by Jami Gray
With obvious reluctance, Jonas stepped back, allowing Charity the room to move down to the floor, right in the middle of the damn pack of hyenas.
Tension climbed with each step she took. Only after putting distance between her and Jonas, did she finally look at Ruin. Her cool arrogance never faltered, but Ruin caught the flare of fury in her eyes before she let her lashes drift down. She shifted her attention to River Man. ‘I’m surprised you’re still breathing.’ Mockery and faux disappointment prodded him like a poker to the ass.
River Man snarled and went to lunge for her, only to be brought up short by Reznik’s raised hand and Jonas’s responding movement. It was like watching a feral dog restrained by an invisible leash.
‘Why’s that?’ Although the question seemed harmless enough, there was too much of Reznik’s inner corrosion to hide the reptilian coldness.
Charity gave him a smile wrapped in condescension and threats. ‘I heard you don’t tolerate incompetence, but maybe I misheard.’
‘You didn’t.’
‘Then—’ she circled her blade in River Man’s direction, ‘—why?’
‘You don’t throw away good tools.’
She laughed. ‘No, you don’t really believe that.’
‘I don’t?’
‘Nope. If you did, then you wouldn’t have put him in the crosshairs this morning.’ Her smirk brought to mind a cat with a mouthful of canary. ‘Granted, it does seem like an adequate repayment considering how badly he and the Raiders bungled your grand plan.’ With his up-close view of both men, Ruin watched as River Man eyed Reznik, his earlier anger shifting targets while Charity chattered on. ‘Because that was your doing, wasn’t it?’
‘You ordered the hit?’ River Man’s question lashed out, like the warning flick of a whip, completely forgetting the man at his back.
After a dismissive glance, Reznik ignored him with a careless shrug and went back to Charity. ‘Mistakes happen.’
Charity didn’t miss a beat in adding a bit more pressure to the fissure between the two. ‘Yeah, and your man and his flunkies tend to make quite a few, don’t they?’ That swung River Man’s head around, his gaze narrowed on her as she kept going. ‘I have to wonder whose decision it was to approach the Raiders because they don’t seem like your first choice when looking to shake things up.’
When that earned River Man a hard-eyed glance from Reznik, Ruin stopped worrying about Charity pressing her luck and instead started listening, realising he was watching the ‘Hound at work. The little manipulator was skilled at teasing out secrets. God knows she managed to get enough from him. Hopefully she knew her targets’ limits, otherwise, things could go sideways quick. And since she dominated centre stage, he used the respite to carefully position his body and will for any opening they got.
‘Let’s review.’ Charity began ticking off a list. ‘First, the Raiders’ hit and run approach failed to draw Fates’ Vultures far enough away to leave Crane swinging in the wind. Then the Raiders managed to lose your cargo in Crane’s front yard, which meant sending them in before you were ready. Now granted, they managed to check off one item on their to-do list, but not before they decided to improvise. Which nabbed attention from the one group you were hoping to avoid—our not-so-forgiving Vultures. It didn’t take them long to track your Raider buddies back here and start picking through the rotten meat, which turned up River Boy. And here’s where it really turns to shit.’
‘Do tell,’ murmured Reznik, apparently fascinated.
Yeah, please do. Ruin was curious as to what was holding this together for her—knowledge or guesswork. Knowing how her mind worked, probably both.
Ruin noted River Man’s face was white with fury. If Reznik didn’t keep him leashed, Charity would be gutted and breathing her last at his feet. If she wasn’t careful, that still might be the case.
‘Your man had in his possession a very valuable, influential treasure that might just help you get to where you’re going. Instead of recognising what he had, he was more interested in making a quick buck with the flesh peddlers and stroking his bruised ego.’ She shook her head with mock pity. ‘It’s so sad to see a good tool break with the first hit.’
‘You bitch.’ River Man’s voice was rough with anger.
She wagged a finger. ‘Told you to be more creative. That one is getting old.’
‘Your grasp of information is astonishing, young lady,’ Reznik cut in. ‘But I fail to see how your presence is more beneficial to me than the Vulture behind me.’
‘Well for one, I’m not bleeding out on your floor,’ she drawled.
‘I can fix that,’ River Man offered.
