Play the Game: Hannaford Prep Year Three

by J Bree

  I pull away from Harley’s body but keep a hold of his hand, taking one last deep breath.

  “Illi, we need a minute.” I murmur, and the tattooed mass of muscle moves soundlessly to the corner, staring down at his shoes. I hate that Harley doesn’t like him because he’s actually the best guy, just a little fucked up and dangerous. Like me. He’s going to be able to hear every damn word we say, but he’s trying to give us some sort of space which is fucking decent of him.

  Harley’s hand tightens in mine. “I know the rules, I’m not going to lose my shit.”

  “He’s going to try to provoke you. Look at what he has us wearing. Just ignore him and remember that I’m going home with you and sleeping in your bed tonight. I’ve made my choice, and he’s not it.”

  Harley nods and presses his palm over my heart. “You got your knife on you? Or is Illi the only one who’s going to be stabbing people tonight?”

  He called him Illi, not the Butcher. I’m taking that as a good sign. Illi chuckles quietly and I scoff at them both. “I have one in my boot, but I trust Illi. I’ve seen him throw a cleaver before, he’s got this under control.”

  Harley scowls and drops his hands from me. He looks over his shoulder at the Butcher and says, “Who the fuck did you throw a cleaver at in front of her? For fuck’s sake.”

  Illi grins and steps back up, taking his place behind me right as the elevator grinds to a halt. “I threw it at the guy who held a knife to little Wolf’s throat when we broke into the Vulture’s den of evil to spring my wife. Caught him in the throat and the cunt squirted blood all the fuck over us like in the movies. Was so fucking cool, and little Wolfie made me promise her I’d show her how to do it. I did by the way, so don’t piss her off in the kitchen.”

  The doors scrape open right as Harley nods at Illi and mutters, “Okay. You’re a decent enough sort of guy.”

  Illi roars with laughter and we step into the meeting room together.

  Holy fuck.

  I hope I know what the hell I’m doing.

  Chapter Thirteen

  The table for the Twelve is round and I quickly choose my seat to be in-between the Coyote and the Bear. Before I sit down Illi snags a jacket from Luca, who is more than willing to help me cover myself thank fuck, and Harley helps me slide into it. He even zips it all the way to the top for me while his eyes twitch like he’s trying not to glare at every guy in the room. I’m oddly proud of him for controlling his protective urges. Then my guys take up watch by the wall with the rest of the henchmen, flunkies, guards, and overprotective husbands.

  Well, there’s just the one over-protective husband and he’s glaring at Harley like he thinks my boyfriend is going to try to jump the Lynx’s bones. I frown, and then I see the woman herself is staring at Harley like she’d happily drop to her knees at his feet to worship his dick.

  Fuck.

  Just what I need.

  I glance around and see we’re still waiting on the Boar. The Jackal takes a seat directly across from me and I refuse to look in his direction at all. He’s dressed impeccably in a three piece suit. Only the Fox and the Coyote are in the required underwear, everyone else has approached the Jackal for a pass to get themselves in without stripping.

  I refused to speak to him after his spat in the car so lingerie it is. I quirk an eyebrow at the Coyote, the youngest member after me at twenty, and he smirks at me.

  “Why the fuck not? I’m going pussy hunting after this, it’s been a while since I left my dungeon.”

  I chuckle under my breath at him. He’s the hacker of the group, there’s no digital information in the world that’s safe from this guy, and he’s a certified genius with tech. Someday when I get a permanent residence I’m getting the fucker to set up my security system.

  “Who’s the hot piece you came in with? She a part of your crew?” The Coyote continues, and I give him a look.

  “She’s mine.” I say with a flat tone and I meet the Crow’s gaze across the table. My breath catches as the steel gray of his eyes cut me. He’s as dangerous as the Jackal and I don’t need any extra bullshit going on in our lives right now.

  After a minute he dips his head to me and says, “Has my protection been sufficient?”

  “Exemplary, as expected.” I say and he nods, almost amicably.

  The Boar finally arrives, clothed and with three giant bikers with big bushy beards and cuts with patches all over them. His crew is not one I’d be getting into a bar fight with willingly and I’m not exactly pleased when they stand next to Illi and Harley. Fuck.

