Play the Game: Hannaford Prep Year Three

by J Bree

I let my eyes continue their path around the room when I spot Avery and the man with his arms around her waist, holding her against his chest.

  My heart stops in my chest.

  I scramble to grab Ash’s arm, tugging to get his attention, and he frowns when he sees my face.

  “Who is that with Avery?” I croak and he jerks to look in the same direction I am.

  “That’s Atticus. Fuck, Mounty, you scared me. I thought she was being fucking attacked by the look on your face.” He snaps, and I glance away from the horror in front of me.

  “Blaise, go get her. Now. Go get her and meet us back at the room. Don’t be obvious about it, say I’m sick or something. Just get her.” I ramble, and Blaise nods, moving quickly away.

  Ash’s face turns thunderous and I tug him off of our seat. I get us both moving out of the room as quickly as I can in these stupid fucking heels.

  “What the fuck is going on, Mounty?” He growls and I shake my head, moving as quickly as I can. We get to the elevator at the same time Blaise pulls an enraged Avery along behind him. When she looks up and sees me she freezes.

  “You don’t look sick but you don’t look okay, what’s happened?” Avery says softly, tucking her arm into mine.

  The elevator door opens and I pull her in, jabbing at our floor number violently as if that will make the thing move faster. As the doors slowly shut behind us I glance up and make eye contact with Atticus Crawford.

  The Crow of Mounts Bay.

  “I am not leaving this elevator until you tell me what the fuck is going on, Lips.” Avery says, and although her words are sure, her voice shakes.

  She’s guessed what the problem is.

  “I know Atticus. I know how he makes his money, I know why he wouldn’t let you intern with him, I know everything about the world he lives in, Avery, and I need to get you out of here.”

  Avery’s eyes well up but she doesn’t let the tears fall as she gives me a curt nod, stalking down the hall the second the elevator doors open. Ash grabs my elbow and pulls me into his body sharply.

  “Who the fuck is he, Lips? Tell me right now.”

  “I’m not telling you before I tell her, now let me go. We need to get her out of here.” I snap back and jerk my arm away from him. He shouldn’t be arguing with me, he knows I always put her safety first.

  Once we’re back in the hotel room, I snatch my shoes off of my feet and try to herd Avery towards our room. “You need to pack. We have to leave now, he saw me. He knows that I know.”

  Avery nods but she stays put, her face calm and blank now she’s had a second to compose herself. “Who is he? I have to know.”

  I glance back to find Blaise and Ash standing in front of the door like they’re waiting for someone to break it down. With the empire, Atticus controls he fucking could.

  “He’s the Crow. He’s a member of the Twelve. He’s more powerful than any person in our world, except for the Jackal, but even they are equal. He’s the one I called the favor in with to keep Senior away from you because I knew he had ties in the upper class.”

  Avery’s lip quivers just a little but her eyes stay dry and unwavering on my face. “What does he do? Why are you so afraid of him? You said the Crow deals in information, why does that mean we have to leave?”

  I open my mouth to answer her when my phone begins to buzz on the coffee table. Dread trickles down my spine and I move to answer it.

  I know it’s him before I pick it up.

  “Which room are you in? We need to talk.”

  I squeeze my eyes shut but my voice is steady. “We’re leaving. We’re going back to Hannaford. Avery is under my protection and if you want to discuss the parameters of that protection with me, we can do it at the next meeting.”

  I hear him sigh down the phone. “Open the door, Wolf.”

  The smiling man that was holding Avery gently against his chest is not the man we open the hotel door to. This man is purely the Crow.

  Avery is sitting, rigid and scowling, on the plush living room chair and I position myself a few feet in front of her, the guys flanking me. Ash is trembling with rage and blood lust, ready to just kill the Crow and be done with it. He never trusted him in the first place. Blaise takes one look at Ash and rocks back on his heels, ready to throw down the second this all turns to shit.

  The Crow steps forward and inclines his head to me respectfully but the cold, cutting edge of his gray eyes rake over me like he’s planning on bleeding me out for this. Fuck. Has Avery just been some pawn in his game for power? A Beaumont on his arm and in his bed?