She ignored him, her hand going to her hip. ‘And two, my grasp of information should be damn astonishing otherwise I’m not doing my job properly.’
Ruin didn’t miss the subtle shift of Reznik’s pricey shirt as his shoulders stiffened. ‘And what job would that be?’
Her free hand lifted to her chest to touch a spot just above a bloodstain, in an exaggerated show of surprise, complete with an over dramatic flutter of eyelashes. ‘Oh, did I forget to introduce myself properly? Let me rectify that.’ She bent in a shallow mock bow, never breaking eye contact. ‘I’m Lilith’s ‘Hound.’
Ruin hid his wince as her announcement produced a momentary explosion of strangled sounds as River Man desperately tried to put words together, only to fail miserably. Reznik ignored him, his interest well and truly caught by Charity.
Meanwhile, Ruin caught the movement of Scar Face as he used the unfolding drama to creep closer to Charity. So focused on the bigger threats, Ruin worried she wouldn’t see him until it was too late. Before Scar Face could act, Reznik’s other man stepped out of the shadows to bring Scar Face to a full stop.
Reznik straightened a tailored cuff, the light winking off the cufflink. ‘That would explain how you came about your stories, but it doesn’t prove your authenticity.’
She arched a brow and matched his pompous tone. ‘What kind of proof do you require?’
A condescending smile twisted his thin lips. ‘If you’re a ‘Hound, I’m sure you can come up with something.’
‘Hmm.’ She tapped her finger against her lips as she casually moved forward, knife at her side. If you didn’t know her, you might miss the baleful light in her eyes, the one warning you were treading a dangerous path. She inched closer to the two men, who seemed to have dismissed both her and Ruin as a non-threat. A mistake, but it wouldn’t be their last. ‘Why don’t we go back a few years to when you were trying to impress the heads of New Seattle’s underworld? You held one of your flashy little gatherings, the kind meant to intimidate and impress. And doing a bang up job of it.’
Considering Reznik’s complete focus centred on her, Ruin figured the man knew exactly what she was talking about.
She didn’t wait for confirmation, simply rolled along. ‘Until a couple of grifters made the mistake of fleecing one of your private investors. Not wanting to lose face, you decided to make an example out of them. You started with the woman first. Letting your guard dogs play while her partner watched, unable to stop you or your men. You sat there, the uncrowned king of crime, and watched until her screams died with her. Then, you turned your attention to the man. You had fun with him.’
Ruin hoped he was the only one who caught the slight shake of her knife against her thigh, even as he hurt for her. She inched closer, but those around her, caught in her story, didn’t notice.
Her voice dropped into the Arctic region. ‘Since he threatened your image, no sense in letting him off lightly. Nope, you drew it out, one slice at a time, until he was nothing more than meat. Then, to be sure others would think twice before crossing your line, you dumped them both in their home. Right where everyone could be sure to see your handiwork.’ The darkness crawling through her face matched the silky menace of her voice, ‘Just as you intended, your message spread like wildfire.’ She stopped, holding his gaze. ‘Proof enough?’
He dipped his chin in acknowledgement. ‘You disagree with my actions.’
‘I disagree with a great many things you’ve done, they make me wonder.’
‘About?’
‘Why Lilith should work with you. Once upon a time, you barely tolerated the most minor of infractions. Now?’ Her shoulders shifted with negligence. ‘You seem to tolerate third rate talent.’
Ruin barely caught the move of Reznik’s hand before all hell broke loose.
Jonas, the guard at the foot of the stairs, stepped up behind River Man, yanked his head back, and with a quick, brutal swipe slit his throat. On the other side, Reznik’s silent guard caught Muddy Eyes by surprise and made quick work of slitting his throat. The only one not hampered by surprise or shock was Scar Face, who charged Charity.
Ruin jerked forward only to be pulled up short with a rattle of chain. He shook with enraged restraint, locking his muscles to not fight uselessly against his bonds. Charity was lethal as shit. The reminder pounded through him, a desperate mantra.
His gaze remained glued to the unfolding fight. Charity shifted, warned by instinct or luck, and managed to deflect Scar Face’s initial swipe. The blur of blades sent blood drops across the floor. Pain-filled hisses intermixed with grunts and growls as they parried back and forth. Scar Face was an emotional fighter. A fact made obvious when his hits failed to connect and control of the fight shifted to Charity.
