by Tate James
One bartender and one waitress, borrowed from Anarchy, were serving drinks. Otherwise, the huge, converted church was vacant.
"Gentlemen," I said in a cold, hard voice as I approached my guests. "Good of you to come on short notice."
Ezekiel, the slimy bastard, gave me a long leer and adjusted his glasses. "The pleasure is all ours, Hades. After all the wild rumors floating around, I think some of us weren't sure you would be here in person."
Irritation bubbled in my bloodstream, but I controlled it with a cool, dangerous smile in his direction. "You should know not to listen to rumors, Ezekiel." My gaze shifted to Maurice, who looked like he'd been run over by a cement mixer. "You should all know better. I hope you learned your lesson, Maurice?"
His lip curled in a sneer, but his second gave him a not-so-subtle jab in the ribs. Maurice shot a death glare at the bruised man beside him, then glowered back at me. "Yes, sir," he gritted out, looking like the words physically pained him. "My mistake."
He was fucking lucky he was still breathing. But I didn't have the time or energy to deal with finding new leadership for the Vipers. The system we had right now worked. Maurice paid his dues and abided by my few rules, and I left his organization the fuck alone. Same for Vega's and Ezekiel's.
The whole reason I'd called this meeting was already adding more work to my pile than I really needed.
Letting my face remain hard and vaguely pissed off—my resting Hades face—I sat carefully in one of the vacant armchairs. Zed took up his post behind my right shoulder, and Lucas took the left without needing to be told. He really was a natural.
"I can imagine most of you just came to see if I was still alive, so I hope your curiosity has been assuaged. I don't have the patience for small talk tonight"—like I ever did in these meetings—"so I'll cut straight to business. Unless anyone has something they want to put on the table for discussion?"
Ezekiel, Maurice, and Roach remained silent, staring at me like I was some kind of venomous snake coiled to strike. In fairness, I did have a history of shooting people in these meetings.
Vega cleared his throat, though, sitting forward with his elbows braced on his knees. "Sir, if I may?" He paused for my permission, and I nodded. "Diego has been a great help these last few months, and I absolutely accept that oversight was a condition of my punishment for breaking the rules." I could hear the but coming, and I cast a curious look at Diego, who was standing behind Vega's chair.
He was one of mine, a Timberwolf, and loyal as they came. I'd assigned him as Vega's second after I'd shot the last one for fighting in my club a couple of months ago. His job was basically to babysit the Death Squad and ensure they were reporting correct balance sheets to pay their dues. It was insulting as hell for me to place him as Vega's second, but insult had to be better than death or maiming.
Diego met my gaze, calm, and gave a barely perceptible nod. Whatever Vega was about to propose, he had Diego's support.
"If you might be so inclined," Vega continued, "I have someone that I'd really like to promote to the permanent second position."
I flicked my attention back to Vega, letting silence hang in the air for a few moments—just long enough to make him uncomfortable. Then I tilted my head to the side. "Send me the details; I'll take it under consideration."
If he simply waited out the oversight period, he wouldn't need my permission. So whoever it was, he must be worried they’d go elsewhere without a promotion, and that had me intrigued.
Vega bobbed a nod. "Can do. Thank you, sir."
Come to think of it, I wouldn't mind having Diego back. I needed all the help I could get these days.
Zed gave me a soft touch on my arm, silently letting me know that our additional attendees had arrived, so I swiftly moved on.
"Gentlemen, I called you here to keep you informed of some changes. Contrary to rumor, I am going nowhere. In fact, I'm expanding. You've all met Lucas already; consider him my second Zed."
Ezekiel's brows raised, and his little squirrel eyes glittered with interest. He knew, like everyone else in the room, that comparing Lucas to Zed was a high compliment on Lucas's marksmanship and lethality.
"As well as that, I'm swelling the Timberwolf inner circle ranks with some key, skilled individuals. The recent threats to my empire, which I don't doubt you're all aware of, have made me realize I've been too lenient." My words were threaded with cold fury. Maurice had pissed me off enough just sniffing around where he shouldn't be. This should squash any remaining thoughts of dissention.