  Joke’s on him. He picked the wrong girl, in the wrong family.

  “I already told you we’re leaving.” I say, my voice pitched low and even.

  His eyes stay fixed on mine, kicking the door shut, and even though he’s moving smoothly I can see the tension in him. My mind runs through every little scrap of information Avery has ever told me about her crush, the man who has become her obsession.

  I wonder what his father would think if he knew the power his son had amassed. The conversation I’d had with Ash earlier flashes back to me. He’s probably just like his disgusting father.

  “I’m not leaving here without her. Name your price.” The Crow says, and fuck if that isn’t the worst thing to say.

  “She’s not for fucking sale.” Ash hisses and there it is; the ruthless, killer Beaumont blood. Threaten Avery and you’ll push Ash right into the dark place that exists in his soul. The darkness that lives in him and burns in his eyes when his mask slips. The same fire his father and brother both use to destroy women, Ash uses to protect Avery.

  I know I’m pushing my luck when I hold up my hand to stop him. His eyes break away from the Crow for a second to aim that fire at me. Blaise stiffens next to me and I can feel the heat of his glare swing around to narrow in on Ash, not liking the shitty attitude one bit.

  This is big. This moment could change everything between us all. Ash is holding a grenade and toying with the pin if he doesn’t trust me now then this relationship, and I suspect our family, are going to be blown to pieces. I hold his gaze and I pray.

  His eyes don’t lower. He doesn’t back down at all.

  I feel a tiny crack start on my heart and then he crosses his arms and swings back to face the Crow. I don’t know if he’s chosen to trust me or not but I have to follow through. I have to make sure we’re all safe. I glance back at Avery and I see it in her eyes that she knows. She trusts me to get us all out of this safely.

  “How much? How much is she worth to you?” I say coolly.

  The Crow’s eye never leave mine. He doesn’t so much as glance at her. Another black mark against him. “Three favors.”

  Fuck.

  Fuck.

  This man never gives out favors. I’ve had three favors from him already but those were torn from him in moments of true desperation, for things only I could do for him. For him to offer me three for Avery alone… fuck.

  I shake my head at him and he grits his teeth.

  “Six but I’ll have your word that you will never tell the Jackal about her.”

  I freeze.

  The Crow never breaks the rules of the Twelve and that’s pretty fucking close to crossing a line. That’s not what I’m expecting at all. Granted we all keep our cards pretty close to our chests but it’s the unwritten law that we never conspire and scheme against each other. I know he’s been biding his time, waiting to take the Jackal out, but he’s always played by the rules. Even now the Jackal’s gone fucking rouge. What the hell is he playing at?

  I look at him then, a proper once over without the rage clouding my eyes.

  His face is blank and unreadable but his body speaks loud enough. His fists are clenched, his shoulders stiff, and his elbows are bent slightly like he’s poised ready to attack. He’s not the Crow, here to buy some skin for the night like his father would or a pawn in the game we’re all playing. He’s Atticus and he’s waging a war for Avery. The feelings he’s h
ad for her are real, real enough that he’s here for her, risking the wrath of the Twelve and losing the empire he’s built.

  I take a step forward and when his chin lifts I narrow my eyes at him, the tension in the room cracking like electricity.

  “You’re in love with her, aren’t you, Atticus?” His eyes narrow to slits at the sound of his real name. I’ve broken protocol but I don’t give a fuck. He’s going to have to come clean if he wants to leave this room with any sort of a relationship with Avery.

  Or his life, because Ash is fucking teetering.

  “I told you, I’ll-“ he starts but I cut him off.

  “She’s not for sale. Not to you, not to Matteo, not to anyone. Either admit you’re here because you have real, genuine feelings for her or leave. And to be perfectly clear, there is nothing I wouldn’t do to keep her safe. I’ll risk the Twelve if I have to.”

  His eyes finally leave mine and swing down to land on Avery. I see it then, the feeling in my gut is right, he looks at her like she’s the center of his world. He looks at her with longing and sweetness and worship. He’s here to save her from me.

