by Jamie Magee
“Cashton is weak. He would be at this point anyway, but he’s a bit weaker now, and I need him with me. I need him empowered.”
“You want me to give Cash a big fat kiss?” King asked with a lifted brow.
Reveca slapped him. “Holy shit! King has a sense of humor.”
He playfully narrowed his stare on her.
“I have a spell that can do it. I just need energy. I need him and me to get out of here, real soon.”
“This early?”
“I just need space.”
“Your Edge…”
Reveca looked away. “Yeah.” She may not have liked to linger there, but it was all nature. Nature was her church, and there she wouldn’t feel the energy of the Boneyard invading her thoughts. She needed that space to make sure the choices she was preparing to make were the right ones.
“Consider it done.”
Reveca pulled the words she had scribbled down out of her pocket and handed it to him. “Can you do it? The others can read me. They’ll know I’m up to something if they see me working with Cash.”
King didn’t say anything. He knew she needed this break, but the idea of her sailing toward Crass, knowing she would be face to face with him this night, just wasn’t sitting right.
“I’ll go with you.”
“The hell you will.” She held a stern expression on her face. “You are in my world now, King. I never have been, nor ever will, be a damsel in distress. I may have been more innocent at one time, but I hold my own. I’m not afraid of Crass. Some battles I have to fight alone.”
“That doesn’t mean that I won’t worry.”
Reveca stood and looked down at him lying there. “Worrying wastes energy. You can do this. You can make sure Cashton is ready and not kill him in the process, right?” she asked.
King clenched his jaw.
“He’s a good guy.”
“I know.”
“What’s that look then?”
King smirked. “I suck at apologizes, telling people how I feel.”
“Yeah, you do,” she agreed.
His playful glare was back.
“Brotherhood. Build that with him while you can, so one day you can fight back to back.”
“That’s the new plan,” King agreed.
“I’m going to check on a few things, make an appearance, then we need to go.” She went to walk away but hesitated just before the door and looked back. “Thanks. Thanks for getting why I need space.”
King smiled vaguely. Then all at once she felt a wave of his energy move through her. The kind that was almost too much to bear without a gasp. “You gotta see me before you leave.”
Reveca lifted a brow.
“I’ll keep my hands to myself,” he swore.
“Right,” Reveca said, feeling a little too girly at that moment. She had one too many butterflies in her gut, ones that didn’t fly too well with the sour pain Talon had left there.
She opened his bedroom door to leave, but she stopped short, eyes wide.
Judge was walking by, and from where he was he could surely see that King was only half dressed laid out on a bed that looked like it hadn’t been made in days. He saw the slight blush on Reveca’s skin deepen.
She pulled the door closed behind her, looked down and then up, knowing that Judge was only the first she was going to have to face after the humiliation that Talon had birthed between them.
Chapter Four
Facing Judge first wasn’t as easy as one would think. His gift allowed him to see shit coming. It wasn’t easy for him to see into immortals, and in most cases he didn’t. Said it was too hard to know so much about people he lived with. He was the one who had come to sit in her room the most during her last slip into a gloom. He’d never say much, just sat with her.
She asked him once to look into her. Tell her what he saw because she couldn’t understand why she couldn’t pull herself up again, or why she had lost the lust for life.
He lowered his stare and told she was far from done with the greatness her existence promised.
She knew now that he had to have seen all of this coming, in some way. You can’t turn off what you learned from your enhancements.
Judge knew the human condition, or rather the soul condition. He knew how emotions drive souls, cloud them, and demand that they hold on to things when all hope is gone. When they should have let go long before. Judge felt turbulent waters before the others had even had a chance to notice. She knew he had seen this day, and each of her actions only confirmed what was to come.
With all the comments Tisk had dropped about King, and Judge finding Reveca in King’s room for the second time, it was bound to lead any of the Sons to believe what Star had asked—if Reveca and King had hooked up. If Talon had struck out of revenge.
“It’s not what you think,” Reveca said, raising her eyes to Judge.
He stepped closer, then pulled her to his chest and hugged her as tight as he could. “I know.” He let his hand run down her hair, down her back. “We all know.”
Reveca let him sway her for a second, then she leaned back, looked up at him, and tried her best to smile. “We got this.”
Judge looked to King’s closed door then to Reveca. “Do we?”
Reveca shook her head. “It’s going to be fine.”
“Then why did Talon tell us to make sure at all costs King remains under our roof? Who’s coming for him? What’s that gonna do to us?” he asked, doing his best to look into her.
He wasn’t going to see her plots and plans, she knew that. She had decided to let fate take its course, to follow the signs and move forward until a roadblock came that she didn’t have the power to overcome. She doubted she’d find one.
“I can’t see this darkness coming, Reveca. It’s too dense for me to understand. My gut tells me our past is going to be our curse.”
Reveca looked down then away. The Sons had many regrets in their past. In some ways Judge endured the most tragic ones. His demons were not attacking now. No, this was her past threatening them all.
“Talon’s just trying to prove a point. We’re going to be fine.” She patted his chest. “We always handle our business.”
