely absent. It was like she wasn't even there inside. She was somewhere else.

I was ready to fucking strangle something.

Sid told me he thought she was struggling with PTSD, which explained her lack of emotion, her disdain for her old activities and habits, and her poor sleep and nightmares. The only time she ever smiled was when I was spending time with her, but it just felt wrong, fake, like she wasn't really there, just a part of her.

Even now, with Jaden curled up against my side while we watched the Detroit Red Wings play the Toronto Maple Leaves, there was nothing from her. Zero emotion. It was killing me inside.

I had allowed this concealed misery to linger long enough. I needed to find something that would start the goddamn fire and bring Jaden back to life. I just had to find the one thing that would finally make her snap out of this shadow and rise to rule at my side like the fucking queen she was meant to be.

My phone started to ring just after the Red Wings scored their winning goal, and I answered, knowing I wouldn't have to worry about Jaden listening in anymore. I was almost disappointed by that.

"Yeah?" I answered.

"Man, do I have a surprise for you," Scott said on the other line.

"What?" I asked.

"I found our snitch. The last and original snitch. Fucker's been hiding under our nose the whole time."

I felt my blood begin to boil inside. Whoever it was, I was going to fucking rip them apart for the shit they caused me. "Who is it?"

"Come down to the shed and see for yourself. You're going to love this."

"Be down in a minute," I said and hung up. I kissed Jaden's head and then moved to get up. "I've got to handle something."

Jaden's eyes immediately lit up with concern. "Will you be gone long?" she asked. She knew better than to ask where I was going. It was none of her business, but she did know how and when to ask the right questions. At least then, she would know when to expect me.

"Probably," I answered. "Make sure you take your sleep aid in an hour. I expect you to be out when I return." If we'd finally found the last of the traitors, then I was going to make sure this fight lasted a nice long time. It didn't even cross my mind to bring her to this one like I would for the others. I figured maybe, for once, I'd give her a break.

I kissed her softly, brushing her hair behind her ear before grabbing my jacket. Heading out, I found Clive and Owen standing on either side of the door just as they should be.

"Make sure she's asleep in an hour," I said, heading past them.

My heart was racing with anticipation. I wanted to sink my fists into the face of the fucker who'd been causing me so much trouble. I wanted to rip his traitorous tongue out and gut him right down the center until his screams deafened me.

When I made it down to the soundproof shed, Scott greeted me at the bottom of the steps with a wide snake-like grin. He was just as excited about this as I was. About ten more of my closest and most loyal men were scattered around the room, circling the stupid fuck in the middle. When he turned around, I almost did a double take; I couldn't believe who it was.

Jared stood in the middle of the circle, blood dripping from the corner of his lips as he returned a glare at me.

Motherfucker.

I took a few steps forward, rage pumping through my veins as I itched to tear into him.

"Well, this is certainly a surprise," I said to him as everyone quieting down around us. "I didn't think you actually had the balls."

Jared's head tilted to the side as he regarded me. Several months ago, he could barely look me in the eye, and now, here he was staring me down like he had some kind of chance against me. It was almost comical.

"Took you long enough to figure it out," he said.

There was going to be so much blood tonight.

I shook my head at him. "I should have just let Jaden kill you all the months ago. You were a piece of shit then, and you're an even bigger piece of shit now."

He scoffed. "You should be thanking me. I'm the reason you have her in the first place."

I laughed. "You think that's some kind of bargaining chip? How I acquired her doesn't matter. What does matter is when the men who swear their loyalty to me betray that trust and get their own brothers killed because of it."

"You do what you gotta do, man. I'm just—" I didn't give him the chance to finish his sentence. My fist slammed into his jaw and knocked him right to the floor.

"Don't worry," I said, taking off my jacket and tossing it the floor. "I am going to do what I've gotta to do. And I'm going to fucking enjoy it."

And then I destroyed him.

Jared couldn't fight for shit. His position at the warehouse didn't require him to train, but for fuck's sake, the man could barely throw a punch. Every attempt he made was slow and easy to dodge. He couldn't block anything, could barely even lift his hands to protect his face. He only had street fighting experience, and it was shit compared to the advanced training I had. Loud cheers echoed along the walls, reminding me of how much my men enjoyed the carnage. They hated traitors just as much as I did and lived for the violence and retribution.

Honestly, the fight was hardly enjoyable. He wasn't fighting back. No challenge whatsoever. When Jared was a bloody pulp on the cement floor, I looked down at him in disgust, ready to reach for my knife and end him. But as I scowled at him, I realized his death just wasn't satisfactory enough.

It couldn't be ignored that if it wasn't for his blatant stupidity and disregard for my orders, Jaden would likely have never crossed my path. He had been the one to bring her to me, turning her entire world upside down. He'd tormented her before she was mine and even had the pleasure of Kayla when I'd given the order. Jaden had almost killed him the time I found her encouraging an escape while she beat his face in with her own fists. He had so much internal bleeding from the stab wound she originally gave him; it was a miracle he had lived at all. I had wondered how she would have felt if she had actually killed him. Would it have made a difference in her demeanor? Would it have changed her personality?

A few months ago, she had successfully gotten me to kill one of my own guards, and almost two more not much longer after that. I knew she could smell the blood in the air, but I wondered if she was ready to taste it. And if she did, would she want more? Vengeance had been the only thing to drive her before, but I was curious. If I supplemented it a little with something else, would that snap her out of this misery she was secretly suffering? If ever there was an opportunity to make her a killer, the opportunity to exact revenge against the real man responsible for her life, this had to be the golden fucking moment. I owed her that much.

This was the moment to finally break Jaden of the damage I caused and light the fire once again. I wanted to begin the next phase of her conditioning and officially welcome her among the wolves. I was ready for the comeback of a lifetime.

"Go get Jaden," I ordered, a sly smile on my face as a small look of confusion swept over Jared's face. "And grab me that chair."

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