  His eyes only get more vicious when they cut back in my direction but he softens at the sound of Avery’s voice, “The Wolf is my family, Atticus. I’m not leaving with you.”

  Some of the tension in Ash eases a little like he was afraid Avery would skip off into the sunset with this guy and he’d lose her forever. I make a note to talk to him again about letting her make her own fucking choices.

  The Crow slips away, something I’ve never seen another member of the Twelve do, and it’s Atticus standing there with us again.

  “You can’t let Matteo know about her, or what she means to me. He’ll fucking destroy her. It’s bad enough she’s with you.” He sinks down in the armchair and rubs his hands over his face. The room seems to take a deep breath.

  “You don’t need to explain to me what that man does to innocent girls when he has an agenda.” I whisper, and I see the regret flash on his face so quickly I think I might have imagined it.

  He chuckles darkly, “I guess I should remember that better than anyone. I was there when he snapped your leg with his bare hands. What were you, twelve years old?”

  Blaise’s hand runs down the inside of my arm until he threads his fingers through mine, tugging me back until I’m back at his side. I don’t want to look at any of them while we talk about the damage done to me. “Thirteen. I was thirteen and I had just won the Game. He told me he wanted to teach me how to deal with pain but really he was trying to break me in. Nothing he hates more than a female he can’t break.”

  “Well, he didn’t break you, did he? Here you stand with two Beaumont’s and the richest kid in the country. You’ve inducted the heir to the O’Cronin family into your fold and let’s not forget the Butcher. I’d wager this wasn’t Matteo’s plan.”

  I chuckle, a little shocked that I have it in me to do so, and then I sit on the couch, tugging Blaise down with me. Avery moves to sit with us, perching on the arm of the couch stiffly, and then, slowly, Ash joins us. When he slips his hand to rest on my thigh my shoulders finally relax. Atticus watches us all carefully.

  “I was under the impression you were with the O’Cronin kid? That’s what Matteo thinks anyway. I heard a rumor of… more but I thought that was just his delusions.”

  I feel a blush start and Avery scoffs at me. “Seriously? We’re in a life-threatening situation and you’re getting all shy about your harem of obsessed boys?”

  Blaise nudges Avery’s leg with his shoulder and cackles at her. “Leave her alone, she’s used to being a badass under pressure.”

  Atticus watches her the exact way that Harley watched me during our sophomore year, back when I was oblivious to want it meant. God, I was so fucking blind. “This isn’t a life-threatening situation, Avery. As long as you are safe, I’m not going to do anything. The last time I saw the Wolf I knew things had changed between her and the Jackal but I couldn’t risk being wrong. I couldn’t leave your fate up to chance because the Jackal would do things to you that I’ve spent years making sure your father didn’t fucking do.”

  Atticus’s voice is kind and gentle. It’s fucking weird. I’ve only been around him a handful of times and he’s always a cold, ruthless dick. Probably because I was always with Matteo.

  Avery stares over at him like he’s a stranger to him and if I didn’t hate his guts for lying to her, I’d feel sorry for him.

  Avery is ride or die, and I think Atticus is now firmly on her shit list.

  “It’s Lips, and I’m not Matteo’s protege or girlfriend or whatever it is that the Twelve think. He sponsored me for the Game and he’s helped me out but he’s also done things to me that I can’t ever forgive or forget. I went to Hannaford to figure a way out. That’s what we’re doing, we’re finding a way out of all of this.”

  Atticus nods and rubs his chin. He looks older than twenty-two but then he’s the leader of one of the largest criminal organizations in the state, possibly the country. Rivaled only by the Jackal’s numbers. I had never thought to approach him for help in getting away from Matteo, his cold manner making me wary. I’m starting to see that was a mistake.

  Avery hesitates for a moment and then asks with a surprisingly strong voice, “You were at the meeting with Lips and Harley, do you think the Jackal is going to continue to send people to kill him?”

