by J Bree
How could drinking and sex compare to total world domination?
“There’s still time to plan tomorrow. I’ll even help out with it, I’ve met half the fucking Bay already. I’ll know whoever you need me to know.”
I slide me phone into the pocket of my blazer as the lights of the Bay slower start to get less reliable the closer we get to the docks. There’s a reason this area is called the slums, the city doesn’t exactly care about this place.
“Have you met Colt or Chance Graves? Or Grimm? They’ve all spent time here before and Illi has met Colt a few times. They’re all on my list.”
Jack groans. “We’ve met them and I hope that list of yours is a hit list.”
Aodhan gives him a look in the rearview mirror. “They’re the Wolf’s blood, you might wanna shut the fuck up.”
Jack shrugs and it’s a little suicidal, like he’s kind of hoping that speaking like this will end it all for him.
“Colt is… fuck, he’s not so bad. He’s a biker and the whole lot of them are fucking assholes but he’s got a line. He’s not like Grimm, he’s good enough, I guess. Chance is another story.”
Illi has said as much.
Chance sent his brother down here instead of himself to die at the Butcher’s hands. It sounds exactly like something Joey would do and we’ve been careful about making sure the guys don’t hear too much about him until we decide what we’re doing about these siblings of Lips’.
Ash for one will gut him without second thought if he is a threat to Lips.
Harley and Blaise would too but after living with Joey for so long and having his hands tied by Senior, there’s no way Ash would ever let it come to that again.
The problem is we need to be sure about him before we do anything.
“Grimm’s a piece of shit. I wouldn’t go after him unless you’ve got the fire power and his death is a sure thing,” Aodhan says, a frown on his face as he pulls into the parking lot.
He cuts the engine but none of us move.
He stares out of the windshield for a minute before finally he sighs and says, “Look, there’s something else you need to know about Grimm if you’re digging around in his shit. He’s trying everything he can to infiltrate the Unseen and take them out. He’s sure they put a hit out on him and he’s fucking insane about it.”
I tilt my head at him. This is news. “How do you know that? What hit?”
He unbuckles his seatbelt and runs a hand over his face. “I’ve spent a lot of time at the fishing dock, further up the coast. I’ve heard a lot over the years and the Demons like to hang out up there, it’s far enough away from the Unseen that they can party up there after they blow shit up. Well, one of the things I heard is that the Devil is stalking Grimm. He’s killed dozens of Demons, probably fucking hundreds over the years, and Grimm thinks the Unseen have paid him to do it.”
I swallow and keep my face carefully blank.
There’s only a handful of people who know about Nate and Poe, we voted and decided to keep it that way for now. Poe is fifteen and she lives too far away for us to just get it out there about the blood ties.
What if someone came after her thanks to Lips?
None of us could live with that and, worse, what would happen if Nate lost his most beloved little sister, the anchor that has kept him in some sort of sanity for his entire adult life?
Absolutely not.
“Right. So do you think the Unseen put the hit out? Why does Grimm think so?”
Aodhan unbuckles my seatbelt for me and Jack climbs out from the back. “The Unseen didn’t put the hit out. No one but God and the Beaumonts could afford his prices.”
The warehouse looks the same as the last time we were here for the meeting.
Still too many people packed in and even without the strict dress code the girls are barely covering themselves. There’s more than a few of the Viper’s guys walking around shirtless, their tattoos on show like some kind of badge of honor. I slipped my blazer on as I got out of the Impala so my own tattoo is covered so even when the blacklight hits me there aren't any signs of my allegiance showing.
It doesn’t matter.
Everyone knows who I am and they all for sure know who Aodhan is.
I startle when he takes my hand, threading our fingers together in a way that makes my heart squeeze in my chest. We haven’t spoken about what happened in the Jackal’s lair, not once, but I also don’t want to think about him treating me like I’m made of glass. He hasn’t so far but something has shifted between us now that my family has left town.
The crowd parts for us but it feels different from the last time I came to a party down here. The Stag has the respect of the Mounties because he’s a member of the Twelve but has none of the renown of the Wolf. He doesn’t have the Butcher on his side.
He’s not hiding in the shadows waiting to slit your throat.
He has the name but not the reputation yet and infamy takes time to establish. I’ve been thinking about it a lot over the last few weeks, about what would be most useful to us and what gaps there are now amongst the Twelve that we could capitalize on.
Money isn’t an issue but we have to run the Game again and I don’t want some newcomer to mess with the peace we’ve found for ourselves.
“A cocktail or a wine? They’re probably all shit, any chance you drink straight spirits?” Jack says, leading the way over to the bar.
Aodhan grins at someone we pass tipping his head and I glance over to find some guy waving at him from across the bar. We’re surrounded by Mounties and I think if it were a little less deafening in here, I’d hear the panties hit the ground around us at the cheeky grin on his handsome face. There are more than a few glares from girls around us when they see our linked hands and I fight the urge to roll my eyes.
I was hoping to be done with the catty bullshit when high school ended.
“A margarita please and in a clean glass, Jack, make sure it’s clean before you watch them pour.”