“What point would that be?”
Reveca met his stare again. “I have history with King.” Judge nodded once. “He was a witch before what he is now. He gets what I deal with. Talon thinks that’s good for me. Simple as that.”
Judge’s gaze raced across her face, making Reveca wonder if he did see something he shouldn’t have. “It’s not that simple.”
“Yeah, well, I don’t know what the fuck Talon is thinking but that’s the bottom-line of his excuse. You know something? You want to clue me in?”
Judge didn’t say anything. Instead, he put his arm around her then led her down the stairs to the next floor. Reveca breathed in, taking in the ease of the house, the music she heard playing below, mumbled conversations, and all signs that life moved on. After every hell, it keeps going.
At the bottom of the stairs Reveca felt rage come over her. Judge slowly let her go, knowing holding her back was pointless.
It was Blackwater. He was not only in her fucking house, he was on the second floor, feet from her room, from her throne.
His old ass, even in the air conditioning, was sweating in those stupid nineteen eighties suits he wore.
Blackwater looked right at Reveca, a sinful little smile on his face as he reached up and smoothed his near balding head. His beady eyes drank her in.
“What the fuck are you doing?” Reveca shouted.
“Miss Beauregard, you’re looking mighty fine today, as usual.”
“Fuck off. Why are you in my house?” she said as she stormed up to him.
Blackwater licked his lips. “I was thinking about this blackmail.”
“What about it?” she snapped.
“You truly have me by the balls you know that, right?”
“And?”
Blackwater looked her ov
er once again, let a groan emerge from his parted, twitching lips. “Well,” he said as he stepped up to her, looked down at her again. “I was thinking that maybe we could have a trade.”
“Like what? You ain’t got shit that I want, that I would barter with.”
Blackwater let a sinful smile come to his face. “You like having my balls in a sling?”
Reveca only glared.
“You do. I know you do. You want me.”
Disgust washed over Reveca’s expression.
“I make your mouth water. I bet you sit up all night and think of ways to torture me because you want me so bad.”
“You’re fucking mental,” Reveca said and meant it. What the hell?
“We can’t fight this anymore, Miss Beauregard. We have to seize this moment. We could make beautiful music together. I can make you scream. I still have a few good years in me,” he said as he reached to pull Reveca to him and licked his lips.
In that second Reveca had him across the hall and slammed into the wall hard enough that there was dent there.
Right then a gut-splitting laughter was heard from every direction.
When the rage left her eyes she looked to where Blackwater was and saw Echo in his clothes, laughing so hard he couldn’t breathe. Judge was the same on the stairs. And Reveca was sure that Steele was going to pass out as he leaned over the rail from the third floor.
“You stupid fucks,” Reveca said, trying not to smile, trying to look furious, trying do anything but breathe in their intoxicating laughter.
Echo was up in heartbeat, stalked right over to her and picked her up and spun her then rocked his hips into her, in a teasing way. “Oh baby, you know like it.”
“You’re a dick,” she said, slapping his shoulder. “You even smell like him.”
“If you’re going to play a part you have to play it right.”
“Holy fuck, I could have killed you,” Reveca said, reaching her hands up for his face and running them down his cheeks.
“It was your brilliant fucking idea,” Echo said as he danced in placed to the music that was coming from his room down the hall.
Judge and Steele were singing the chorus of Their Ain’t no Rest for the Wicked.
Reveca gave in and moved with Echo, even let him spin her and pull her back in to him. She knew none of them were going to stop until they knew the grin on her face was genuine.
It was genuine. The plans she had laid out had not halted while she dealt with the drama with Talon. Her boys were marching forward, setting the course that would give Reveca a satisfaction she had waited for far too long to happen.
Right as Steele made his way down, stole Reveca from Echo and spun her around, their phones when off.
“Lunch is ready.”
Reveca hung her head, still smiling, then looked up at Echo then all of them. “There is a lesson here, boys. Never speak of the devil as he always takes it as an invitation.”
“That fucker’s day cannot come fast enough,” Steele said, making sure he squeezed Reveca before letting her go.
Reveca looked back at Echo. “Burn that shit when you’re done with it.” She went to the steps and hesitated at the top of them. “And take a shower, gah, I cannot believe how real you were.”
Echo moved his hips. “You were distracted by your lust, it happens. The idea of Blackwater’s balls—” Echo flinched as Reveca sent a wave of energy at him, but it didn’t stop him from laughing.
Reveca took her time going to the door. She walked through the bottom floor, past each vase with flowers in them, bringing them back to life with a glance and breathing in their sweet scent.
Not long after the last vase was blooming again there was a knock at her door.
Reveca let out a sigh then went to deal with the real Blackwater.
He was there on the front porch in almost the same exact suit Echo was parading around in moments before. Reveca had to bite her lip, force herself not smile at the memory.
“Miss Beauregard, you are a vision as usual.”
“What do you need, Blackwater?”
A smile filled with hate and anger came to him, twitching his lips just so. “May I come in?”
“No.”
