Den of Mercenaries: Volume Two

by Miller, London

  “Do you even give a shit that you’re hurting her? You get that, don’t you?”

  No, he understood that very well.

  He just didn’t know any other way of being.

  “If you’re done …”

  He didn’t look as if he was remotely finished, but Winter was back, looking among the three of them with narrowed eyes as if she sensed the growing agitation.

  “Here,” she said, offering him the small bag she carried.

  Synek offered a soft thanks before peeking inside, finding his smokes and a rubber band wrapped around a freshly printed passport, license, and an assortment of other identifications should he need them.

  “I will call Red to see if you talked to him,” she warned, “so don’t think you’re going to walk out of here and that’ll be the end of it.”

  He knew she would, not that it mattered.

  Because once he walked out of this loft, he had no intention of ever stepping foot back inside.

  Chapter 12

  No one knew about the apartment Synek kept in the Bronx.

  He rarely, if ever, stepped foot inside it since he’d rented it. He only made sure the rent and bills were paid for the year in case he ever came back. The security in hotels was shit, and it wasn’t hard at all to find at least one person willing to accept a bundle of cash in exchange for a room number and access—he’d learned that the hard way once in Canada.

  Instead, Synek had found a little rundown spot in desperate need of repair that wouldn’t attract too much attention. Probably why he enjoyed the Hall as much as he did. To the untrained eye, it looked like nothing but crumbling brick and overgrown weeds.

  He saw the bones, though. The character.

  Mumbling thanks to the driver who’d pick him up outside the loft, he slid from the back seat, jogging down the front steps to his door. Digging out his keys, he winced as his still sensitive knuckles brushed over the denim.

  He’d undersold it to Winter earlier. He still felt like shit, and probably would for another few weeks at least. Years of practice kept him standing upright, but he wasn’t at full strength just yet, and if he intended to take care of his Wraith problem, he had to push through it.

  Inside the apartment, he tossed his keys on the kitchen counter, slowly making his way through the living room to make sure nothing was out of place—not that there was much to see in that regard. It had been at least thirteen months since he’d last been here, and the place had the stale scent that came from being closed off for a while. Nothing an open window and a can of air freshener couldn’t fix.

  There was no furniture in the apartment save a small but stained coffee table and an old beat-up couch that looked like it belonged in a trash bin instead of being someone’s bed, but of all the places in the world where he’d slept, Synek had yet to find anything that topped the ratty old thing he’d found years ago outside a store having a going-out-of-business sale.

  Stripping out of his clothes, Synek tossed them on the floor, walking naked into his bathroom. He bypassed the mirror entirely. He already knew he was a mess—he didn’t need his reflection to tell him that.

  He cut on the water in the bathtub, pulling the stopper up to cut on the shower. He didn’t bother waiting for the water to heat before he stepped inside, closing his eyes as the freezing water slammed into his back, but it was an agony he enjoyed.

  Goose bumps broke out on his skin, making him more aware of each stinging droplet. He rolled his shoulders, stretched his arms, and sighed in relief as the temperature finally rose, turning from freezing cold to scalding hot.

  Synek stood there for a long while, letting the heated water soothe his aching muscles until he was relaxed enough to move with minimum pain. By the time he was back out again with a towel around his shoulders and his legs encased in black denim, his aches were a distant memory.

  From the closet of the bedroom, he lifted a trunk off the top shelf, carrying it back out into the living room where he dropped it on the table and sunk onto the cushions of the couch.

  He dug around the pocket of his leather jacket for the pack of cigarettes he had tucked away, along with his trusty Zippo lighter. Once the nicotine was burning in his lungs and the wash of calm that came after coursed through him, he was ready to start.

  Inside the trunk was everything he had on the Wraiths.

  Names.

  Dates.

  Locations.

  Everything.

  Funny that he’d thought of throwing it all out once he’d finally gotten shot of them and joined the Den. Some memories weren’t worth holding, and the arrogant side of him had always thought he’d never have a reason to use any of it since he was good with a knife.

  But that wasn’t good enough.

  He needed to make them answer for what they did.

  His mind demanded it.

  They’d spilled his blood, and now, it was his turn to do the same.

  But he wouldn’t just stop at Johnny or Rosalie. He had something for all of them.

  When he’d hung from the wall, Rosalie had thought they had him at a disadvantage, that the pain he suffered would warp his mind worse than it already was, but they’d forgotten that pain also made him focus.

  Out of the trunk, he pulled three files—the only three he would need for what he had planned. Across the top were their names.

  Rosalie.

  Johnny.

  Bear.

  As he dragged in another lungful of smoke, he tossed the files down beside him before reaching for the bag he’d had at the loft. There was one more he needed.

  After he plucked the manila folder from inside, he flipped it open, his gaze drawn to the picture clipped to the documents inside.

  Iris.

  It was a candid shot, one Winter had captured from a traffic camera two weeks ago—something he’d asked her to do nearly the second he’d woken up at the loft after they’d come for him.