He salutes me and Aodhan helps me onto one of the bar stools, his body covering me like he thinks I’m about to be shot at. It’s ridiculous and I try to relax a little so he’ll relax around me as well.
When I made the decision to come out for the night, I also decided to have a good time with people I think just might be my friends. The hand holding has changed things slightly but still, I want to have a fun night.
Aodhan slides onto the bar stool besides me, grinning and tipping his head at someone else behind us.
I side-eye him, channeling Lips because no one side-eyes boys bullshit better than her thanks to all of her practice. “Is there anyone down here you don’t know?”
Jack slides drinks towards us both and then stalks off, sharing a look with Aodhan before he goes.
What’s that about?
“I’m not sure you can talk, Queenie, your black book is overflowing.”
I inspect my glass before I take a sip. The margarita is strong, all drinks in the Bay are, and I hold my wince in. “It’s not though. Not with the people we need at the moment and that’s on my to-do list as well.”
He smirks at me and downs his glass, whiskey neat just like Lips, and then nods his head at the bartender for another one. The guy doesn’t blink at the fact he has a member of the Twelve here drinking which says either Aodhan is here often or the bartender has been around for a lot of meetings.
“We’re supposed to be enjoying the night without thinking about work. Come dance with me.”
I look at him over the rim of my glass. “Why?”
He huffs and leans in close to my ear. “Because I’m sick of seeing you hide away. You’re more powerful than anyone except the Wolf herself. Why are you hiding behind your brother when you could take the power for yourself? Come dance and forget about it all.”
I huff at him but out comes that grin of his again and I tip my head back to down the last of the glass with nothing but practiced ease. I might not drink like the guys did during high school
but I’m no stranger to a good cocktail.
Not that I’d call this one good.
It’s passable and the glass was clean so it’ll do.
“Atta girl. Do you want some shots before we head out there? Have you ever danced in the Bay? Fuck, those heels might not work out.”
I shrug and take the new margarita, downing the entire glass in one go. The grin on Aodhan’s lips turns into a cackle. “Good to see the Wolf taught you how to survive down here, Queenie.”
I set the glass back down on the bar and lean into him, his eyes dropping down to the slash of deep red across my lips. “Well? Show me how Mounties dance, O’Cronin.”
He grunts a little under his breath and slides off of his seat, his hands wrapping around my hips and pulling me into his body. I tip my head back to look up at him and I don’t care that we’re in public. I don’t care that we’re both infamous here, that there isn’t a person in the crowded bar area who doesn’t know exactly who we both are and how we met.
They might think they know but they don’t.
Even Lips doesn’t know and there’s something intimate about that, something about our relationship that’s just for us. I’ll tell her everything eventually… she’s my family and my closest confidant, but for now I just want to figure out what this all means to the two of us.
I try not to think about Atticus and what he’d think of this. He was willing to give me up so why would I think about his opinions?
Aodhan takes my hand and leads me into the crowd without kissing me but I can feel the tension build between us, like it’s hanging there and waiting for one of us to cross the line.
I can’t dance Mounty style, my hips definitely don’t move like Lips’ do no matter how hard she’s tried to teach me, and the heels don’t make things easy but I’ve done enough years of dance and with two margaritas warming my blood I can make it work. Aodhan doesn’t seem to care that my style isn’t the usual dirty grind he’s probably used to, his hands stay on my hips and he keeps dragging me back against him until I think that maybe this entire night has been planned, that he showed up to my house to drag me out here to have some fun and wreak havoc on my body and soul.
I think I’m going to fuck Aodhan.
A hand clamps down over my arm and jerks me away from his body. Aodhan snarls but when he looks up he pauses a little.
Chapter Three
I don’t have to look up to know who it is, the smell of his cologne and the feel of his hand on my skin like a brand is enough for me.
“What the hell are you doing bringing her here? Are you fucking insane?”
The alcohol is still thrumming through my system, warming my blood up and loosening me up, so I laugh at him.
Once again, Atticus Crawford is here to wrap me up in cotton wool and protect me from living my life.
I might be just a little tipsy but I remember not to use his name. “Stag, I’m getting another drink. Is Jack there? I need another margarita.”
I step away from them both only to find Luca waiting behind Atticus. He grins and holds out an arm to me.
I don’t want to but I don’t want to listen to Atticus scold me like a child either so I huff and take it.
“What a lovely surprise, Miss Beaumont. Let me help you out to the car.”
I shake my head but he pulls me along with him anyway. “I’m staying here with my friends. I’m having a good night.”
Luca doesn’t stop, he just nods and coos at me under his breath as though I’m drunk enough not to realize he’s walking me out of the warehouse.
I’ve had two fucking drinks and I don’t want to leave.
“I should warn you that I’m armed and not in the mood to ask again,” I say, and he stops with the cooing but doesn’t slow his steps down at all.
“I get that but the Crow also isn’t in the mood and finding you down here tonight might have just sent him off the rails. He’s already stretched pretty thin.”
