by J Bree
Illi moves to empty out the rest of the contents of the box and finds nothing but the head and the plastic sheet lining the cardboard.
Nothing.
Fuck.
Illi stares at the box with a frown over his face. I don’t like the look of that frown one bit because the same one is on my face. Fuck, he sees it too. He meets my eye and nods.
“I’ll ask around a bit more. You might want to call the Crow, or even the Coyote, see if they know what the fuck this means.”
I scowl and nod; we’re going to need the extra help. Ash frowns at me and says, “This isn’t the Jackal? It looks like a sick token of affection to me. Like he’s proving his devotion to you. I’d assume after last night he was making a stand.”
Blaise rolls bloodshot eyes around at us all. “What happened last night? Did Arbour piss him off in the meeting?”
I flush scarlet and desperately wish Illi wasn’t so fucking perceptive as he grins at Blaise. Fuck, does he know what we’d done? I need some fucking whiskey.
Illi opens his mouth and I cut him off. “He saw Harley, Ash, and I dancing after the meeting. He was watching the three of us and I have no doubt he was planning out my punishment.”
At that, the smirk melts off of Illi’s face and he snaps his gloves off. “This isn’t retaliation. This was done at least three days ago, and D’Ardo would leave a calling card. This isn’t his style. Fuck knows whose style this is, but it’s not his.”
Harley groans and curses at the ceiling. “Mounty, is there any fucking chance you could stop attracting psychos and serial killers for five fucking minutes while we dig our way out of the mountain of shit we’re already in?”
I shift my scowl over to him, sitting on the couch to rest my leg. “If I knew how I was doing it, clearly I would stop.”
Illi snickers at us both and tucks the box under his arm without a care in the world of it’s contents. “I’ll deal with this. If the rest of it shows up we might have more of an idea of who’s behind it. Stay safe, kids!”
He takes two steps towards the door and then swings back to smirk at me, his eyes fucking dancing around like he’s never been happier. Fuck.
“If you decide to indulge in anymore public frolicking, please warn me. I’ve had a few threats neutralized already this morning, little Wolf.”
I don’t think it’s possible to blush any freaking harder than I am as he laughs at me and walks out.
As the door clicks shut behind him, Avery comes out of the bathroom, her face still a little green, and slumps down next to me, eyeing the color on my cheeks critically. I tuck my arm into hers to distract her and she croaks out, “Fuck margaritas.”
Blaise is still staring between us all like he’s missing something big. I really hope that when he figures it out Avery and I aren’t around.
“I don’t like him.” Ash snaps, and I glance up to find him staring at the door Illi just exited.
Harley shrugs nonchalantly. “He grows on you. Give him time to get under your skin.”
Blaise laughs at them both quietly, like his head is still pounding and his usual raucous laughter wouldn’t be worth the pain. “Well, I don’t have a single fucking issue with the psycho. He doesn’t look at Star’s ass even in those booty shorts, he stabs people without her even having to ask him, and he gets rid of decomposing body parts with a smile. Don’t be a jealous dick and just leave him alone.”
Ash’s eyes flare and he fixes them on me. Fuck, what next? “Oh, Mounty, how could I forget? Your name was on that box.”
I tense up and throw him a stern look. His answering smile is a taunt. Fuck, I should’ve gone with a pleading look, but it’s just not my style.
“Yes, Ash, we’ve just spent the last hour discussing her crazed stalker. Have you suffered some sort of brain damage I’m unaware of?” Avery hisses and he smirks at her.
“I was referring to Lips’ middle name.”
Fuck. I glare at him and Blaise bursts out laughing. Harley looks between them and then frowns at me like this is my fucking fault. Nope, I will not feel bad that he’s practically pouting at me. No. Stay strong, Lips. Fuck.
“Ash, I would appreciate your discretion,” I grit out, overly polite because I don’t want to rage blackout and stab him for digging this hole for me. For the record, it would be justified.
“How does Blaise know it?” Avery asks sweetly, and it’s a total ruse. She might slit my throat while I’m sleeping for not telling her.