The front door of Timber closed loudly, the sound echoing through the room, and I let a predatory smile curve my lips. Carefully, I savored each of their reactions as footsteps fell on the parquetry floor behind me. Mostly, I watched Roach.
"Gentlemen, I believe some of you will already know my two newly appointed Timberwolf Enforcers." I could all but taste the chill of apprehension running through the other gang leaders when my men stepped into the light. "Rex Darenburg, returned from retirement. And Cassiel Saint, returned from the dead."
24
When the dust had settled from my little necromancy trick, I asked Roach to stay behind as the others all left my meeting. He hadn't said a single word since laying eyes on his former gang leader and looked a little bit like his brain might have exploded inside his skull. That... or he was plotting Cass's assassination to protect the Reaper's honor. And that wasn't an option I was prepared to risk.
Our waitress, Bethany, brought over a round of drinks while we waited for the others to clear out, and Lucas leaned in close as he reached for his glass.
"Are you okay?" he whispered so softly I barely even heard him.
I met his eyes and gave him a small nod. I was hurting and tired as hell, but I was happy. This was my safe place, throwing my massive dick energy at tough-guy gangsters. Dropping little bombs and watching to see if today was the day someone felt like challenging my seat of power. It was exhilarating, making me feel all fluttery like I had when Cass and I planted explosives all over Chase's house.
Roach cleared his throat, giving me a small frown. "Hades, sir," he said cautiously. "Would you mind terribly if I spoke to Cass privately?"
I shifted my gaze to Roach's second, a mid-twenties guy who went by Skunk. Whoever gave these dudes their gang names needed a solid whack upside the head because some of them were straight up bad.
Skunk was eyeing Cass with suspicion and animosity, but it was nothing my Grumpy Cat couldn't handle. So I nodded and pushed to my feet.
Stopping in front of Cass, I reached up and pulled his face down to mine with a hand on the back of his neck. It was an aggressive gesture, and he let me do it. The power dynamic was clear in that I was kissing him, not the other way around. I'd likely make up for it later, anyway.
"Don't get any blood on the velvet," I told him, loud enough to be heard.
"Yes, sir," Cass growled back, his expression stoic but his fingers gentle where they rested on my hip.
Leaving him to speak with his former subordinates, I made my way over to the bar with Zed, Lucas, and Rex joining me.
Our bartender, Katie, was in the middle of rearranging the back bar, but Bethany bounced over with a smile to offer us more drinks. Rex ordered a beer while Zed and I ordered Scotch.
"You're driving home," Zed informed Lucas after ordering him a soda.
Rex grunted a laugh, inhaling half his beer in one gulp. "And you're not legal to drink," he added, then burped. "Actually, I’d best be heading home. Can't trust those fucking kids of mine not to trash the house if I'm not all up their asses."
I arched a brow at him, and he shot me a grin.
"Don't worry, boss. They're assholes, but they know how important their task is. They won't fuck it up." He jerked his head in the direction of Cass, who seemed to have Skunk in a choke hold on the floor. "He's a barrel of laughs, isn't he? Chatty." Guffawing, he finished his beer and put the empty bottle on the bar top.
Rex swaggered out of th
e club, and I stifled a sigh in his wake. His reputation had more than preceded him, though. The look on Ezekiel's face had been pure panic, and it made me think the slippery squirrel was up to something he shouldn't be. I'd ask Rex to pay him a little visit another day.
A grunt of pain came from Skunk, which told me Cass was handling things just fine. I arched a brow in question at Zed, but he just grinned back at me. Yep, Cass was just fine in his new role.
Minutes later, a very pained looking Skunk stumbled his way past us mumbling some respectful goodbyes as he limped out of Timber. Roach and Cass were not far behind but looked completely at ease as they shook hands.
Roach gave me, Zed, and Lucas a nod and tight smile, then followed his second out of my club.
"Everything okay?" I asked Cass now that we were alone.
He shrugged. "Yeah, fine. Roach is a smart kid; he knows what's what."
