by Tate James
My brows shot up and my pulse raced. "Okay, you're upset, so I'm not going to point out how insulting that was. But now that you know about Lucas, I'll give you the whole truth, shall I?"
She folded her arms and gave me a sarcastic look like she wasn't going to believe me, no matter what I said.
I forced myself to set aside my anger and frustration, though. She was upset, hurt, and the last thing I needed was her ending up in danger for doing something dumb like running away.
"The apartment was broken into, not just an attempt. They’d gotten in and left before I called you that night." I paused, gritting my teeth against the fresh anger and guilt over Lucas's torture.
Seph just curled her lip in disbelief. "Oh yeah? And where was Lucas during all this? I wasn't gone that long."
"They took him," I bit back, clenching my fists at my sides. "And then they tortured him for over twenty-four hours while Zed, Cass, and I tried to find him. Lucas isn't returning your texts because he's in the hospital, Seph. He almost died because he was sleeping with me, and my first reaction was relief that it hadn't been you."
She said nothing for a second, then tightened her jaw and gave me a hard look. "Who? Who took him?" She tilted her chin up in determination like she was daring me to try and lie to her. "Who are you trying to protect me from this time?"
I swallowed heavily again. "Chase," I croaked, hardly believing myself.
Seph looked stunned for a second, then she shook her head with a harsh laugh. "You're a piece of fucking work, Dare. You wanna tell me your dead ex tortured some high school kid that you've been fucking? For what? You sure as hell aren't in love. You've been using him, just like you use everyone you meet. And when they're no longer useful, you kill them. Just like you killed Dad when he wouldn't give you the power you wanted. You're fucking sick, Dare. You need professional help."
Her bitter accusation left me speechless, and I made no move to stop her as she rushed out of Zed's house like hellhounds were snapping at her heels.
I just stood there shocked and hurt, turning over what she'd said in my mind even as the sound of Kody's car faded into the distance.
"She didn't mean any of that," Zed murmured from somewhere close behind me. The sound of his voice made me flinch, and I shuddered to know he'd heard the whole thing.
I cleared my throat, then turned to face him. "Yes, she did. But that's okay. She can think whatever the fuck she wants about me so long as she's alive and thriving." I wet my lips and ran a shaking hand through my hair. "Give Archer a call and let him know that he's to keep her safe indefinitely. I don't want her around here until Chase is dealt with."
Zed jerked a nod, but concern was painted all over his face. "She's wrong, Dare. You know that, don't you?"
I let out a bitter laugh and shrugged it off. "Doesn't matter if she is or not. I can't change the past, and I wouldn't, even if I could. All we can do is keep moving forward. Right?" I made to move past him, intending to grab my phone from the kitchen then head into Copper Wolf for our meetings. But he grabbed my arm before I could pass, stopping me. His hold on my arm was tight, and he used his other hand to grip my chin, forcing me to look up at him.
"Hayden. She. Is. Wrong. You're the bravest, most selfless, determined, and caring woman I've ever known. There is nothing you wouldn't do for that girl, and she needs to figure it the fuck out soon." His gaze locked on mine with soul-deep intensity that did horrible things to my flickering interest in him beyond our solid friendship. "The next time she tries to cut you like that, I'm setting her straight. I've had enough."
A small, humorless smile tugged my lips as I gazed up at him. "You'll do nothing of the sort, Zayden De Rosa," I whispered, totally lacking the emotional strength to push my voice any louder. "I don't care if she thinks I'm Hannibal fucking Lector, I won't rob her of the father she thought she had." Because Seph had forever been daddy's little princess. She’d never seen through his mask to the monster lurking beneath. Never. "My word is law, Zed, and you'd do well to remember that."
His gaze flicked away from mine for the briefest second, flashing down to my lips a scarce few inches from his own. Then his thumb stroked my cheek ever so softly before he released me.
"Of course, boss," he murmured, already turning away from me. "We should get going. Alexi is at Copper Wolf HQ already."
There was a strange tightness to his voice as he said that, and I frowned at his back as he walked ahead of me. Something weird was going on with him.