“She loves me the most!” Blaise sings and shakes his ass as he heads towards the balcony for a smoke. I stare at his ass for a second too long but, damn, he can move those hips of his.
When I look back at the others Harley is staring at Blaise like he’s planning exactly where he’s going to stab the fucker. I hold out my hands as Avery scowls at me. “He found out while I was off my head on those pain pills you gave me. I made him swear not to tell anyone because it’s fucking embarrassing and I’d rather die than ever hear it said out loud.”
Avery rolls her eyes at my dramatics, but Ash stares at me for a second longer. Something in my eyes makes him shrug. “Fine, I’ll keep it to myself.”
Avery also shrugs and smiles at Harley. “Mounty will tell me when we get home. She loves me the most.”
I squeeze my eyes shut so I don’t have to see his reaction to potentially being the only one not knowing the damn name and snap, “It’s Starbright, okay? My name is Eclipse Starbright Anderson. My mom was high and thought the moon was fucking cool and just ran with it. She didn’t give a fuck about how it would affect me for the rest of my life. Fuck, she couldn’t even stay sober long enough to get through her pregnancy or my birth, for fuck’s sake. Okay? Cool. Glad everyone is on the same fucking page. Where’s the fucking whiskey, I’m going to drink myself to death, or until I forget about it. Whichever happens first.”
The Bear calls me with his job midway through the break and I instantly know it’s going to be fucking messy.
He wasn’t lying, it will be quick, but the chances of me getting it done without one of the guys or Avery finding out and throwing a fit is pretty slim.
The outfit requirement alone is going to piss them the fuck off. They’re pretty twitchy about my ass in booty shorts, especially since all of the supervised eating has put a little meat on my bones. Harley in particular can’t seem to keep his hands away from the curve and I find myself fantasizing about what it’ll feel like to have his big hands spread me open.
I take a lot of cold showers.
After I get my brief from the Bear, I drag Avery into our shared bedroom at the hotel and give her a very basic and vague rundown of what I’m going to do. Naturally, the evil genius figures it out before I’ve even finished with the watered down sentence.
“So what you’re trying not to say is you’re going to assassinate the leader of a prominent illegal organization because he pissed the Bear off?”
Right. Well. I can’t really argue with that assessment. “Yeah. I am. Is this going to be a problem?”
Avery switches her phone on silent, I trip over my own feet in shock, and then she props her chin up on her hands and watches while I throw together a good Mounty outfit. I need to blend in.
“No problem. How many times do I have to tell you, I’m on your side. I trust that you wouldn’t be going and killing a decent person. Honestly, I don’t think I would care even if he were decent. If he’s in your way, take him out. Our family first; fuck everyone else,” she says, taking in the tiny shorts and skintight razor tee.
Fuck, I really would kill and die for this girl.
I do a full face of make up, and then cover all my visible skin in the tinted moisturizer I use to cover the tattoos to get through clubs without notice. Avery helps out with the backs of my legs and when I grab my shoes she gets up and starts digging around in my bag. When she pulls out another pair of shorts and a Vanth tee Blaise gave me I raise my eyebrows at her.
“Don’t be dense, Mounty. I’m coming
with you and we’ll tell the boys we’re having some girl time. That way they won’t try to jump in, as if you’re some kind of damsel that needs saving, to mess this up for you, and I’ll get to watch you work. There is nothing quite as satisfying as watching you destroy the male population one by one,” she says and when she pulls my clothes on I nearly choke at her transformation into a Mounty girl. Sweet lord fuck, it’s only a matter of time before some guy hits on her and I’ll have to fucking kill him too.
Yep, just a regular girls night out in the Bay.
As predicted the guys all pitch a fit when they get an eyeful of Avery and figure out what we’re doing, and she shoots them all down beautifully. She has an answer for everything and when Blaise tries to hand the keys for the Maserati over she smiles sweetly at him, waving her phone in his face.
“Mounties use Uber. I’m going to live like the locals for a night. I feel desperate already.”
