by J Bree
“Wait! I’ll get some plastic sheeting from Lips’ kit, don’t put it down until I do.” Harley snaps, and I wait until it’s all set up before I go over. Blaise tears out of the room and back over to his room, I’m assuming to burn everything he owns, and I snap on gloves before I slice through the packaging tape holding the box together. Ah, fuck. It’s leaking. Greeeeeat, dead head juice all over the fucking room to clean up. Avery’s going to have a freaking aneurysm.
The head is way too far gone to tell who it is. The bloating and the blood pooling makes it impossible to even guess an ethnicity. Long dark hair though, and it was once curled, so I’m going to assume it’s a woman for now. I reach in to move it in the box a little, just sort of shifting it for clues. I don’t want to lift it up in case the slipping skin… well, slips right the hell off.
That’s when I see the tattoo.
The fucking tattoo.
Fuck.
Holy fuck.
“Okay, we have a serious fucking problem. Avery, call Atticus and get him here now. 911, state of emergency, whatever it takes. Harley, call Illi and get him here too. We need the security surveillance and we’re officially on fucking lockdown.” I ramble, hoping I have all of our bases covered but holy fuck, this is a whole new level of bad.
“Who is it, Mounty?” Harley says, and I turn to see them both watching me. Avery is hovering in the bathroom door jamb, but she and Harley both have their phones to their ears. Their eyes are glued to me, my face must be all sorts of fucked up.
“It’s the fucking Lynx.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
The entire school goes into lockdown.
Everyone is told that there’s been a bomb threat and Luca takes up watch at our front door. I invite him in, there’s no point in him sitting out there, but he shakes his head, all of his usual charm and smiles wiped clean.
Illi arrives, looking far more alive than the last time I saw him, thank fuck. He’s moving better, and the grins and cheeky jokes are back. He talks shit with Harley and Blaise as they start strapping their weapons to their body.
Ash leans against the bathroom door, already armed to the freakin hilt, and tries to talk Avery down from the ledge. She’s so freaked out by the smell and… fluids, she’s already had two showers. Her skin must be scrubbed raw by now, if she climbs in again she’s going to be shredded to pieces.
“You can swap rooms. You can have our room, and we’ll all stay over there until we’re sure this mess is dealt with.” His voice is coaxing through the door and her answering snort makes it through loud and clear.
“So my choices are rotting brain matter or slipping in Morrison’s DNA matter? Fuck this, I’m dropping out!”
I slip my knife into the pocket of my ripped jeans and pull one of Avery’s cashmere cardigans over the soft v neck shirt I’ve permanently borrowed from Ash. I like that Harley’s necklace sits between my boobs and only the chain can be seen when I’m wearing this shirt. It feels like our own little secret, something between the four of us, like my creed tattoo.
I lean against the door with Ash. “Aves, I’m going to deal with this and then I’m going to spend the rest of the night bleaching the entire room. You can stay over in the guy’s room until I’m done, Blaise will change all of the sheets. You and Ash can do a total renovation if you want. How about you get rid of all of their china and start again. That usually cheers you up.”
There’s a pause and then she says, “I am getting sick of the blue. I was thinking about a deep, forest green. Not olive.”
I pull a face because I have no fucking clue of what she’s rambling about. “Of course not, fuck olive. Do you think you can leave the bathroom now?”
She retches. “Not until the head is gone. And the smell, too.”
I sigh and turn to Ash who’s glaring at the box. Guilt pools in my stomach and I lean against him, my forehead pressing into his chest, and I mumble. “I’m sorry. My shit is haunting us again.”
He scoffs at me. “Your shit is just messing with our shit. She’s like this because of Joey and Senior, and technically your shit has dealt with one of those issues already. I don’t want her going down to the meeting with us while she’s rattled. She works well under pressure but not rotting-head-in-her-space pressure.”
I sigh again and he lets me lean on him for another minute.
Fuck, to think just a few hours ago I was being held up in that shower by him and Harley having the time of my fucking life, and now the real world has come back to slap me in the damn face again.