The sickening dread riding Ruin’s ass backed off when he saw the opening she created. She lured Scar Face in with a deliberate feint that seemed to leave her exposed. Blinded by his fury and arrogance, the Blade Man committed to his strike only to have Charity do the unexpected—step in and slam her fist, still clutching her blade, in his chest in a devastating burst strike. She used her other hand to block, then trap his knife hand in an arm lock. She followed up with a series of debilitating elbow and knee strikes while twisting on his trapped arm. The sound of bone snapping preceded his high-pitched scream.
Scar Face dropped to his knees, head back as he screamed, his broken arm trapped in her hold. She didn’t waste time lying open his throat and then stepping back. Her chest rose and fell, but she didn’t look away as Scar Face held his gruesome kneeling position for a moment or two longer before tilting forward, ending up face down in his own blood.
‘Messy but effective.’ Reznik’s comment cut through the tension-filled aftermath and seemed to shake Charity out of a daze.
She crouched and cleaned her blade against Scar Face’s shirt before looking at Reznik. ‘I guess that’s one way to rectify your mistakes.’ She pivoted but remained in her position, her blade hand braced on her knee, her other braced on the floor behind Scar Face. ‘What’s your follow up here?’
‘My follow up?’ Reznik repeated.
She nodded, pushed to her feet, and took a step forward, only to stop when Jonas and the silent one stepped closer. Catching their movements, she gave Reznik a half-smile. ‘You finally tied up your loose ends, so what do you plan to do next?’ Her hands went to her hips. ‘Let me guess.’ She caught her lower lip with her teeth, tilted her head to the side, and pretended to ponder. ‘Ah! I know.’ She dropped the insolent pose. ‘You’re going to offer me something in return for my glowing recommendation to Lilith.’
There was nothing but evil in Reznik’s chuckle, and the sound made Ruin’s balls shrivel. ‘Oh no, dear. That’s too easy.’
Charity barely blinked, simply continued to watch.
‘Did you think I’d miss your little longing glances at what’s hanging here?’ The cold-hearted bastard made a tsking sound, then came over to eye Ruin, giving Charity his back. He turned back around and faced her. Even though he stood in front of Ruin, he was smart enough to leave a couple of feet between them.
Charity’s gaze shifted to Ruin and he caught a shadow of regret, there and gone, but her eyes were hard when they travelled back to Reznik. ‘You think I’m tangled up with him?’
‘You’re not the only one with access to information.’ Reznik pivoted so he could see Ruin and Charity at the same time. Then he motioned to Jonas who came up on Ruin’s left. ‘Add in the dishevelled state of the bedroom at the Lodge, and I’m going to have to go with—how did you put it?—oh yes, that you are well and truly tangled up with him.’ He faced Charity. ‘So I think it’s best if I send Lilith my condolences on the tragic loss of her ‘Hound, who was lost in the crossfire when River Man betrayed me.’ Like magic, his face took on a charming sincerity, if you ignored the flat eyes. ‘I was so impressed with her attempt to protect me, I had to personally deliver the news.’
‘Oh, Reznik,’ Charity purred. ‘You’re such a man.’
Reznik flushed. Guess he didn’t like her dismissal of his threat. ‘Excuse me?’
She moved, and when his silent guard dog stepped over Muddy Eyes’ body, she stopped and lifted both hands, her right still holding her blade, even as she shook her head. ‘Torture isn’t always necessary to get what you want. Haven’t you heard? You get more bees with honey than vinegar. I can be sickeningly sweet when I need to.’ Her shoulders rose in a graceful shrug. ‘Besides, sometimes a girl has to have a little bit of fun.’
For a moment Reznik studied her, an obvious attempt to gauge the truth of her reaction. Even Ruin, who knew it for a lie, couldn’t stop his niggle of doubt. He fought to hide the raging storm as Reznik looked at him, his creepy ass gaze roaming over Ruin, before turning back to Charity. He gave a sigh and moved towards her. ‘Well then, we’ll just tidy up one more loose end then, shall we?’