Blackwater looked over his shoulder and cussed. Reveca stepped out, crossed her arms. “What is it?”
“You wanted information, and I’m here to give it to you,” he said, with a glance up to the light fixture.
“Go on,” Reveca said, as she watched Shade make his way up the path before the house and come to her side and lean against the pillar there.
“Private conversation, boy,” Blackwater said.
“What do you want, Blackwater?” Reveca said again, clearly letting him know that Shade wasn’t going anywhere.
“He your new boy? Trouble in paradise? Where is that brute Talon that always looms over you?”
“I’m not going to ask you again,” Reveca said.
Blackwater stared for a minute, glanced to the lot as if he were taking an inventory of who was present and who wasn’t. His stare landed on Bastion who was polishing his bike, and from the looks of it, having the time of his life.
“You know that kid is trouble, right?” Blackwater said, looking back at Reveca. “I’ve picked him up myself more than once. He’s got too much attitude, starts a lot of fights.”
“You have a point?”
“I don’t think he’s old enough to be here.”
“At a Boneyard? There some age limit for scrap parts I don’t know about?”
“You know what I mean. If that momma of his doesn’t know he’s here she’ll surely figure it out, send attention your way. She’s far more fierce than you are.”
Shade almost cracked a smile, almost.
The notion was debatable. Evanthe was fierce, but her revenge was always quiet, not like Reveca’s. It may take Reveca a moment to plan, but when she delivers, it’s far from docile.
“Duly noted.”
Blackwater let out a frustrated sigh. “There was a big bust the other night.”
“That a fact.”
“Yeah, traffic stop on a truck with no tags, right outside of a drug sweatshop. That apparently was its destination, heading there to load. The driver was armed. Had blood all over him.”
“Sounds gruesome. Your bust?”
“No,” Blackwater said with glare. “It wasn’t O’Brian’s either, but all the same we’ve been occupied with that organization. The perp took credit for another building that was torched.”
“Another one?” Reveca questioned, playing into the banter.
Blackwater glanced to Shade who was looking as fierce as ever. “Yeah, another. Found a few burned down establishments recently.”
“You here to accuse me of arson as well?”
“No. I figured you’d want to know that your competition is sizzling out in a manner of speaking. Should be good for business.”
“How would fires and drug busts help my bike business?”
“Still playing these games, I see.”
When Reveca didn’t offer a comeback he went on. “Your boys stay nice and tight at home last night?”
“What does that have to do with anything?”
“Well, we have missing girl.”
“Do what?”
“Didn’t show for her job, boss checked on her, neighbors say she left on the back of a bike.”
“Did they?” Reveca said, calling bullshit on that.
“Facts are still a little hazy. She hasn’t been gone long enough for an official report, but I thought I’d mention it to you, tell you if you knew that girl it’d be best for her to call her employer. He’s awful worried about her.”
“Haven’t seen any new faces.”
“How ‘bout old ones missing.”
“Do what?”
“A cruiser picked up a girl not far from here the other night, in the middle of all the rain. Someone beat the shit out of her. She refused to file assault charges but was in fear for
her life.” Blackwater looked for a reaction in Reveca; one never came. “She’s healing, but all the same, she has very convincing counselors working with her. If you had trouble the other night, you might want to be on guard if she happens to file. I’ll do my part to bury it but that doesn’t mean someone wouldn’t show up and ask a few questions.”
“All sunshine and butterflies here,” Reveca said with smile.
Blackwater looked over Shade once more, then back to Reveca. “O’Brian is pushing for another warrant to search your property. His opinion is that the last one was too restricted. He wants to move through your Boneyard and see if he can find Holden’s bike.”
“Isn’t that Mathis’s deal, bike hunting?”
“He your buddy now?” Blackwater asked, lifting both his chins.
“I pay attention, Blackwater.”
“Yeah, well, we’re all one team and have too many circumstances that are linking our cases. So there you have it, your update.”
“Nothing earth shattering, clearly.”
“The murder investigations are still open, and as far as I know there are no new leads.”
Reveca smiled. “Have a good day, Blackwater.”
He let his glare linger for a second. Then turned and strolled away as slowly as possible. Making it seem as if he were admiring the flowers on his path, looking in Bastion’s direction every chance he got.
They didn’t say a word until he was in his car and had passed the front gate.
“I gotta talk to you,” Shade said in low tone that stole Reveca’s attention immediately.
Shade nodded for her to walk with him.
“How’d it go last night?” Reveca asked.
“Blackwater is a lying ass. The bikes were nowhere near the girl. We got her to walk away with us. We didn’t even have our kuts on. Whoever told the lawmen must have recognized us. Thames did his deal with her thoughts, and we made sure she got on the plane. That was about it.”
“You sound disappointed.”
“A little action might have helped the mood of the night,” he admitted dryly.
“Yeah, maybe,” Reveca said as they came to a halt around the side of the house. Reveca was looking all around at the gravel that was kicked up, the flowerbeds which looked like a marching band had stormed through them, anger furrowing her brow.
