The Ruthless

by J Bree

  I smile back at him. “I’ve told him plenty! I’m sure he’s thrilled to hear about all of the baking I’ve been doing while absolutely nothing dangerous is happening in the Bay. Didn’t you hear, it’s become the safest city in the country? A miracle really.”

  He chuckles at me, tucking me in closer to his body. “How much do you think Lips is telling him? What about Harley? I doubt he’s taking all of this well.”

  The elevator bell chimes and we step in together, scanning the card to head up to the penthouse suite. “Harley is less… single-minded about it. He knows that Lips has trained me well and I can kill if I have to. I don’t think he knows everything, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Lips leaned on him a little more with this stuff.”

  I also wouldn’t be surprised if she tells him nothing.

  She’s a smart girl.

  Chapter Eleven

  I wake up hours before my alarm goes off in a cold sweat, the old memories of this hotel clinging to me. I decided a long time ago I wouldn’t be afraid of the sub-levels, even before Senior was removed from the picture, but something about talking to Aodhan seems to have dredged it all back up.

  The last thing in my mind before my eyes open, my entire body shaking like a freaking leaf and my heart trying to beat out of my chest, is Ash’s face covered in blood and the panicked fury in his eyes when he’d finished killing the man that lured me out of my room to kill me.

  I’ve never been so naive again.

  That girl died here in the hotel and the jaded, ruthless version of myself took over. A piece of Ash died here too, the boy who didn’t want to ever kill anyone because he didn’t want to become like our father.

  Now he just refuses to kill women, even the ones who deserve it.

  I lie here, naked, and listen to Aodhan breathe. I’m jealous of how deeply he sleeps. Even if I do wake him up, he can still always roll over and go back to sleep which is a super power I’ve never had. My brain always starts running a mile a minute, running through everything possible that I can think about until I go insane and get up for a coffee so that I can start to plan a riot to make myself feel better.

  I can’t really do that here at Oakridge, so instead I slide down Aodhan’s body and wake him up with a blowjob.

  I know the moment he wakes up because his hips jerk up, and he fists my hair to push me further down his length. He always manages to walk that line between handling me like I’m precious to him without coddling me, and there’s nothing quite like the taste of him on my tongue.

  He pulls me off of him before he comes, dragging me up his body until I’m straddling him, his dick sinking in deep, and that fist in my hair pulling me down to kiss him.

  I think I’m in love with him.

  “Fuck, Queenie, I could wake up every morning with that perfect pussy on me and it still wouldn’t be enough. Fuck, move, I need you to come on me. I need to feel you come all over my dick before I blow.”

  With one hand in my hair and the other on my clit, I can’t help but follow his every direction, swinging my hips and grinding myself against him until I come, his head dropping back against the pillows as he watches me fall apart.

  Then his hands move to my hips to hold me still as he fucks me through the aftershocks, coming with a groan loud enough to wake the dead.

  I collapse onto the bed next to him, panting and shaking, and he kisses me again, long and deep until I find myself gearing up for round two.

  Then my alarm starts screaming, and the outside world once again ruins everything. I have a meeting with a senator that I can’t miss, and we need to get back to Mounts Bay before the first round of the Game starts.

  We shower together and then I get ready, choosing an old money looking skirt and blazer combo in a very pale cream color. Only I would really be able to tell that it’s not true white and when I bought it, Lips had rolled her eyes at my critique of the color.

  Only you would give a fuck about that level of color theory, Aves.

  I put Aodhan in a suit to go meet with Senator Blakeley.

  He’s not exactly thrilled about it, but he takes it better than Illi ever did so I’ll call it a win. I sneak a photo of us both in the elevator mirror on the way out and send it to Lips.

  I swear you could talk the Devil himself into a penguin suit if you tried. Aodhan looks great, tell him to stab first.

  I huff at her because that’s ridiculous. I’ve met the Devil, he wasn’t impressed by me.