  The Jackal calls the meeting to a start and I’m forced to look at him. His gaze stays fixed on mine and he’s not attempting to hide the possessive obsession from the others anymore. Just what I need. I stare him down because sending a guy to my school to kill Harley was the last fucking straw. I’m done trying to find a casualty-free way of fixing this.

  I’m going to war.

  The Jackal runs through some squabbles the bigger players are having with turf wars and cops getting involved and I keep my mouth firmly shut. No one cares about my opinion on these things and I don’t care enough about it to offer them any advice. I just want to be left the fuck alone. It gets heated pretty fucking quickly and I sit back to enjoy watching the Crow shut the Jackal down at every pass. With their empires rivaling each other in size, the Crow is often the one to shut the Jackal down.

  If only he weren’t a terrifying, coldly-calculating man, I’d actually like the Crow.

  Finally the Ox speaks and shuts the rest of them up, “Are we not going to talk about the fact that the Vulture is dead and his killer is standing here with us, protected by one of us?”

  I don’t freeze or flinch. I just stare them all down.

  “Are you going to explain yourself, Wolf?” The Jackal taunts and I finally look up at him. He’s smug and so fucking arrogant as he calls me out but fuck him.

  “No. I’m not. Unless you have proof the Butcher did it, move on.”

  The Viper sneers at me, “He killed a member. If you’re willing to look over that then you’re spitting in the face of the institution of the Twelve. Maybe we need to dispose of you too.”

  I hold my hand up because I know Illi is just about to start throwing knives and shooting people in my protection and I don’t even want to know what’s going through Harley’s head. Fuck.

  “I have known Illi a long time and we’ve been negotiating his induction for years. I believe him when he says he had nothing to do with the Vulture’s death. If any of you have proof that he is guilty I will happily hand him over.” Blatant fucking lie, I’d never sell him out and he knows it, but he’s also sworn there’s no evidence of his crime so it’s a lie I’m willing to take the risk in telling.

  “He’s been telling people for years he’d kill the Vulture for what he did to that pathetic French slut, of course he fucking did it!” The Viper snaps and again I hold my hand up though I know it must be killing Illi to stay silent on this one.

  “Exactly. If he’s been saying it for years, why now? Why wait until the Vulture’s business was bigger, his protection stronger, and thousands more girls have been sold? He wanted to kill him, but he didn’t want to mess with the Twelve. Now the Vulture’s death tipped in my favor and he’s finally agreed to my terms to become one of mine. So, I’m not saying I’m happy the Vulture is dead but I’m very pleased with my outcome.”

  The Bear nods at me like my reasoning is sound and for a second I think I’ve won.

  Nope.

  Of course not, the Jackal would never let it go now I’ve openly defied him.

  He smirks at me like this is his favorite game, cornering me and bending me hoping I’ll break. I know for a fact it is. “I don’t find that plausible at all. Majority rules, Wolf, and unless you’re going to call in your favors you’re not going to get the majority here.”

  My favors. He wants to force me into using them. Even he doesn’t know how many I really have and, though I don’t want
to use any more than I have to tonight, I will. I only need six votes.

  “Fuck the favors, the Wolf has my vote.” The Boar grunts and the Jackal’s head snaps over to him. I admit, I’m kind of shocked too. He’s probably one of the last members I’d expect to back me.

  He shrugs. “She’s been nothing but true to the Twelve, and she’s taken every job I’ve ever asked from her. If she wants him in her crew then so be it; it’s her own back that will be knifed if he’s not loyal.”

  The Jackal grits his teeth and says, “Any other votes in favor.”

  I hold my breath.

  After a beat, the Bear, Fox, Coyote, and Lynx all make some noise or motion of voting yes. I only need one more and just as I open my mouth to call in a favor with the Ox, who owes me quite a few, the Crow says, “Aye. Majority wins, the Butcher is spared.”

  I glance over to him, but his eyes are on the Jackal. Their little rivalry has worked in my favor, thank fuck.

