All Chapters of PRISON KING'S RETURN: Chapter 31
- Chapter 40
80 chapters
Chapter 31
“Is that true? Did you just say that?” My voice cracked as the words left my mouth.Darren’s hands went up, palms out, like he was trying to push my questions back into my chest. “I… I don’t know. Maybe I said something I shouldn’t have. Forget about it, Kael.”“Forget about it?” My voice rose before I even knew it. “You can’t just say something like that and expect me to forget about it! Darren, tell me the truth—did Dr. Milton Carroway kill Mom and Dad?”He leaned back in his chair, his face pale, his eyes unfocused. “You’re making a big deal out of nothin’. Just… let it go,” he slurred.“Let it go? No, Darren, I can’t let it go!” I stepped closer, my hands curling into fists at my sides. “You’ve never mentioned anything about this before. What aren’t you telling me?”For as long as I could remember, I had believed our parents’ deaths were natural—an accident. But now, hearing Darren’s words, everything felt like it was breaking apart in my head. Milton Carroway. The leader of Carro
chapter 32
The knock hit the door like a gunshot—three brutal beats that shattered the quiet. It snapped me out of the hot fog of the shower; steam still clung to my skin and the towel hung uselessly at my waist as I stumbled toward the door.I shouldn’t have expected anyone. Not at this hour. Not after everything. But when I pulled the latch and swung it open, the corridor filled with men—twelve of them, all black suits and hard angles. The air slithered cold against my wet skin.They looked like they’d been carved out of the night. Faces like masks, eyes flat and patient. Some wore scars that cut lines through expression; others had tattoos that hinted at lives I’d rather not imagine. I felt small. Exposed.A scar red as a lightning bolt across one man’s jaw stepped forward. He smiled without humor. “Are you Ryder George?” he asked.My fingers tightened on the towel. I wasn’t Ryder George. Not anymore. Not in any life that mattered. But words wouldn’t change the fact they were inches from me.
chapter 33
Viktor lunged at me, eyes wild. His movements were sloppy with anger, but they were still predictable. The blade came down and I shifted to the side, catching his wrist in a single, practiced motion. With a twist the knife flew from his hand and clattered to the floor.Before he could recover, I stepped in and pulled his arm back hard. A sickening pop echoed through the corridor as his shoulder dislocated. Viktor screamed; his legs buckled and he dropped to his knees, clutching at the joint.I let him stumble back, then faced the rest of them. Ten men, frozen and indecisive, staring at the heap of bodies and the one man left standing. I cracked my knuckles and let a smirk cut across my face.“Waiting for an invitation?” I said, voice flat. “Come on—come all of you.”That was all it took. They roared and charged.The first man lunged; I ducked under his fist and drove an elbow into his ribs. He folded in a breath and I followed with a knee to the gut that sent him sailing into the othe
chapter 34
Jessica sighed through the line, the sound faint but weighted. “It’s not like they’re completely identical,” she said. “But there are enough similarities to raise concern. Based on the data, I’d say there’s about a seventy-three percent match.”My fingers tightened around the phone. Seventy-three. That wasn’t a stray number or a random overlap. That was deliberate. “That’s too high to be a coincidence,” I said, my voice low.“That’s what I thought too,” Jessica admitted.She hesitated for a moment before continuing. “But there’s no definitive link yet. I can’t say for sure if this is a continuation of the same project or if someone else is trying to replicate it. Either way, the results aren’t positive enough to confirm a direct connection.”“Where are you now?” I asked.“I’m still inside the Milton lab,” Jessica replied. “I just got the results a few minutes ago.”I exhaled slowly, trying to keep the edge out of my tone. “Keep digging. This might be the key to exposing the people pul
chapter 35
I narrowed my eyes at Mia. “What exactly are you looking for?”She tilted her head, studying me with a faint smile. “Nothing much. I just want to look around.”I gave a short, humorless scoff. “There’s nothing to see.”“Then you shouldn’t have a problem letting me in,” she countered, her tone light but her eyes locked on mine.I opened my mouth to fire back but hesitated. “Well… it’s a mess,” I lied, rubbing my palm across my jeans.Mia crossed her arms, clearly unconvinced. “A mess? You? I don’t believe that for a second.”“I haven’t unpacked yet,” I muttered.“So?” Her smile widened. “I don’t mind.”I felt my jaw tighten. “It’s… private.”That earned me a smirk. “Kael, have you ever let a woman into your place before?”I stiffened at her teasing. “That’s not—”Before I could finish, she leaned in slightly, one hand braced against the doorframe like she owned it.I sighed, feeling my last ounce of patience slip away. There was no winning against her when she decided to be stubborn. I