7
Zed and I stopped by my apartment on the way to Copper Wolf, and I carefully ignored the trashed furniture, broken glass, and dried blood as I passed through to my room. All I needed was a change of clothes, a lick of makeup, and a hairbrush.
"I'll have someone come by and pack up your things later today," Zed told me as I dressed in a skin-tight leather pencil skirt, deep-purple silk camisole, and deadly spiked heels. And my gun holster, of course, but that pretty much went without saying as I never went anywhere public without it.
"Absolutely not," I replied as I peered into my mirror and painted black winged eyeliner on. "I'm not having a random creep handling all my shit. And I don't remember agreeing to move in with you, Zayden De Rosa."
He met my gaze in the mirror as I arched a brow at him. "You're not moving in, Dare, just staying while Chase is out there waging psychological warfare on us. Safety in numbers and all that. Besides, the security is already compromised here. You're not moving back in, and we both know it."
I huffed, but he was right. After one break in—regardless of whether Lucas had opened the door himself—the whole vibe of my apartment was fucked. I was never going to get that same sense of comfort and safety within these walls again.
"Whatever," I conceded, pissed as hell that Chase had screwed up the home I'd built for Seph and I. With my makeup finished, I gave my reflection a once over. The bruises and patched burns on my shoulders and left forearm were obvious as hell, but easily hidden by the addition of a cropped leather jacket.
On our way out, I deactivated the biometric scanners on the front door and just left it key-code locked. I wasn't storing anything particularly valuable in my apartment; only idiots kept a safe full of diamonds behind a renaissance painting. My wealth was all secure in investments, offshore bank accounts, and safety deposit boxes. So I wasn't concerned about the decreased security on the door. Biometrics were there to keep Seph and I safe when we were home, nothing more.
"Let's take my McLaren," I said as we rode the elevator down to the parking garage.
Zed twitched a smile at me. "You gonna let me drive it?"
"Wash your mouth out, Zed," I hissed back with disgust. "You can't be trusted not to scratch her again."
His small smile spread wider into a chuckle. "Well then, we'll take my car. You shouldn't be driving for at least a couple more days. Or did you forget that you were recently almost blown up along with 7th Circle?"
I glared but couldn't argue. My body was aching, and I was too damn stubborn to take the prescribed painkillers. Now, more than ever, I wanted to keep my wits about me—at least until after I’d confronted my head of security about the traitors in our ranks.
So I just grumbled my irritation and let Zed open the passenger door to his Ferrari for me to get in. At least he was a decent driver and I didn't feel like I was taking my life into my own hands when he was behind the wheel... like when I let Seph drive.
"What are you going to do about Lucas?" Zed asked as we drove over to Rainybanks and the Copper Wolf main office.
I gave him a sidelong glance. "What about him?"
He shot me an accusing look. "Chase took him to hurt you, which means he knows you care about the adorable little gumdrop."
I couldn't help the snort of laughter at that description of Lucas, no matter how insulting it might be. He was a bit of a gumdrop, all sweet and innocent. Flammable too.
"What can I do?" I replied with a small groan. "This is the point in the movie where t
he heroine is supposed to push the innocent victim of collateral damage away to protect them and keep them away from the dangerous criminal life."
Zed gave me a skeptical look. "Babe, I don't wanna be the guy to break bad news... but you're no heroine."
I gave him an eyeroll. "No shit, Sherlock. Nor am I selfless or noble or morally irreproachable. Chase probably wants to tear down my support, take away all the people I care about. And he started with the easiest target."
Zed nodded. "Gumdrop."
"Stop it," I murmured with amusement. "But nonetheless. He wants me to be so consumed by guilt that I push Lucas away and retreat into myself. Put my walls back up. Second-guess my choices. Well, fuck that. All he's done is reminded me to keep the few I care about closer than ever."
Zed grunted a sound that could have easily been agreement or otherwise but didn't say anything to clarify his response. Instead, we drove in silence for some time until his phone rang.
He answered it on the car's internal speakerphone after giving the caller ID a cursory glance.