It was the opening he needed. Ruin gripped the chain, and ignoring the pain threatening to white out his vision, drew up his legs and kicked out. He didn’t expect to hit Reznik, he just needed the distraction so Charity could act. Warned by Jonas’ shout, Reznik stumbled away from Ruin, putting him within Charity’s reach. Except she wasn’t looking at Reznik, her attention focused on Jonas who was lunging for Ruin, her back to the silent guard on her other side.
A roar erupted from the staircase just as her knife flew through the air and sank into Jonas’ shoulder, sending him stumbling back. It was enough to jerk him off course and allowed the small mountain barrelling down the stairs to tackle him to the floor. Fury whipped through Ruin, as he struggled against the damn chains, desperate to get free. The silent guard dog took a now weaponless Charity to the floor. Then he lost sight of them as in front of him, Reznik turned, his face twisted into a nightmare, his lips drawn back from his teeth as he headed for Ruin.
Vicious joy lit Reznik’s features as Ruin continued to struggle, twisting and turning. Reznik stalked forward, dodging Ruin’s kicks. When a line of fire seared across his leg, Ruin realised Reznik had a blade of his own. It fucking figured. He tried to time his kick to avoid being hamstrung, but his strength was quickly taking a hike.
‘I’m going to enjoy gutting you,’ Reznik taunted.
Ruin stopped his movements, and leant forward, ignoring the bite of strained muscles. ‘Bring it, asshat.’
Reznik’s growl was cut short and he stopped mid-step, his eyes widening in shock. Ruin didn’t bother stopping his fierce grin as a familiar face appeared over Reznik’s shoulder. ‘Actually I’m going to enjoy gutting you,’ Vex growled, then she jerked her blade up along his spine, a move Ruin recognised by Reznik’s jerky dance. To add insult to injury, she put her boot in Reznik’s ass and sent the crime lord stumbling face first at Ruin’s feet. Stepping over him, she took in Ruin’s battered appearance. ‘I leave you alone one fucking day and look at the mess you’re getting into.’
‘Leave me and help Charity,’ he growled trying to see what was happening behind Vex.
His beloved, but irritating twin, ignored him. ‘She’ll be fine.’
Unfamiliar emotions made him irrational and he snarled, ‘She threw her fucking knife away!’ And sacrificed herself to save him. He wasn’t sure what to do with that. Later. He’ll deal later. After he turned Charity’s ass red for scaring the shit out of him.
Busy working the chain’s lock, Vex turned her head to look back. ‘Well, looks like she found another one, so chill.’ She turned back and braced him with an arm around his waist as the lock gave way.
He gritted his teeth, forced his legs to hold his weight, and tried to wrench free of Vex. ‘Let me go, dammit.’
Vex’s hands caught his face. ‘Fucking chill, brother.’ Seeing the miasma of worry and love, he stilled and held her gaze. ‘Please, Ruin.’ The last was so soft he almost missed it. He closed his eyes, dropped his forehead to hers and let her brace him while he fought to find his footing.
On his second breath he lifted his head and heard, ‘Ruin?’
Vex turned, keeping her arm at his waist, but finally letting him see beyond her. And when he saw his bloodstained blonde upright and shuffling towards him, he could barely get her name around the choking tightness in his throat. ‘Charity?’
Then she was there, her hands busy running over every cut and bruise, her gaze frantic, her voice higher than normal. ‘You’re okay, right?’
‘Yeah, babe, I’ll be fine.’ He lifted his bound hands and dropped them over her shoulders, pulling her close despite the various protests his body gave. He needed to feel her in his arms, just for a minute. She settled against him, her face pressed against his chest, her arms slipping around him low in deference to his ribs. He rested his cheek against her sweat-dampened hair and found Vex watching them with a rare, soft smile, one he hadn’t seen in years. ‘Thanks,’ he mouthed.
Vex rolled her eyes, cleared her throat, and glowered. ‘You okay if I let your little girlfriend hold you up? I need to make sure Havoc’s done playing.’
The two women shifted around him, stepping over Reznik’s body as Charity took Vex’s position and began unwrapping the chain from his wrists. Vex didn’t have to go far because Havoc came over. A bruise darkened his cheek and a cut marred his forearm. ‘Finished.’
‘Good.’ Vex took in the carnage-strewn room, hands propped on her hips. ‘Well, that was fun. We should do this more often.’