chapter 36
Other footsteps echoed against the floorboards, heavy and deliberate. The restaurant door creaked open again, and another figure stepped in.As I turned my head, my eyes narrowed.Elias.He was draped in a sleek, tailored coat that screamed wealth and arrogance, the kind of coat that looked more suited for a gala than a simple restaurant in this quiet corner of the city. He strolled inside as though he owned the place, his polished shoes clicking softly with each step. His gaze swept the restaurant with cool disdain, lips curled like the very air here was beneath him.“Tch.” His scoff cut through the tense silence. “I swear, this place has lost all its value. When even people with no worth can just waltz in and have a seat, you know the standards have dropped to the gutter.”My jaw tightened, but his eyes slid past me.And then they landed on Mia.His smirk widened instantly, taking on a sharper, more venomous edge.“Though I suppose I shouldn’t be too surprised,” Elias drawled, his t
chapter 37
Delacroix’s reach ran deeper than anyone liked to admit. If Lucien moved to settle a score, it wouldn’t be me who felt the first strike — it would be Darren. My chest tightened at the thought.Then my phone buzzed in my pocket.Ring. Ring. Ring.Evenlyn’s name lit the screen — Eagle’s sister. I thumbed it open before my brain had finished sorting the danger wordless in my gut.“Yeah?” I said.“Kael… please… save me…” Her voice was a thin rope, frayed and shaking.I tightened my fingers around the phone. “Where are you? What happened?”A man cut in, smooth and cold as ice. “Kael George, I warned you this isn’t over.”The voice was one I knew — and hated. It didn’t have to shout to carry menace.“If you want to save the girl,” he said, “come to—” He barked an address, clipped and final.I didn’t wait for more. I shoved the phone back into my pocket and stood so fast my chair screeched.“Kael?” Mia’s voice followed me, small with worry. I didn’t answer. There was no time. Eagle was burie
chapter 38
They all reeled back like a struck animal pack — shocked, unsteady, stripped of swagger. Their knives hung useless in hands that suddenly trembled.I took one slow step forward, letting the silence stretch until it felt like the whole room was holding its breath with me.“Who’s next?” I asked.Their eyes slid away. Not one of them met mine.“Cowards,” I said, because naming what they were made it real.Then I turned my back on them and walked straight to Evelyn. She was folded against the wheel, limp and small as if bruises had compressed the life out of her, but when she saw me she blinked hard and something like awe — relief — went through her gaze.I bent down and started working at the ropes. My fingers moved on muscle memory: find the knot, pinch the loop, push the end free. The strands were rough and tight; they’d cut shallow furrows into her wrists. Her skin was warm under my palms, trembling.Just as the last knot slipped and her feet found the concrete, Marcus barked, “Kael,
Chapter 39
Mia looked so frustrated as she pushed her hands free from my grip. Her movements were sharp and restless, like she was trying to shake off everything she was feeling at once. Her face was flushed, her brows drawn together, and there was a fire in her eyes that I’d seen only a few times before."Did you get this from the girl you visited?!" she yelled, her voice cracking with a mix of anger and hurt.I sighed, dragging a hand down my face before pinching the bridge of my nose. The dull throb at the back of my skull pulsed in time with my heartbeat. "Mia, it's just a cut. I'll be fine," I said to her, trying to keep my voice even.But she didn’t agree.She scoffed loudly, spinning on her heel so quickly her hair whipped behind her. She stormed back into her apartment without another word. For a second, I thought she was done throwing a tantrum, and I turned back to my door, ready to disappear into my own space.But before I could even touch the knob, she returned.And this time, she ca
Chapter 40
Just as I shifted my weight, ready to force my way through, a sharp, commanding voice echoed from inside.“Let him in.”The guards froze. Their eyes flicked to each other, uncertainty written in their stiff posture. Then, with reluctant movements, they stepped aside.I didn’t hesitate. I shoved past them, my heart pounding like a war drum in my chest.The moment I stepped inside, the stench hit me—thick and metallic. Blood. Sweat. Something rotten clung to the walls and seeped into my lungs, making my stomach churn. The room was bare except for a single overhead light, its bulb flickering, casting restless shadows that danced along the cracked concrete walls.And then I saw him.Darren.My brother sat tied to a chair in the center of the room like some broken offering. His wrists were bound tightly behind his back, the ropes biting into his skin until they bled. His shirt hung in tatters, darkened by blood that clung in uneven patches. Bruises swelled across his face, purple and black