Lucas gave a short laugh. "Vague but typical Grumpy Cat."
Zed and I exchanged a smile, finishing our drinks. I had no desire to hang around any longer, my whole body aching with the need for rest. I was getting stronger every day, but it was still a process. I just thanked the fates that Chase hadn't shown his face back in town.
It was only a matter of time, though. He was still out there somewhere, plotting and scheming.
At least I knew where he wouldn't be. The burnt-out husk of his house this morning had reassured me of that.
The four of us started toward the goods lift, but Bethany called out after us, making me pause.
"Um, sorry, Hades, sir," she stuttered, shooting panicked glances at the three imposing men at my back. "Do you have just a minute? I know you're a busy person, so..." She trailed off awkwardly.
I nodded, though. "Of course." I gave Zed a hand signal, telling him to wait there for me as I led Bethany back into the bar and away from the guys.
She drew a deep breath once we were alone, like she was giving herself a quick mental pep talk.
"Whatever it is, Bethany, I'm sure I can help. I protect my employees, so if someone is harassing you..." I don't know why I assumed that was what she was going to tell me. Maybe I was just jaded from years of running strip clubs and brothels. Ninety-nine percent of the time, when one of my female employees needed to speak with upper management, it meant someone was abusing their power.
Her eyes widened, then she gave a small laugh. "Oh, no. Not... that's not it. Um, okay, so I really hope this isn't out of line. Or, it definitely is, but not too far out of line..." Her eyes flicked up to the ceiling again, and she gave a small shake of her head. "Fuck it," she muttered with a sigh. "I heard you might be interested in recruiting more women into the Timberwolves, sir. I want to be considered."
My brows flicked up. "I see."
She nodded, firmer now. "Yes, sir. I think I can be useful." She hesitated, then indicated the slightly decorative and exceptionally sharp knives belted at the high waist of my skirt. "May I?"
Curious, I slid one of the slim blades free and held it out to her hilt first.
She flipped it once in her hand, testing the balance, then threw it with unexpected confidence right at Katie. The tip of the blade buried in the wooden pillar behind the bartender, pinning the small piece of docket paper she'd been using to alphabetize the bottles.
"Not fucking funny, Beth!" Katie shouted over her shoulder, yanking the knife free to retrieve her note.
Bethany just turned back to me with a wide grin on her face.
"Not bad." I bit back a smile.
She beamed, though. "I've been practicing."
I placed my hands on my hips. "And where did you hear this information, Bethany?"
Her smile slipped, and her eyes widened. "Oh. Um. One of the girls over at Club 22 was talking about it when I worked a shift there a couple of weeks ago. I don't know her name; I'm sorry."
"It's fine," I assured her, softening my voice and expression a fraction. Then I nodded to where she'd thrown my knife. "Keep practicing. I'll think it over."
She gushed her thanks, and I returned to the storage area where the guys were still waiting for me. If I were to guess, it was probably Sabine that she'd heard talking, and I wasn't even mad about it. Sabine had made an assumption based on the way I'd called in help for the girls rescued out of Anarchy's cellar, but it was a correct assumption.
Now, seeing Bethany's eagerness to join the Timberwolves, I had an idea.
"What was that all about?" Zed asked as we rode the elevator down to the parking level.
I grinned and told them what Bethany had done. Despite how cool my response to her request had been, I was impressed. And I didn't impress easily.
Zed tossed Lucas his keys when we got to the Escalade, then climbed into the back seat with me before Cass could get there.
"Oh, very mature," Cass muttered about Zed pushing him out of the way. He took the shotgun seat instead and turned to eye me over his shoulder. "Did that all play out the way you were hoping?"
I yawned, ruffling my fingers through my hair as Lucas started the car and drove out of the parking level. "Better, actually. And that makes me paranoid as fuck. Like Chase was watching the whole thing and telling Maurice what to do. Or Ezekiel. It was just too... civilized. Wasn't it?" I frowned at Cass. "Skunk looked like he wasn't thrilled to see you alive, at least."
Cass grunted. "Little shit. Roach can handle him, though."