  Then, his only concern was making sure he paid her back tenfold for her part in his capture, but after a conversation with Winter nearly a week ago, his plans had changed.

  He’d thought Winter and the Romanians found him through some sort of tracking only Winter could manage, and though that was part of it, it had ultimately been because Iris agreed to give them his location.

  But only after Winter agreed to give her information on Governor Michael Spader.

  What were the odds she wanted information about the man he’d been tasked with getting information from?

  It seemed it wasn’t just the Wraiths he wasn’t finished with.

  With everything Winter had gathered on her, it would make tracking her easier.

  She was getting a visit first.

  *

  After dropping her equipment next to her desk once she arrived back home hours later, Iris headed into her bathroom, washing her face free of makeup and changing out of her jeans for a pair of yoga pants.

  When she looked in the mirror, she almost didn’t recognize who stared back at her. She looked more tired than usual due to the long nights spent analyzing and poring over everything Winter had given her, comparing it to what she already knew. That, combined with making sure she stayed off the Wraiths’ radar, she was bone-tired and couldn’t wait to get to bed most nights.

  Considering the damage the Wild Bunch wrought rescuing Synek, there was still a chance they were recovering from that, but sooner than later, they would come back around—she just had to make sure she was gone before they did.

  Iris pulled the rubber band from her hair as she hit the light switch and stepped back out of the bathroom, massaging the tension in her scalp away as she eyed her bed, but the farther she walked into her bedroom, the more something felt … off.

  As far as she could see from where she was standing, her apartment was empty. The windows allowed enough light to bleed in that she could see most of the space with one turn of her head. Nothing was out of place.

  The sheets on her bed were still rumpled fr
om her restless sleep this morning.

  Papers still lay in disarray across her desk and along the floor in front of it.

  Old food containers she needed to throw out were still open on the coffee table.

  Fine.

  Everything was fine.

  Yet she was still cautious as she took a step forward, walking quickly to her front door and making sure the lock was turned before engaging the deadbolt.

  She was about to turn when a voice whispered in her ear, “Do you know what I was before the Wraiths got me?”

  Synek.

  She spun, but there was no chance to move any farther as his hands suddenly came up to grip her upper arms, shoving her back against the door.

  It was completely irrational, considering his tight hold on her and the fact that he had even managed to get into her apartment without her realizing, but the first thing she noticed about him was how tired he looked. Like staring at a reflection of herself.

  He was a shade heavier than he’d been weeks ago, his pale skin still paler than usual, but the weight loss brought out the contours of his face, making his cheekbones almost appear stark.

  Belatedly, she realized he’d asked her a question, but he didn’t need a response from her before he was holding something up for her to see.

  Her wallet.

  “I was a pickpocket.”

  She instinctively reached for her jeans pocket, forgetting she had changed out of them. “That’s not possible,” she muttered, even as she stared at the evidence in his hand. “How?”

  “You were looking for the Wraiths, but you weren’t looking for me.”

  He wasn’t wearing black, she realized as she looked at him.

  Now, he was in a white T-shirt with a hoodie and light jean jacket over the top. Though his boots were the same as he’d worn the first time they’d met, his jeans were gray with slashes in the knees.

  Her eye was trained to notice dark clothing and leather and chains. If she saw him out on the street, she wouldn’t have looked twice at him.

  “Go on then,” he said, drawing her attention back up to his face. “Beg for your life.”

  A part of her wanted to, but her pride made her tilt her chin up. “I won’t beg you for anything.”

  “Not even if it meant sparing your life?”

  She didn’t respond—she let her silence talk for her.

  “I’ve thought about this moment every day since I woke up in that goddamn room. Pictured it a thousand different ways, but I didn’t think it would be this easy.” He shook his head as if disappointed in her. “I thought you’d at least put up a fight.”

  “If you’re going to kill me, I’m not going to give you the satisfaction of my fear too.”

  “Then give me a reason I shouldn’t,” he said, surprising her.

  “I saved your life.”

  “Bullshit. You tricked and drugged me.”

  “And eventually helped you escape.”

  “They tortured me,” he said savagely, the sudden change in demeanor making her breath catch as her real fear slithered down her spine.

  “I’m …” She didn’t have a response to that. She knew very well what they had done to him in the few days they’d had him locked away. “Sorry.”

  Her answer seemed to surprise him, but she hadn’t lied. She was sorry he’d been tortured. She was even sorry she had a hand in it at all, especially knowing what she did now.

  Synek released her arms, but he didn’t step away. “Not yet, you’re not. But we’ll get there. Tell me, why are you interested in Governor Spader.”

  Iris tensed. “None of your business.”

  “If I’m asking about it, I’m obviously making it my business.”

  “The better question is why are you?”

  Though she had a feeling she already knew the answer to that.

  The day Synek caught her, she hadn’t thought he would hesitate in killing her for what she had done to him, but considering he was standing here, had hardly hurt her in any way, and seemed to want to carry on a conversation, he wasn’t here to kill her.