Ash snorts at her, pissed at the both of us, and I step away from them before I get caught in the crossfire.
Harley hooks an arm around my waist and pulls me into his body. When he whispers in my ear, I shiver. “Promise me you’re not going somewhere dangerous, babe. Promise me it’s just a girl’s night.”
Fuck. Avery shoots me a look and I fumble to talk my way around it without lying. “I’m taking Avery on a job with me. I wouldn’t take her if I thought there was a chance it could get dangerous. Her safety is always a priority for me.”
He nods and ducks down to kiss me, his hand trailing down my back to squeeze my ass in my shorts and I shiver. “Do you have any shorts that cover more of your ass?”
I pull away, scoffing at him even as I blush. “I have to blend in. Avery’s wearing the longest ones I own, anyway, and on her long ass legs they still look indecent.”
At this, Ash levels me with a look. I freeze for a second before snapping, “What the fuck have I done? I was going to go alone!”
He turns on his heel, stalking over to the bar to find the bourbon, and we take the opportunity to leave before he changes his mind and follows us both out.
Avery sits in the Uber like she’s afraid she’ll catch a venereal disease from the seats. I send a photo of her to the guys and she snarks at me like I’m a traitor to all womankind.
It only makes me laugh harder.
The bar we’re heading to is seedy and dark, perfect to murder some asshole in.
I know the guy at the door, and a curt nod is all it takes before we’re both in. I slip a little clip of cash into his pocket as we pass and then Avery’s hand is tucked carefully into mine as we navigate our way through the room, blending seamlessly into the crowd of drunken locals.
Well, I blend in. Avery is shuddering a little too much to look local to the discerning eye, but no one here is sober enough to give her revulsion a second glance.
“That guy back there had cum stains on his shorts, Mounty.” Avery hisses and I laugh at her, pulling her along until finally we reach the bar at the back.
Stephen is one of the bartenders on tonight.
Excellent.
I catch his eye and he smiles cheerfully at me, finishing up with his customer and making his way over to me before the busty blonde helping him can piss me off. The look she’s giving Avery pisses me the fuck off before I realize she’s glaring at the Vanth shirt. Right. A priceless collector’s item.
“There’s my favorite little ass shaker! Here to dance the night away or should I be worried? Picking things up or making a mess?” Stephen says and pours me a whiskey without asking. He tilts the bottle in Avery’s direction and she nods, her eyes glued to the glaring blonde the same way you’d stare at a box of snakes.
“Making a mess, sorry. You’ll have to call your boss,” I murmur and he only smiles wider.
“Oh, he called and told me to expect you.”
He hesitates for a second, wiping a glass with a rag I hope Avery isn’t looking at, before gesturing at her. “A friend of yours?”
I nod and down my shot. “She’s with me. I’m looking out for her.”
“You know your friends are my friends, kid. I’ll keep the hoards of ravenous cock in the bar away from her while you shake that ass of yours. Have fun!” he says with a wink and I laugh at him. He pours me another shot and walks back over to the crowd of people waiting to be served.
I survey the room and find the guy I’m looking for sitting in one of the booths with two other guys. They’re talking, or more likely arguing as he shakes his head and sneers at them. I jerk my head at Stephen and he nods, grabbing a bottle of vodka and walking it over to the booth. I need the guy to pee.
“This is not what I expected. It’s a lot more… open than I thought it would be,” Avery murmurs and I shrug.
I smile at Stephen as he comes back over to the bar, the dirty rag slung over his shoulder like it’s an everyday occurrence that he helps out with a hit. Belonging to the Bear, it may well be.
“Stephen belongs to the Bear. He owns this place and is kept safe by that loyalty so he’s safe to talk to. He got the heads up and we drink for free. You’ll always drink for free here now, by the way, not that you need the hand out.”
Avery nods and downs the shot, pushing the glass away from herself to signal she’s done for the night to the bartenders. Stephen grins and slides a bottle of water down the bar to her like the sweetheart he is.