“Stop thinking about it. If Avery finds out we’ll have to burn the entire school down for her and start again. Huxerly is a shit hole, I don’t want to graduate there.” He murmurs, and my head jerks up to meet his eyes.
He traces his finger over my cheeks. “Pretty fucking obvious with this blush what you’re thinking about, Mounty.”
Well, fuck.
There’s a knock at the door and Harley opens it, the Crow stepping in with a frown as he takes in the room. I frown right back at him as the Boar steps in behind him with his usual crowd of surly bikers with him.
Fuck. I was not expecting a fucking family reunion in my room while I’m draped over one of my three boyfriends. Jesus fucking wept.
“Wolf.” The Boar grunts, and Harley’s eyes narrow to slits at him.
Ugh. “Boar. I thought the meeting was in the dining hall? We were just about to head down.”
Blaise gives me a look, smirking even as he still looks a little green. I sigh at his twisted freaking humor and Ash huffs at him as well.
The Boar looks at each of the guys in my room and then stalks over to the box, a couple of his bikers moving with him. “I’m here for the box. My boys will get it out of here before the Lynx’s family comes looking.”
I swallow as he looks inside it. “They know she’s dead?”
He grunts. “Yeah, her body was left for them to find.”
The Crow gives him a sharp look. “What was left of it, he means. She was mutilated.”
I hear Avery start to shuffle around in the bathroom, getting dressed and prepared for the meeting finally. “You gonna give me this guy's name so I can have a chat with him?”
The Boar’s eyes snap over to the Crow, who’s standing rigid by the door, his eyes as cold as ever. “Not in mixed company kid. I was waiting to do it in person but I’ll put in a call, speed things up a bit. We’re due for a meeting anyway.”
The Boar tucks the box under his arm like the leaking doesn’t bother him, fucking gross, and leaves. There’s a second of silence before Ash starts up.
“What the fuck are you even doing here?” Ash snarls, and Avery sighs loud enough it travels through the door.
Atticus turns his trademark cold, calculating looks to Ash. I feel him tense against me, rage slowly seeping into every fiber of his being. “I needed to check if Avery was okay.”
Harley groans as Ash stalks forward, two of the Crow’s men stepping up and between them. Avery comes out of the bathroom, looking perfectly put together and hugging the far wall to stay as far away from the mess as possible.
Atticus continues, “I’ve called the meeting so I can question the Boar. We need to know who is sending the boxes. Killing the Lynx was not really in Lips’ best interest and what’s to stop this deranged stalker from taking you out for being around her? What about Avery, what if he comes for her next?”
Ash’s eyes narrow. “We’ll protect Avery like we always have.”
Atticus’s eyes flick over Ash’s face and then he opens his stupid mouth and starts a whole new fucking war for me do have to deal with. “Great job you’ve done so far, when is the Devil due to collect his property?”
Ash is easily the quickest human on the fucking planet and Atticus’s men have no chance of stopping him from taking their boss down.
It takes Illi and Harley to peel him off. Blaise refuses to help, he just stands in front of Avery and smirks when Ash’s fists come back bloody. I stay
out of the way because all hell would break loose if I got caught in the crossfire. Harley would pull his gun and we’d all be fucked once the Crow’s brains were in pieces on the freaking floor.
Harley grabs Atticus by his neatly pressed shirt and hauls him back onto his feet, shoving him towards the door. “You never fucking learn, do you? You just gotta start shit.”
Atticus’ nose is pouring blood but he barely seems to notice it, other than pressing his pocket square against it. Knowing that rich asshole that thing probably cost more than my entire wardrobe did.
Ugh.
“The others are on their way here. Try to remember that they’re all the leaders of large criminal organizations and keep your smart mouths shut before you get us all killed.” He snaps and walks out.
* * *
I slip my arm into Avery’s as we walk, wincing at her flinch. Her hands are a mess from all of the scrubbing, her body must be a freaking mess. Ash watches her obsessively, as if looking away from her will have her whisked out from under his nose. Blaise walks with him, watching them both with that look on his face, the one where he’s getting himself ready to defend and destroy for his family.