  “Any other issues before we move onto the settling of the Vulture’s business?” The Jackal snaps and I smile at him, giving him my best fuck-you impression of Avery. The girl is an ice queen after all. I’ve been planning this for months, knowing the Jackal expects the quiet, reserved Wolf he knows to be in this room and not the fierce, protective Wolf that’s formed now I have a family behind me to guard. I throw myself in.

  “Two things. Firstly; I would like to address some threats that have been made against my people. I would like to formally remind the Jackal that Harley Arbour is mine, and if he sends any more street rats to knife him in dark alleyways I will see it as an open act of betrayal against not only me, but the Twelve as a whole.”

  Silence.

  I think I can hear the blood pumping furiously in the Jackal’s veins from across the table and the slight flare of his eyes is the only sign I’ve just shocked him.

  “Why would I have him killed?” He says, carefully now the Crow and the Boar are watching him closely.

  “Because you’re pissed I turned you down. I may choose not to grow an empire but at this table, I am an equal to you. Send someone after my people again, and I won’t have to call in favors to have you taken care of. The Twelve will have no choice, but to do it.”

  The Jackal doesn’t try to argue or deny what he’s done, he just stares at me like he wants to punish me the same way he’s punished me for years, labeling it as training. Well, fuck him. I’ve learned a fuck-tonne in the two years I’ve been away from him and it’s only made me more dangerous. Now I have people to protect.

  “Jesus Christ, is your pussy gold plated or some shit?” The Coyote murmurs in my ear and I have to resist the urge to shove him the hell away from me.

  “Either the institution stands, or it doesn’t.” I say and tension snaps through the table. I can hear the group behind us shifting on their feet, preparing to dive into the fight that we’re edging our way closer to.

  “The second thing, Wolf?” The Boar asks, clearly wanting to steer the conversation away from bloodshed and war within our own ranks.

  I bend and retrieve the velvet bags I have stuffed in the tongue of one of my combat boots. I stand to place the pile in the center of the table. Eleven bags, eleven diamonds.

  “You all know what I’m asking for.”

  The table all stare at the diamonds with ravenous hunger and I nod.

  “Good. Now we can move on.”

  I’m forced to sit through an hour’s worth of arguing about the skin trade and no resolution is found, just as I suspected. The Crow refuses to back down and at one point I think the Jackal starts to plan exactly how he’s going to dismember him when the chance arises. Again, it works in my favor because the rest of the table sees it too.

  The Jackal is unstable.

  His time of being harmonious among us is counting down.

  When the Jackal finally calls the meeting over no one stands to leave. He flicks his wrist at one of his men and the elevator starts up. The Twelve all slowly collect their diamonds and stash them away as we wait.

  I take a deep breath.

  This part is going to be immensely satisfying, but it’s also the part I’m most worried about Harley seeing. I have thirty seconds of regret for not warning him, for not wanting him to argue with me about the price of his safety, before Liam and Domnall O’Cronin walk into the meeting room.

  Neither of them notice Harley amongst the group of men, they both only have eyes for me as I stand. I’m so glad Illi got me the jacket as I place my palms on the table in front of me and lean forward to address the fucking scumbag mobsters.

  “Thank you for joining us, Liam.” I say in a dark tone, hatred and disgust clearly present. Domnall twitches at my complete dismissal of him and I mentally high-five myself for it.

  Liam’s lip curls. “Not like we had much fuckin’ choice, ey? What’s all this about? You’ve already stolen my heir, what more could you want from me?”

  I ignore the disrespect he’s showing me and smirk at him. “Oh, I didn’t steal him. He sought me out. He decided that he wanted real loyalty, not the bullshit your family dishes out. But that’s all beside the point. I’ve brought you here to inform you that your family is done. The Twelve are finished with the lot of you. You’ll need to pack up and find a new state to live in. I hear Alabama is nice this time of year, try running your ‘empire’ there.”

  Liam’s face grows slack as he stares at me and then his eyes frantically dart around the table at the others. When no one speaks up to correct me his face slowly turns purple.

  “Our family has lived and worked here for generations, you can’t just fuckin’ freeze us out!”