  Lips had been completely unsure about us going to this meeting, but I convinced her it’s the right thing to do. We can’t leave DC without actually speaking with Senator Elijah Blakeley, the oldest and most suppressed Graves sibling. Helping him at Oakridge hadn’t given me any idea of who he is as a man, the stuff that Jackson’s file can’t tell me, and I need those little insights to plan out what we’re going to do about him.

  The drive over to the Senate office buildings takes almost an hour thanks to the traffic, and Aodhan can barely sit still in his seat.

  “This thing looks ridiculous; I can’t believe you have fucking suits in my size. Did you measure me while I slept?”

  I roll my eyes at his disgruntled tone but keep my eyes on my screen. “I’ll never tell you my methods, but you do look amazing. Lips even said so and she’s as Mounty as you are.”

  He huffs at me and leans down to whisper in my ear, “When all of this bullshit is over with, and your little stalker is rotting in a ditch somewhere, I’m taking you to a party at the docks, and you can dress up in the shit the girls down there do. See how you like the tables being turned on you.”

  I’ve seen a few of the outfits Lips has worn to the parties over the years, and it doesn’t sound like the worst idea ever. I mean, it’s not at all my style and my ass is nowhere near as great as hers is in booty shorts, but it could be fun for a night out.

  “Deal, but if you try to eat me out in public, I will claw your eyeballs out. I do have some lines, you know.”

  He frowns at me and nods, but I guess that’s a family joke he’s not in on yet, and I still don’t have the stomach to explain it to him.

  The Senate office buildings are overrun with security, clearly the kidnapping and near murder has upped the alert level appropriately. The security checks themselves are invasive and off-putting to get into the building. It’s the first time I’ve left my weapons behind since Illi gave them to me and without the Kevlar, I’m finally feeling like myself again, like the girl who doesn’t need weapons because my scathing wit and list of contacts is more than enough.

  I should just leave the weapons to Lips.

  I’m just about ready to have her home again.

  Once we make our way through the building and into Blakeley’s office, the waiting room is very stereotypical ‘all-American senator’-chic. Aodhan looks around at everything like he’s uncomfortable to be here, and it’s a strange look on him. I’m used to the self-assured man that he is in the Bay; even when faced with the crime lords of the Twelve, he’s always been confident in himself and his ability to deal with whatever is thrown at him.

  There’s something about the fact that we’re dealing with a member of the Senate that has him worried.

  I feel right at home.

  I try not to fuss with my outfit, because I look perfect, and I slip my hand into Aodhan’s to try to offer him some reassurance. There’s nothing worse than feeling completely out of your depth, and he’s only really here to watch out for me and keep me company.

  We wait for ten minutes, and Blakeley’s personal assistant keeps looking over at us like we’re a threat to the building. I find myself wondering about how much Blakeley has told those in his staff and his inner circles about what happened to him last night.

  I’m trying not to pick up my phone and obsessively scroll when the door opens and a very well-dressed woman walks in with two small children. She’s very clearly a nanny, I was raised by them after my mother’s death and can spot them from a mile away, but she’s very ope
n and affectionate with them both. The toddler in her arms is a boy, giggling and babbling to her, and the little girl at her feet grips her hand tightly with a bright grin.

  All of the air in my lungs leaks out of me.

  The girl giggles at something Blakeley’s personal assistant says, and Aodhan curses under his breath, focused on the look of shock on my face, but I ignore him, entirely focused on Lips’ niece.

  Grimm Graves really did pass his genes on well.

  “You wanna tell me who the fuck we’re really here to see before I look like a dumbass in there? You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” Aodhan murmurs, but there isn’t any real anger in his voice, just concern.

  I run a calm hand down the luxurious softness of my cashmere and silk skirt. “You’re here because I trust you and, more importantly, Lips trusts you. There’s some… finer details of her parentage that we can discuss later, but I can’t speak about them unless we’re absolutely sure that no one can overhear.”

  He freezes, and I think for a second that he’s actually pissed off at me for not answering him, but when I glance over at him, his eyes are on the door, finally noticing the girl.