There are men dressed in black suits everywhere now and pulling a knife on Luca now would only risk getting me hurt.
I don’t want to think about what Aodhan would do if that happened, or if Lips caught wind of it, so I walk out with him. I still have my phone and I’ll just call my Mounty if I need to. I don’t want to but I can.
I get marched out of the building and into the parking lot. The night air is warm, too warm for the blazer I’m wearing thanks to the dancing, and I’m sure I look like a mess. I don’t really care all that much about what people think of me but this is not how I wanted my night to end.
I’m reconsidering stabbing Luca when a voice calls out to us both, “Get your hand off of her before you fucking lose it. Fuck, you might lose it anyway, I’m not in the mood for dealing with political bullshit.”
Oh thank God.
I turn to find Illi leaning against Atticus’ car, a cleaver already in his hand and a savage smirk across his face.
Luca stops but his arm stays around my waist. “It’s none of your business, Butcher, why don’t you head out to find some chump to bleed out?”
Illi straightens up. “I have, dickhead. Any last words before I ruin your fucking suit?”
I hate this.
I hate that I’m still just the fucking pawn to be fought over.
I get out my phone.
“What’s happened? Illi hasn’t called, I’ll get him on the line.”
I huff. “He’s here. I was drinking and dancing with A—I mean, the Stag and then the Crow showed up and beat his chest because I’m too fucking delicate to dance at a party. I think Illi might cut Luca’s head off. Has he done that before? I assume he knows what he’s doing but probably not good for our alliances if he does.”
There’s a pause and then Lips swears under her breath. “The first fucking night we’re away. Let me call Atticus and ream him. You’re allowed to fucking live.”
There’s a crunching sound and then Atticus says from behind us, “Get in the car, Avery.”
I refuse to turn back and look at him so I miss Aodhan arriving and taking him to the ground in a single move, Luca cursing under his breath and finally letting me go so he can help out his boss. I can hear the struggle and the sounds of fighting but I don’t so much as glance behind me.
I ignore them all and look up at Illi.
“Take me home. I’m done with this bullshit.”
I wake up before my alarm clock and just lay there in bed staring at the perfect white of my ceiling.
There are at least a dozen things I could be doing right now that aren’t lying here moping. It goes beyond just looking into the Graves siblings for Lips, I’ve been thinking about filling up my manipulation roster with senators and FBI agents now that I’m out of high school and our family might need bigger hitters in times of need.
I also don’t want to have to call Atticus for everything.
I can’t keep relying on him for everything and if he really is intent on giving me up then I’d like to cut all ties with him. The fact that he’s another member on the Twelve and someone who may be a danger to Lips in the future means that unless he’s voted into the family then he’s a risk.
I can’t let my heart get one of us killed.
I’m not saying I’ll be able to let my love for him go… I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to do that. Loving Atticus Crawford is so ingrained in me that it’s now instinctual. I think I could give up breathing easier than giving him up and, though he refuses to do anything about it, I know he feels the same way. There’s something inside of me that recognizes that in him.
But loving Atticus doesn’t mean that I can’t live a fulfilling and great life without him. Watching Lips and the guys navigate their poly life has taught me just how much you can love multiple people and all I have to do is look at Aodhan to know that maybe that’s possible for me. The things that happened in the Jackal’s lair…
I can’t think about that.
Not without ruining my day and spiraling into a pit of despair and
self-loathing. I’ve never hated myself before that moment and it doesn’t matter how many times Aodhan has reassured me since we were rescued, I can’t shake the feeling that now I’m a monster.
I’ve lost my moral high ground and for someone who has based all of my actions on being better than others, this is fucking hard.
I’m better than Senior because I use my manipulation to protect not kill.
I’m better than Joey because I would never let my father use me to hurt my brother.
I’m better than the girls at Hannaford because they only care about their social standing so it will give them all the riches in the world. I care about using it to stay alive and protect what’s mine.
I’m better than the Jackal because I’m alive. I won.
I check my phone and find a stream of messages both in and out of the group text. Lips is worried, Ash is furious, Blaise is making jokes, and Harley is sending me photos of Aodhan’s black eye thanks to Jack’s photography skills.
I wonder how Atticus is looking this morning.
I get up and take a long shower. I scrub myself raw, washing out my hair and brushing my teeth twice like that will somehow help the situation I’ve found myself in. Then after I’m dry, I moisturize everything, blow dry my hair, curl it, pin it up to perfection, and dress in something that makes me feel as though I can eviscerate my enemies without second thought.
Alexander McQueen is excellent for that.
I’m downstairs fixing myself a coffee when the security sensors Jackson set up before we moved in are tripped and I move over to the security monitor that’s tucked away in my butler’s pantry.
I sigh at the sight of the Rolls Royce but it turns into a giggle at the sight of the black eye Atticus is now sporting. Serves him right for ruining my night.
My phone buzzes.
I’m on my way.
I send Illi a quick stand down message and then I turn my phone on silent before tucking it into my pocket, running a hand down the sharp lines of my jacket. If there’s anyone I would want to see today wearing these clothes then Atticus would be it.