Another long yawn tugged my jaw. "So long as they know not to try anything," I muttered. Zed saw how tired I was and coaxed me to lie down with my head in his lap. I tucked my knees up and relaxed into his warmth.
"What would you do?" Cass rumbled as I closed my eyes. "If they tried something."
Zed gently unclipped my gun holster for me, peeling it away without moving me out of his lap.
"I'd gut them," I mumbled in response to Cass. "Nobody touches what's mine and lives. I'd gut them, then mount their heads on spikes to warn everyone else away."
The sound of their soft chuckles lulled me to sleep, and I dreamed happy dreams that I was Vlad the Impaler, wreaking havoc over anyone who threatened my loves.
25
"You're back!" Hannah's excited squeal made me stiffen as I stepped out of the elevators at Copper Wolf Enterprises the next day. I should have come to see her sooner, but it felt like there weren't enough hours in a day for me to do all the things and see all the people I needed to see.
She jumped out from behind her desk but stopped short of hugging me. Thank fuck. I was comfortable with the guys touching me now, and the hug from Diana hadn't sent me spiraling into darkness. But I wasn't willing to push my luck. Nightmares still haunted my sleep, and I woke up at least twice a night sweating and screaming.
"It's so good to see you, sir," Hannah enthused, tugging on her tightly braided hair. "Gosh, we have so much to discuss." She was already walking backward toward my office as she talked, then opened the door for me.
Macy, my accountant, shot me a small smile. "Good to see you back, boss," she murmured. "We were all missing you."
"Thanks, Macy," I replied, then stepped into my office with Hannah tight on my heels. Zed had come into work with me, but I'd left him at the lobby coffee shop waiting for our order.
"Okay, sit," I told Hannah, pointing to the chair opposite my desk. "Take a breath; we're not in a rush." I clenched my teeth to hold back a wince as I peeled my jacket off and hung it over the back of my chair. "Zed's bringing up coffee in a minute. Until he gets back, why don't you tell me how you're doing, Hannah. Lucas said you were the one who found Gen."
Hannah's smile fell from her face, and her eyes pinched. "Um, yeah. I hadn't heard from her in about two days and neither had Demi. I checked her phone GPS on the company network, and it said she was at home, so..."
I nodded my understanding. "You went to check on her and found she was dead."
"Yeah," Hannah confirmed. "The police said it was a random act of violence or some bullshit." She rubbed the bridge of her nose, frowning. "But,
on the upside, Maxine woke up from her coma."
I accepted her shift of subject. She was clearly troubled by seeing Gen's body, and I wouldn't push her on the topic. I already knew who was responsible, anyway. "Yes, I heard. That was surprising; the last time I saw her I thought her family was preparing to turn off life support."
"They did! They turned it off, and Maxine just... didn't die. She's such a badass." Hannah was smiling again, which made me feel like less of an asshole for even asking about finding Gen in the first place. My social skills needed work.
Zed let himself into my office, shooting me a warm look before handing Hannah a coffee from his tray. He came around the desk and placed mine down in front of me before kissing me softly, like we were totally alone.
Hannah cleared her throat. "Um, should I come back later?"
"Yes," Zed replied with a wicked grin.
I rolled my eyes and gave him a playful shove. "No, I'm sorry, Hannah. I don't know where Zed's professionalism is today."
She didn't look offended, though—rather the opposite as she looked between the two of us with hearts in her eyes. Fucking hell, she was gazing at us like a kid whose divorced parents got back together.
Zed wasn't bothered. He just perched his butt on the edge of my desk and sipped his coffee with a satisfied look on his face.
"Okay," Hannah drawled, grinning. "Well, I made a list of all the things. Let's see..." She pulled out her phone and started running through all the notes she'd made, literally every single thing that had happened since my arrest that I might need to know about.
Lots of what Hannah told me I'd already heard from Zed or Demi, like the fact that Alexi had been found badly beaten in a hospital, marked as a John Doe until he woke up. Or the fact that my arrest had been leaked to all the major newspapers in the area, outing me as the leader of the Timberwolves.