"Nico, what's the progress?" he asked, not waiting for pleasantries from the caller. Nico was one of Zed's higher ranking team members, a man with a lot of loyalty to the Timberwolves and one of the least likely to be a double agent. Then again, no one was above suspicion these days.
"All sorted, sir," Nico replied. "The nurse that went by last night is getting Ms. Wildeboer ready for transportation this morning. Sunshine Estate is preparing her room as we speak."
I let out a small breath of relief to hear Lucas's mother was getting the appropriate help. "Did you have any trouble explaining things to her?" I asked, not caring that Nico knew he was on speakerphone.
"No, sir," he replied, not skipping a beat. "The nurse told Ms. Wildeboer that her son had sent her, as instructed. She apparently wasn't happy to be leaving the house today, but when it was explained that renovation crews will be working on wheelchair accessibility, she accepted it."
"Good work," Zed replied. "Make sure she gets settled into Sunshine and leave a protection detail on watch."
"Yes, sir," Nico responded. "On it."
The call ended, and I ran a hand over my hair. I'd woven it into a tight dutch braid to keep it off my face, but the habit was still there.
"I need to call the hospital and check on Lucas too," I murmured, then stiffened when I realized I'd said that aloud. The mere fact that I was thinking about him, was worried for his well-being, it made me vulnerable. Then again, if I couldn't let my walls down around Zed of all people, maybe I really was the broken, heartless bitch Seph thought I was.
Zed didn't question me, though. "We can stop by on the way back from Copper Wolf," he suggested. "I'm sure gumdrop will be ecstatic to see you."
He said it with a heavy dose of teasing that made me smack him in the arm, but he just laughed and shrugged. "What? I would be, in his shoes. I don't blame the poor kid for falling head over heels in love at first sight."
I rolled my eyes. "He's not in love. It's just... lust. Or something. Anyway, let's discuss a game plan for dealing with our Timberwolves because I sure as fuck don't have time to personally interrogate all three hundred and eighty-seven members to find more traitors working for Chase."
Zed grimaced. "Agreed. But I had a thought about that earlier."
We spent the rest of the drive to Rainybanks discussing how we could both deal with Alexi—he needed a test of loyalty—and weed through our ranks at the same time. When we arrived, I wouldn't say we'd come up with the most airtight of ideas, but it was something and that was better than nothing. So, it'd do.
Alexi was waiting for us outside my office, his foot tapping a nervous rhythm on the tiled floor and his temples glistening with sweat. When he saw us approaching, he shot up out of his seat like it was made of cacti.
"Boss," he greeted me, his eyes darting between Zed and me.
I just gave him a small head tilt, a silent command to follow us into my office, which he did. He shut the door behind himself, then cautiously approached the desk as I shrugged off my jacket and sat down.
"Alexi, I trust you're already up to speed on everything that happened last night." I cocked a brow at him as he hovered over the guest chair like he didn't know if he should sit or not.
"Yes, sir. Absolutely. Fully informed." His expression implied he really would rather not have that information, but that was his job.
Zed let out an irritated sigh as he leaned against the bookshelf at my back. "Sit down, Alexi; you're making me irritated hovering like that."
Alexi jerked a nod and dropped into the vacant seat in front of my desk. Out of habit, I pulled my Desert Eagle from my underarm holster and placed it down on the desktop. Yes, it was an intimidation move, but it was also a comfort thing, considering how badly bruised and scraped up I still was.
"What the fuck happened, Alexi?" I asked in a cool voice, cutting straight to the chase. "My dancer was held and tortured underneath Anarchy for twenty-four hours, and none of us knew. You know who I found guarding the cell door when we got in there?"
My head of security grimaced. "Reggie. Yes, I heard. Wish I could’ve got my hands on him personally and draw that death out for days."
I was inclined to agree. "This is the second traitor in the ranks, Alexi. Last week it was an undercover FBI agent, who I'm not altogether convinced wasn't also there under someone else's orders. Now this?" I paused, letting the tension build in the room. "I'm going to need a fucking golden explanation, Alexi. This is happening on your watch. Under your authority. Give me one reason why I shouldn't shoot you right now?"