  She’d suspected the Kingmaker had some interest in the governor and that was why he was there that day—though she hadn’t seen him anywhere near the man since—and now that she knew Synek worked for him, that had to be the reason he hadn’t harmed her.

  “Are you going to answer my question?”

  “Not in this lifetime or the next.”

  She thought she saw a ghost of a smile before he said, “That was the agreement, wasn’t it?” he asked. “If you gave Winter my location, she would give you what she had on the governor.”

  Of course.

  She hadn’t thought that their arrangement would ever be shared, but now his interest made more sense.

  “Still none of your business.”

  “You were willing to let me go free and risk the fucking wrath of the Wraiths for information on him. That means he’s important to you.”

  “Do you really want me to repeat myself?”

  “You don’t have to. I’ll find out eventually.”

  Not if she could help it. She’d gone every day for eight years without mentioning to anyone what had happened to her father and who the men were that were responsible. She didn’t plan to spill her secrets to anyone, let alone a man who sought revenge against her.

  “Let’s go.”

  “Wait, what? I’m not going anywhere with you.”

  “You say that like you have a choice in the matter,” he said, while glancing toward her front door. “In case you haven’t caught on, dove, you don’t.”

  Dove.

  She hadn’t appreciated the nickname when they were at the Hall, and now was definitely not the time, but it still made a small, foolish part of her blush.

  “Why would I go anywhere with you?”

  “Because you won’t last another week without me. You think the Wraiths ain’t out looking for you now? I can promise you they are.”

  “They don’t know where I live.”

  “Yeah, I didn’t know either.”

  Yet here he stood.

  “I don’t—”

  “Shh.”

  “Did you just shush me?”

  He placed his hand over her mouth, but before she could get worked up about it, she finally heard what made him go still in front of her.

  Footsteps in the hallway, then the subtle scratch of tools that was as familiar to her as breathing.

  “The Wraiths aren’t finished with you yet.” When her gaze shifted to her desk where her gun was resting, he noticed and said, “You won’t need it.”

  “Why not?” She doubted they would be willing to talk, let alone listen to whatever she thought to say.

  “Because I’m not drugged this time.”

  She couldn’t think of a reply good enough for that pointed remark, so instead, she remained silent.

  “Besides,” he said as he stepped backward, pulling out his own weapon from the waistband of his jeans and quickly twisting on the silencer. “I’ve called dibs.”

  Again, she was reminded that he hadn’t come here to hurt her. He obviously had a gun on him, and undoubtedly had a few knives tucked away, yet he had never reached for any one of them while talking to her.

  She wished she knew what to make of that.

  “What does that even mean?”

  “It means that until I decide what I’m going to do with you,” he said as he trapped her in place with his gaze, “you’re mine.”

  Iris really didn’t like the sound of that.

  Chapter 13

  She’d spent years ensuring that she kept her life—what little there was of it—separate from the Wraiths. She parked well away from the clubhouse, sometimes drove twenty minutes out of the way, and had even used a number of different aliases to cover her tracks, yet in the span of a month, Synek had managed to disrupt everything.

  Though she wanted to tell him she didn’t need him, and the little fact that she didn’t think there
were strictly pure intentions behind him wanting to keep her alive, Iris didn’t have a choice. Her back was against the wall, and they both knew it.

  “I need five minutes,” she said, looking from the door, then back at him.

  “You have two.”

  She didn’t waste time arguing with him. Instead, she turned on her heel and walked back into her bedroom and over to the closet. From behind a panel in the back, she removed her go-bag—a bookbag already packed with everything she would need in case she ever had to leave this place in a hurry.

  The only thing she would regret not being able to take with her were the images tacked up on the wall. Sure, she had a flash drive with backups of everything she needed, but she would miss the visual aspect of it.

  But the pictures weren’t worth her life.

  Nothing in her apartment was.

  Slinging the backpack on, she grabbed her favorite boots from the floor and tugged them on, giving the room one last cursory glance before standing again. She readied to speak again, but one look at Synek had her swallowing whatever she thought to say back down.

  She hadn’t gotten the chance to see him when he wasn’t trying to charm her jeans off or suffering from torture. She hadn’t realized how intense he could get when he focused. It went beyond just holding a gun and waiting for someone to show their face so he could shoot.

  He was poised, using the edge of the wall as a buffer. She could see the tension in his shoulders—how it looked like he had hardly taken a breath in the seconds it had taken her to grab what she needed.

  Synek had been intense when he had her backed against a wall, but he had still been loose-limbed. Probably because he hadn’t perceived her as a threat.

  Disregarding his remark that she wouldn’t need her gun, she hurried over and grabbed it, checking the clip before sliding it back into place. When she turned, she saw Synek watching her.

  “What?”

  “D’you even know how to use that?”

  “Of course.”

  “Wraiths teach you?”

  “No, my—”

  She stopped just short, realizing what he’d been doing. The smile on his face told her she was right. She would have to be more careful around him.