  There’s no mistaking the relation.

  “Holy fucking shit.”

  The door to Blakeley’s office opens and he steps out, missing us completely because he only has eyes for his kids. Big brownie points in his favor there, because there’s no mistaking the love between the three of them as he kisses each of the kids on their heads and listens to their excitement to see him.

  “I have one meeting left and then I’ll take you out to lunch, Kennedy. Giorgio has reserved us a table; he’s going to make your favorite. Be good for Sue. Carter, you too, be a good boy, and I’ll see you all over there shortly.”

  Kennedy and Carter Blakeley.

  Fitting.

  I knew they existed but seeing them here, seeing this little interaction, it’s changing something. It’s changed the way I’m going to go about this, how hard I’m going to push, and what I’m going to say because… because in our family there are very few good fathers. Harley had one who was murdered for it, and Illi is going to be the best father.

  I guess I hold men to that standard.

  Their loyalty, their ability to love and protect and covet, and how they treat children. Maybe that’s my line in the sand.

  Blakeley turns back to his office and finally spots us sitting there, his back stiffening, a sure sign that he knows at least a little about who he’s meeting with.

  “Miss Beaumont, sorry to keep you waiting. Please join me.”

  Oh, he definitely knows who I am and doesn’t like me.

  I nod with a curt smile and then murmur to Aodhan, “Wait here.”

  He gives me a look, but I can’t afford to argue with him right now so I tack on, “I’ll tell you everything when we get back to the Bay. I promise.”

  I step into the office, shutting the door behind myself, and Blakeley walks around to the other side of the desk, unbuttoning his jacket before taking a seat. It’s like watching Lips move, or like Nate is sitting there in a suit, and a chill runs down my spine.

  How the hell does this man have such strong genes?

  “I’d rather not beat around the bush here, Miss Beaumont. Are you here to threaten me?”

  I take a seat, impressed as hell at this man. “Not at all. I’m here to offer my assistance. I’m very open to siding with you on your upcoming projects.”

  His eyes flick to the door and then back to me. “And what exactly would the daughter of Joseph Beaumont be able to offer me that isn’t blood money? I’ve kept my hands clean this long; I’ll make it on my own without sullying myself.”

  Okay, that stings a little but I’ll take it. At least this is all coming from a moral high ground and not just a superiority complex. Thank God Aodhan isn’t in here with us. ”How did you get your medical file sealed, Blakeley? That wasn’t done cleanly.”

  He’s good, I’ll give him that, but I’m watching him too closely to miss the way he stops breathing. “Medical files are confidential—“

  I interrupt him, “They are but only a sealed file would be able to withstand the types of searching I’m talking about. It took the Coyote of Mounts Bay himself to find out what I needed to know.”

  If I wasn’t already sure the room was clean, I am the moment he recovers enough to answer me. “Whatever that psychotic, rapist fuck Graves wants, I’ll never give to him. I’ll burn his business to the ground before I fall into line behind that man so you can leave, Miss Beaumont. Leave and tell him that.”

  Huh.

  I wasn’t expecting him to know much about his father. “Is that why he’s sending men to have you killed? It was a close call; you’re lucky I had eyes on you and got you out of there.”

  His mouth turns down at the corners, as close to a sneer as I’ve seen on him so far. “I’ll admit my security obviously failed. It won’t next time. Please see yourself out, Miss Beaumont, I have no intention of ever selling my soul and certainly not to someone like you.”

  Again, ouch. He’s really trying his hardest to get me to hate him, but I’m in this for the long game. I’m in this for Lips and for those little children out there who have a good father and need him to stay alive. “You have other siblings.”

  Blakely shrugs. “I don’t care about biker brats, I just want to be left alone.”

  It’s a gamble but one that I’d warned Lips I might have to take. “And the others? Do you care about the bastard children Grimm spawned all over the country? At what point would you be tempted into joining the family?”