  Classic Avery; she’s just found out the guys she’s been in love with for half her life has been lying to her and she’s instantly thinking about what information she can mine for the protection of her family. I both love her and want to shake her. She should be chewing this fucker out.

  “He’s in less danger now he’s under her protection. He was on very limited time with his grandfather before then, despite my efforts. Matteo can’t just kill him, he has to find some sort of betrayal or dishonesty to be able to take him out. He doesn’t just answer to the Wolf if he does, he answers to the Twelve. He’s a big player but he’s not the biggest and definitely not bigger than us all.”

  “And what if he continues to try to kill him stealthily? I’m sure you’re aware he’s spiraling and recruiting.”

  Atticus grins and cocks an eyebrow at me. Again, I blush which is fucking ridiculous.

  “Oh, after the Wolf’s declaration at the meeting the Jackal has been served a severe warning about touching her toys. The rest of the Twelve are much more aware of his… instability now. Those who have chosen his side are in as much danger as he is.”

  I ignore the look Atticus is giving me, and lean forward in my chair. “If I induct these three as well, would you be willing to back me up in the meetings if Matteo starts with his shit?”

  Ash’s leg tenses against mine. I haven’t spoken to him about this but I know how badly Avery wants it. It’s a move on the board against their father. He could no longer threaten them without risking the wrath of the lower criminal organizations. Lower in social standing but certainly dangerous to him and his business.

  Atticus stands and runs a hand down the front of his suit jacket. A slow smile forms on his lips and he suddenly looks closer to his age. “If you cut yourself off from the Jackal and start calling me when you need help instead of him, then I will take him on with you. Induct them, keep Avery safe from the Jackal and her father, and I will offer my help with anything from this moment onwards. Whatever the cost.”

  That’s exactly what we need.

  I glance up at Avery. This is her choice, if she doesn’t want to trust this guy ever again then we’ll figure something else out. If I decide for her then I’m just as terrible as everyone else in her life.

  She’s staring at Atticus, her eyes guarded and her mouth turned down a little. I’m not sure he’ll ever be able to repair the damage this has done in her trust of him. She sighs and gives me a little nod. I look at Blaise and he leans in to kiss me under the ear, sweet and sure. Then I take a deep breath and turn to Ash. He’s looking at my thigh, w
here his fingers are drawing lazy circles on the skin exposed by the deep slit in the dress. I wait him out, this isn’t something I’d ever rush. This is lifelong. As long as I breathe, I am the Wolf. If he chooses this then he will be tied to me forever. His fingers still and then he gives me the smallest squeeze.

  “Done.” I say to Atticus, and he shoots a resigned smile at Avery, who stares back at him like she’s plotting his death, before turning to the door.

  He hesitates for a second and then turns back to me. “Don’t ever let her wear red again. She wears your color or mine.”

  And then he’s gone.

  Blaise gets up and locks the door behind him and Avery slides down to take his seat, her hand finding mine.

  “His color is black. Mine is white.” I murmur and she nods.

  “I’m guessing the Jackal’s is red from that little display. I’ll burn it all. What does induction look like? If you tell me I have to be naked or bleed I’m pulling out. My brother too, I’m not having him frolicking around the city in the nude.”

  “Should have told him that earlier.” Blaise murmurs and then laughs at the glare he gets from Ash.

  “It’s done. I told the Crow, he passes it on. It’s weird but, yeah, it’s that simple.”

  Chapter Thirty

  My phone wakes me at three am.

  I have to struggle my way out from under Ash to reach it, and when I see it’s Harley I answer immediately.

  “What’s happened?” I whisper, not wanting to wake Ash if it’s nothing serious.

  The line stays quiet, I can hear a rhythmic rustling, a sort of swishing noise, but nothing to tell me what the hell is going on. I sit and just listen for a second, and realize his phone is in his pocket and the noise is the sound of his pants as he walks.

  I’m on edge immediately.

  Why is he walking around at this time? Why has he called me only to put his phone in his pocket? Butt dialing isn’t really a thing anymore, is it? Is he in danger?

  What the fuck has happened in the last three hours?