Alexi tilted his chin up slightly, meeting my eyes despite the nervous sweat on his brow. "Honestly, sir, I don't have a good enough reason. This happened under my watch, and I need to bear responsibility. All I can do is apologize sincerely and swear to you that I'll do whatever it takes to prove my loyalty. I can't explain how this has happened so far, but I can ensure it won't happen again, sir, if you allow me the opportunity."
I held his gaze for a long moment, unblinking, then tilted my head to Zed. Fortunately for Alexi, he'd given us the one and only reason not to kill him. He hadn't lied or backtracked or shifted blame into anyone else's lap. He easily could have, too, given it was Zed's forged signature that had allowed the undercover FBI agent to infiltrate our ranks in the first place. But nope, Alexi had pulled his big-boy panties up and taken responsibility.
It was admirable and ballsy. I appreciated it.
"We're willing to allow you a chance to prove yourself, Alexi," Zed told him. "Take a deep dive into the Timberwolves, personally speak with everyone under our umbrella, and weed out anyone else that has been corrupted. No one believes for even a second that these two were isolated incidents. Where there's smoke, there's fire. Smother that fire, Alexi."
Our head of security nodded firmly, relief clear across his face. "Yes, absolutely. Yes. I can do that. Thank you, sir," he directed his thanks to me, and I just nodded to the door.
"You can go," I ordered. "Don't fail me, Alexi. I'd hate to put a bullet in your brain."
He knew me well enough that he didn't fuck around babbling more thanks. He just stood up, gave us both a respectful nod, and beat a speedy exit out of my office. The door closed softly behind him, and I spun in my seat to look at Zed.
"What do you think?"
He shrugged, his hand resting on the gun at his belt. It was just a casual pose, one he affected pretty damn often. Yet... why was it suddenly striking me as sexy? Was that intentional on his part?
"I think he's solid," he replied, his eyes steady on mine. "Alexi has too much to lose to try and fuck us. But you're right that he's the best resource we have to weed out any other traitors. Hopefully, he finds them before any more damage is done."
I nodded, then winced as I pushed myself up out of my chair.
"You didn't take any painkillers today, did you?" Zed asked, the accusation clear in his voice and his expression as I tried to put my jacket
back on with stiff arms.
"You know I didn't." I tucked my gun away and gave him a pointed look. In other words, Don't fucking start with me here, Zed. Not in my office with a phalanx of staff lurking just outside the door.
He took my silent reminder and held the door open for me to exit. I knew him too well to believe he was dropping the subject, though. He had that stubborn look on his face that promised me it was just on pause until we were alone.
Fucker. Lucky I loved his argumentative ass so much or he'd have been shark food ten times over by now.
8
Zed and I detoured via Anarchy on our way back to his place to make sure everything had been efficiently cleaned up from the mess of the night before. I was pleasantly surprised to find a couple of the mid-ranked Timberwolves had taken my orders quite literally and had spent all morning working on mapping out the hidden tunnels and checking the structural integrity to ensure my repurposed amusement park wouldn't collapse into a hole one day.
"They know," I commented to Zed as we left Anarchy some hours later.
He arched a brow at me. "That someone is gunning for our seat?"
I jerked a nod. "Not surprising, but irritating nonetheless. We need to hurry up and deal with Chase before anyone decides to plan a mutiny."
"Agreed, but that lot won't be the ones leading it." He gave a nod in the direction we'd just come from, indicating the Wolves who'd been working on Anarchy. "They sense the danger in the air, and they're using it as an opportunity to step up and prove themselves to you, boss. The Timberwolves—for the most part—are all like that. A few bad eggs don't mean we throw the whole basket out."
I frowned. "I never planned to throw the whole basket out."
Zed gave me a look but said nothing. His meaning was clear enough without needing to voice it because it wouldn't be the first time I'd thrown the basket out. There was no doubt in my mind that a lot of the deaths the night my father died weren't necessary. I slaughtered a lot of people that night who’d been innocent of the crimes that’d forced my hand, but I’d been too paranoid, too angry to offer any benefit of the doubt. Anyone who’d remotely seemed suspicious had been killed.