  His lip curls. “I have a family. I have parents, I have a wife, I have children—I don’t need little lost siblings who have their hands out for money.”

  Right.

  Clearly this relationship building exercise is going to take action not words. That’s perfectly fine, I have enough eyes on Blakeley now that we can just swoop in to save him again and again until he falls into line.

  I really don’t want to own him.

  I just want him breathing.

  I stand up, taking a card out of my pocket and sliding it across the table. “That’s my contact number. I don’t want you in my pocket, Senator Blakeley, I want to keep you out of anyone else’s. You might not care about your lost siblings, but I do, and I’ll do anything to keep them safe. Keeping you out of danger means you can’t be held over anyone else’s head and that’s all I’m trying to do here.”

  Blakeley’s hands tighten into fists, his lip curling, and finally he looks a little bit more like a Graves. Not a lot, but there’s that fire to him that I’m so used to seeing in Lips and Nate.

  Colt has it too.

  He leans back in his chair and slowly the fire slips away until he looks more like the senator he’s supposed to be in this room. I’m expecting a brush off dismissal but his words surprise me. “I will destroy that man and everything he’s built. If you get in my way then I’ll destroy you too. You’re everything that’s wrong with this country, Miss Beaumont, and I won’t stop until you and all of the other degenerate vultures peddling drugs, guns, and women are locked up on death row where you belong.”

  Right.

  I don’t like being threatened at the best of times, but the air of superiority is just a little too much for me today. Especially since I just saved his ass at Oakridge.

  Time to leave before I have to explain to Lips that I murdered her brother but he totally deserved it.

  I stand and walk to the door, opening it before pausing again. I can’t leave without knocking him down, just a little.

  “You were very lucky, you know. Whatever sad little story you tell yourself about your start in life… you were the luckiest of the bunch. Two loving parents at home? I’m guessing they fed you, put a roof over your head, kissed your booboos, and told you how special you were? Sounds lovely. No one else got that. Not a single one of your siblings, and the things your sisters have survived? Unspeakable. I’
m here to keep you out of Grimm’s hands; you could show just a little more respect.”

  I open the door and Aodhan is still standing there waiting, his face setting like concrete the second he sees how pissed I am. I just want to get the hell out of here and away from that pretentious asshole, the type I grew up with and fucking loathed.

  Blakeley calls out to me, “Why? Why bother coming here if you didn’t want to blackmail me or use the power I hold?”

  I turn back to stare at him, Aodhan’s hand sliding into mine as he holds the door open for me. I shrug at him.

  “No one touches the Wolf… or her blood.”

  Chapter Twelve

  The warehouse is on the northern city limit in an industrial area I’ve never been before. The entire area is teeming with the Crow’s men, all of them scowling and checking people in without any of the posturing bullshit of the Jackal.

  It makes for a pleasant change.

  Illi parks us with the rest of the Twelve cars, between the Impala and a very new Bentley, and then we step out into the warm Bay night. It’s too quiet here. The stillness of the night seems unsettling when you know what it is that we’re here to do. Forty-eight nominees will come here tonight and only twenty-four will leave.

  It’s the first big cull.

  There’s two more to come and then the real fun begins.

  Lucy is waiting for us at the door, leaning against the exterior wall with a cigarette hanging out of her mouth, and I startle at the hungry look in Illi’s eyes until I realize he’s focused entirely on the smoke curling out of her mouth.

  When I giggle at him, he gives me a dark look. “I promised Odie I’d quit before the baby gets here. It’s never been so fucking hard to be a man of my word to her.”

  I shrug at him with a smile. “I’ll send you some patches, we got Morrison clean with them after his last self-destruct tour. I couldn’t stand the smell of it so Ash made him quit.”

  He shakes his head at me with a chuckle, jerking his head at Lucy to follow us into the warehouse. He’s cold and aloof with her but there’s definitely the beginnings of respect there, because there’s no way he could watch her take out someone responsible for trafficking women and girls without his opinion of her changing.