Illi leads the way with Harley, the two of them talking about the car parts Harley is looking for. We’re not exactly being quiet and yet not a single door opens to see what the noise is about on the way down to the dining hall. The other students are that terrified of us, of the whole fucking world going to shit around them, that they stay in their own lanes.
Smart move.
When we get to the dining hall, half the members still aren’t here yet but there’s coffee being served.
Coffee.
Illi quirks an eyebrow at me. “Quickest way to take someone out is giving them a dirty batch of their drug of choice.”
I huff at him but really I’m crying on the inside; I’m supposed to be asleep in Harley’s arms right now not dealing with this bullshit. “I know. I won’t touch it.”
The Crow overhears us and snaps, “I’m not going to poison my allies, I’m not the fucking Jackal.”
Illi smirks over his shoulder at him. “Nah, you’re something else entirely.”
Great. Wonderful. Fucking perfect. “I shouldn’t have caffeine this late on a school night anyway.”
Avery giggles at me, her first real sign of life since the box showed up, and I laugh with her. The Crow has rearranged the seating plan and we find seats where I can keep an eye on the doors, not trusting the Jackal or, fuck, the Lynx’s family to not show up and kill us all while we’re busy having a chat about sweet fuck all. Avery takes the seat next to me and Ash hesitates for a second before sitting on my other side.
Illi, Harley, and Blaise all lean against the dining table behind us, murmuring quietly to each other as more members arrive with their usual groups of followers, flunkies, and paid men.
“This place is fucking swanky.” The Coyote says, walking into the room like he’s casing the place for a heist later. He probably fucking is, though he definitely doesn’t need the money.
Viola rolls her eyes at him but it’s affectionate and he blows her a kiss in return. It’s fucking weird to see him like that, he’s usually such a playful flirt. When he catches my incredulous look he winks at me, ignoring the scolding look from the Crow.
He sits next to Avery and Viola sits on his other side, giving Avery a halfhearted smile. “Thanks for not killing my sister. Sorry she’s been a fucking nightmare.”
Avery shrugs. “I hope she’s enjoying her new school, hopefully there’s less gang members there.”
The Coyote rolls his eyes, slinging his arm around Viola. “She’s already fucking half the school there, I think she’s enjoying being the new girl.”
Viola elbows him in the gut so hard he does this little wheeze thing and I grin at her. He needs someone to keep him in line.
The Stag arrives with another O’Cronin, a little older than him and a little more… haggard-looking. He nods respectfully at the Crow, then the Boar, then he sits next to Ash and does the same to the Coyote and me. He glances over his shoulder and I don’t see what Harley does but he gives him a nod too. Well, well. Aren’t we a cozy fucking bunch?
When the Tiger finally arrives, frazzled and alone, the Crow takes his seat. The rest all spread out, the room falling silent as the severity of the situation sinks in.
“Another member has been taken out, the Lynx’s head was delivered to the Wolf tonight.”
The Tiger starts to sweat, I’m half afraid the fucker is going to keel over of a heart attack. The Bear, looking thinner and frazzled now he has nothing left, just stares at the floor like nothing matters anymore. His defeatist posture pisses me off. How fucking pathetic.
“So the Jackal has decided enough is enough and he’s going to start killing us all for the Wolf? Maybe it’s time we got her out. Maybe it’s time we all stop paying the price for her being a cocktease.” The Fox snaps, and the Crow holds a hand up before one of my guys starts swinging.
“This was not the Jackal. This was someone else who is… working on their own but killing anyone who crosses the Wolf.”
“I thought you were going to deal with this?” Avery says to the Boar with an arched eyebrow and a fucking fierce look on her face, and I narrow my eyes at the looks of shock the other members give us.
Avery fucking Beaumont would tear any-freaking-one of them to pieces if given the chance and I’ll be fucked if she has to show them respect now the whole institution of the Twelve has gone to hell in a hand basket. Plus, she needs a little pep in her step after the box and nothing makes her happier than tearing down powerful men.