While I wait for my mark to break the seal, we get approached by no less than five guys, each wanting to fuck us both. I shut the first guy down hard and Avery sends a blow-by-blow to the group message because she secretly hates me, I’m sure. I wait for her to jump in and destroy the Mounties but she just watches and assesses my words.
When my mark finally stands as the fifth guy approaches, Avery cuts him off before he can even open his mouth. I’m relieved until I see the evil little twinkle in her eye.
“She has three cocks waiting at home; she doesn’t have anymore vacancies to fill.”
Good lord.
The guy smirks at us both and reaches for my hand, “If you like groups, baby girl, my friends and I can show you a good time—”
I break his hand, then stomp on his foot with my good leg. The thick soles of my Docs make it hard to tell if I’ve broken his foot, but the squeal that comes out of him is disgraceful.
I lean forward to speak directly in his ear, “Leave while you still have hands for me to break because one more word and I’ll cut them off, dickhead.”
He scurries away and Avery gives me her best broken glass and bleeding hearts giggle. I make a note to never give her whiskey again. Apparently even in small amounts it turns her into a smug, shit-stirring siren.
I should get that on a shirt for her.
I wait until my mark moves towards the restroom by himself and I give Avery a stern look, motioning for her to stay put. I catch Stephen’s eye, and then quickly duck behind the bar and into the store room. I’ve been here many times before and when I crouch down by the shelves, holding dusty boxes of red wine no one in the Bay will ever drink, I find my supply bag where I left it back in the summer break. There’s nothing in the bag that could lead anyone back to me, but I’ve never worried about it. Stephen would never risk answering to the Twelve by moving it; he’s just not that stupid. I make quick work of slipping my Docs off, wriggling my toes and centering myself. I don’t have much time to waste, so one last deep breath in and I let the calm Wolf settle over me.
Time to work.
I grab the latex gloves and snap them into place. There’s a plastic jumpsuit in there too, but it’ll make too much noise.
If I need to go home bloody, I will.
I push the false back out of the shelf and squeeze through the small opening, checking to make sure no one is in the toilet cubicle on the other side before pulling myself the rest of the way into the restroom. Another sweep under the stall to make sure there are no witnesses, but the cash I parted with on the way in will keep the room clear.
The men�
�s always stinks. It’s fucking foul.
My mark is on the phone at the urinal, loud and brash down the line like he’s invincible. I wait until he hangs up and his dick is safely tucked back into his pants before I step up behind him.
His eyes meet mine in the mirror and I see the exact moment he realizes he’s dead.
The hot spray of his blood over the tiles just confirms it.
I can’t get into an Uber stinking of blood.
The giant hoodie I had in my supply bag covers most of the damage and I’d scrubbed my legs clean before I’d left the restroom, but the tang of copper is overpowering where it’s stuck to me.
I should have worn the plastic jumpsuit.
Avery is calm as we sit on a busy road in the slums, waiting for the guys to come pick us up. I let my mind wander as my eyes track the cars passing us, on guard as always in the Bay.
She breaks the silence first. “That was surprisingly easy.”
It wasn’t easy; it just ran smoothly. It’s something I’ve done so many times, something I’ve studied and practiced and executed hundreds of times, so now it seems simple.
I’m too tired to explain it to her so I shrug, letting the silence fall over us again. Avery fidgets with her phone, distractedly. I watch her from the corner of my eye for a while before she scoffs at me, hesitating a little then slipping her hand in mine.
“I wore gloves, you’re safe.” I murmur, misreading her hesitance.
She shakes her head at me like I’m simple. “Harley told us about what happened after you… eliminated the threat in Haven. About how you didn’t want to be touched. I don’t want to push you if you’re not ready.”
I swallow, nodding my head. “It’s getting easier. The lines between who I was and who I am now, they’re blurring so much I think I’m just going to be the Wolf again.”
Avery smiles at me and, holy shit, rests her head on my shoulder. I can’t believe she’s willing to get that close to all of the blood.
“You’ll always be the Wolf. And we’ll always be yours.”