  Again no one moves or speaks, exactly as I’ve instructed. I’m the one with power over the O’Cronin family now. My smirk only gets wider.

  “I could be persuaded to let you stay. Maybe even keep your businesses running with us.”

  Domnall finally spots Harley and he freezes, his body locking up completely at the sight of his hulking, enraged, practically-naked nephew standing beside the Butcher, who I’m sure looks positively psychotic with the tats, and the grin, and arsenal of weapons strapped to him. Both of them clad in my color; both of them belonging to me.

  Liam rolls his shoulders back, contempt deepening the curl in his lip. “What do I have to do to persuade you? If you want the boy that much then fuckin’ keep him. If he’s sold himself to you then he’s as weak as his fuckin’ Da.”

  Fuck.

  I hear Harley’s first step and my breath catches in my throat.

  Then silence, thank fuck. I lean forward again and stare Liam straight in the eye, unblinking.

  “I want my money. I want the inheritance your grandson is due that you’re hiding from him. I want every cent of it, transferred to my accounts, with interest. I’m guessing it’s been making you a nice return? Well, that money is mine.”

  Domnall has lost the ability to school his features and he’s openly glaring at me now. I arch an eyebrow at him and Illi takes a step forward. “Watch yourself, mobster. Only a stupid man would provoke the Wolf and I’m fucking itching to split you open for her.”

  I sit back down, smoothing my hands down the jacket as if it’s a silk gown and I’m Avery Beaumont, all classy and shit. “I thought about buying a judge to retrieve the money. Easy, quick, simple. But I wanted the satisfaction of watching you realize that your little power moves didn’t work. That money is mine and you’re going to hand it over to me. If you don’t, I will consider your refusal a declaration of war. I’ll destroy every last O’Cronin in the state.”

  Liam does one last sweep of the table and then gives me a look that would boil the blood of a lesser man. Good thing I’m neither a man, or less than the deadly, calm Wolf. I nod at him like he’s agreed with me. “If it’s not in my account by Friday I’ll be finding you, Liam. I’ll be coming for you all. Maybe I’ll start with your new heir, what’s his name again? Oh, Aodhan? Maybe I’ll come see if he wants to join me as well. I’ll bring
Illi to help sway him.”

  Domnall blanches at his son’s name and I smirk. Hook, line, and sinker; they know they’re fucked.

  Liam spits out from his clenched teeth, “Deal.”

  The meeting room empties soon after the mobsters storm out. Illi and Harley step up immediately to join me and I avoid looking Harley in the eye. I don’t want to see his reaction to my confrontation with his family while the Jackal is staring holes into us from the other side of the table.

  The Crow takes his time getting up, and I know he’s pushing every damn button on the Jackal he can when he gestures to the elevator and says, “Ladies first. I look forward to seeing you at the next meeting, Wolf.”

  I incline my head at him respectfully, and when I turn around to face Harley, he makes eye contact with the Jackal over my shoulder. I grab his hand gently, both to warn him and to tell him I’m fine, and he squeezes mine back. Illi snorts and crosses his arms next to him, obviously pissed off at the Jackal’s actions and ready to throw down with him for Harley in a second. I’m so relieved they’ve found some sort of truce that I don’t notice what the fuck Harley is doing as he maintains eye contact and -

  And, fuck me with a cactus, he unzips the jacket, pushing it off my shoulders while running his hands all over me with such fucking possession my knees threaten to give out. I look up to find him smirking at the Jackal and then he kisses me like he’s trying to fuck my mouth, my face cradled in his big hands.

  Fuuuuuuuck.

  Illi cackles and nudges Harley with an elbow. “Grab your girl. I need a drink and a fucking smoke after that. Let’s go find the rest of our little motley crew.”

  Harley breaks away from my lips with another smirk, this one at me, then he just grabs my ass and hauls me into his arms, walking us over to the elevator.

  “Did you just spend eleven fucking diamonds on me?” He mutters against my neck, and of course that’s his priority, even with the psycho behind us making eye contact with me. There’s nothing but bloodshed and slaughter in the Jackal’s eyes but I hold them, steady and calm. Harley steps into the cage and the door shuts.