The Boar’s eyes drop down to where my hand is tucked in Avery’s and then he answers her plainly, no censure or ego in him at all. “The Lynx went back to the Jackal. She decided she didn’t want to risk her rat of a son after all, so I think the Wolf’s… ally made the right call.”
The Crow frowns at him. “This… ally is unknown to the Wolf, that makes him a wildcard. The Lynx should have been dealt with by the Twelve, not taken out by some outsider. How do we know this ally won’t turn on the rest of us?”
The Boar crosses his arms and leans forward in his chair. He looks every inch the cold-hearted biker lord I’ve always known he is. “It’s pretty fucking simple; don’t hurt the Wolf, don’t threaten her, don’t stalk her, don’t piss her off, and don’t ever conspire to fucking kill her. Stay on her good side and you’ll live.”
What. The. Actual. Fuck?
Harley raises his eyebrows at me and I shrug. I’m officially out of ideas on what the fuck is going on.
“Good thing we’re team Wolf.” The Coyote says to Viola, loud and brash as he tucks her hair back from her face. I see the Wolf insignia tattooed to the back of his hand and I raise my brow at him. He grins and blows me a kiss like a dick, like he’s impersonating Illi’s roguish charms and not quite hitting the mark.
Illi himself stares at the other members of the Twelve, one by one, like he’s sizing them up. The Crow takes it without so much as an eyebrow lift, but the Viper rises to his bait.
"Just because the Wolf has decided to put up with your shitty attitude doesn't mean the rest of us have to. Remember that you have no power in this room except maybe having the ear of the girl you sold your soul to."
Illi shrugs. "I don't give a shit about the opinions of some gambling man. Things are changing. My loyalty stays with the Wolf, but the institution of the Twelve is going to go through some big fucking changes now the Jackal has lost his head.”
The Ox crosses his arms and huffs at him. “Talking like that will get you and the Wolf in deep shit, Butcher. The type of shit you don’t walk away from.”
The Boar leans forward in his seat, his face a vicious mask that lets you know the biker shit draped all over him isn’t a persona he’s a fucking killer, through and through. “Did I not just tell you to keep your fucking mouth shut about her?”
The room bursts into argument, the
Ox and the Viper cussing the Boar out, but the biker doesn’t look at all phased by it. His eyes are on the Crow, sizing him up.
Ash does his own assessment of the shit-fight before us, looking the Boar up and down. Then he waits until the room quietens down to say to me in a not-so-subtle whisper, “You look nothing like him.”
Fuck. I cut him a look as half the fucking room turns to look at us. “Can we stick to the topic on hand? Another member is dead. What are we going to do about that?”
There’s silence for a second and then, surprisingly, the Fox says, “What we always do. Split the empire, run the Game, and keep the streets of the Bay under our control.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
The Boar leaves the meeting before I can speak to him, snapping at his guys and stalking out like his ass is on fire. I let it go, only because I’m still fucking worried about Avery and we’ve got to deal with the mess in our room before we can pass out. The Coyote bumps knuckles with Illi, fucking weird, and then leaves with the Crow. I’m sure they’ll still be trying to dig up every last clue into who the hell the killer is.
It takes four hours to get the smell of rotting flesh out of our room and to bleach every surface. We lose more furniture because Avery goes on a rampage but it’s not like she can’t afford it. Once we’ve finally gotten rid of all evidence we all go to bed in the guy’s room, just to let the bleach scent air out a bit more.
We’re woken by the sharp rap of knuckles on the door at dawn, less than an hour of sleep for us all.
I lurch up and out of bed before Avery manages to hit the light, and Harley snarls at me to wait for him but I ignore him. This isn’t going to be good.
Luca is dressed and armed to the hilt, sour faced and grim toned as he says, “The Boar’s MC was hit last night while the meeting was on. The Jackal took out the entire fucking building, only the guys at the docks and those who came with him survived. Things are about to get much, much worse. Just letting you know, Wolf.”
