Devil’s Game (The Devil’s Demons #2)

19. Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Eighteen

Giana

“ I think Soph might lose it if we don’t get to the club soon.” I snickered, reading the text that just pinged on my phone.

Sophia: What is taking you so long? I can’t stand being with these assholes for another second. This week has been long enough.

Sophia: Get to the club now, or you’re no longer my best friend.

Sophia: Just kidding, but seriously, I need a break from them. Zane is so overbearing. I swear I can’t even go to the bathroom without him following me.

Giana: He goes to the bathroom with you?

Sophia: NOT LITERALLY!

Sophia: He stands outside the door, like a creep.

Sophia: Of course, that’s what you respond to.

I tossed the phone to Spade, letting him read the conversation for himself. “At least she’s keeping herself entertained.” He chuckled, passing it back to me.

“How did you get that from those texts?” I lifted a questioning eyebrow.

Spade just shrugged. “I guess they just have this sort of flirty vibe.”

I couldn’t help the giggle that slipped from my lips as I replied.

Giana: We’re still going to be a few hours. Just stick close to him, no matter how annoying he gets.

“Glad I’m not the only one who sees it.” I slipped my phone back into my purse and leaned against the patent leather seats of Merrick’s 1962 Chevy Impala, which he’d reluctantly handed over the keys to after Spade reminded him his own car was still in Merrick’s garage, waiting on maintenance.

“They should both get over themselves and admit they want to bang already.” A devious glint danced in Spade’s eyes. “Speaking of . . .” He trailed off, wasting no time as he wrapped his arms around my waist and tugged me closer.

“Did you forget that we’re parked here for a reason?” I nearly forgot that reason myself as his lips lowered to my neck, kissing a scorching line down to my shoulder.

“At least we’re waiting to do my second favorite thing: murder and mayhem.” He grinned, reluctantly shifting his grip, looping his arm around my shoulder to pull me against him.

“What’s your favorite thing, then?”

“Top spot is definitely a person.” He pointedly scanned my body, taking his time as his eyes roved over every curve. Heat washed over me like a physical caress, following everywhere his gaze touched.

“Spade,” I warned, shifting away from him before he got us both in trouble. “This is our first chance since last week. You know we can’t miss it.”

The reminder was also for myself, meant to strengthen my resolve, because I swear Spade could melt my panties with nothing but a look. Ever since the meeting at the bar and my talk with Merrick afterward, I’d been laser-focused on getting to the next step, but just as I’d anticipated, the Barones changed up their routine. Suddenly, his men weren’t frequenting the same bars and pubs, weren’t out on the streets at all as they undoubtedly restructured, bringing in henchmen from the other towns they held in their iron fist.

Tonight was the first hint we’d gotten of any action, but we had to play this cautiously. It could be a trap to capture any one of us or spread us thin enough to attack. So, we were launching a smaller attack this week.

We had three small teams this time—me and Spade, Merrick and Kellan, and Nicolas, who I’d met the other night, with two other members. Others scouted for locations, keeping tabs on the Barones’ movements, but they were told not to approach.

“This is the place, right?” I chewed on my bottom lip, glancing up and down the empty street, half expecting someone to appear from thin air.

“This is it, sugar,” he breathed, running his fingers through my hair. “Have I mentioned how glad I am that you decided not to use the wig this time?”

“I don’t need a disguise today,” I reminded him, my grin widening at the thought. We wouldn’t be leaving anyone alive to tell the tale, but for some reason, it felt better to do this as myself. For Tommaso’s men to see my true face, the woman they’d looked down upon, treated as their boss’s property, and to know that their death would be at my hand.

Spade’s knee juggled, the anticipation getting to him too. “You have no idea how sexy you looked, sugar, when you walked out of that alley.” He squeezed his eyes shut, as though an image of me covered in blood was flashing through his mind and he didn’t want to let it go. “I almost lost it the moment I saw you.”

This was a dangerous game, me and Spade alone, the promise of bloodshed so near.

“Stop trying to distract me.” I narrowed my eyes on him, scooting a few inches away. “Otherwise, I’m going to have no choice but to crawl into the back seat to get away from you.”

A devious grin curled on his lips. “The back seat does look spacious.”

“Spade.”

“I love it when you say my name, sugar.” He waggled his eyebrows, clearly already knowing that he was winning.

Dammit.

Before he could say another word, my phone rang, pulling my attention away.

“Saved by the bell.” I stuck my tongue out at him and pulled in the phone back out, fully expecting a call from Sophia chewing me out for not being there soon enough. But that wasn’t the case.

“Stop teasing me,” he groaned, his light tone evaporating as he took in my hesitance. “Who is it?”

My lips pulled into a frown as I showed him the No Caller ID that had popped up in place of a contact’s name. “Your guess is as good as mine.”

Anxiety churned in my gut, but before Spade could stop me, I accepted the call and put it on speakerphone. Silence stretched between us as I waited for the caller to say something, to reveal themselves before I uttered a single word.

“Your plan won’t work, Giana.” A garbled voice came from the receiver that sent a chill up my spine as he stumbled over my name, like he wanted to say something else but was trying in vain to disguise himself.

I gritted my teeth, meeting Spade’s gaze as his darkened, a promise of death in his violet eyes. I held up a finger, begging him to keep the rage inside, to keep it pent up for the men we were about to track down, rather than giving in to Tommaso’s game.

Remaining silent, I waited for him to show his hand.

“We know it was you and your little friends that attacked our men last week. And for your sake, I hope you leave well enough alone, mi amore , because they’ll be ready this time.”

He apparently was giving up all pretense of trying to stay anonymous now. Heat washed over me, anger momentarily clouding my mind before I blinked it away, attempting to refocus.

“I don’t want you getting hurt, Giana. Please.” His real voice came over the line now, and just the sound had me swallowing back the bile rising in my throat. “Stop this, come home to me.”

I clasped Spade’s hand, sensing his brewing irritation vibrating just below the surface. His fingers closed around mine, holding on to me like a lifeline, keeping him afloat in the torrent of his mind, his raging emotions crashing like the waves in the violent sea.

“Fine. You forced my hand.” He sighed, his tone condescending. “I let you have your fun, but I’m done with the games. Just remember, you made me go to these lengths. You’re the only one to blame for what comes next.”

I shook my head, my finger hovering over the end call button, sure his rambling must be coming to an end when he added, “I’ll see you soon, mi amore . I even have a nice dress waiting for you—a welcome home present.”

He ended the call before I could, the screen flickering to black with his parting words. I clenched the brick of metal and plastic, wishing I could throw it out the window like I’d done to my last one.

How did he even get this number?

I shook my head and shoved the phone into my bag, not wanting to voice the question aloud, because I already knew the answer. The Barones always got what they wanted, no matter the cost—but that was about to end, and I would be the one to take that power from them.

“I’m so ready to kill someone,” I said, my hands shaking, needing to feel the cool metal of a blade in my palm just to take the edge off.

“Perfect timing because I think we caught our prey, sugar.” Spade’s grin grew as he pointed to the street before us, where three men in midnight-blue suits stalked toward the back of the local bookstore. Mr. Richards was running it for Kellan’s parents while they were in hiding, but it seemed like Tommaso’s words were true—they were going to attack every place that meant something to us in the attempt to break me.

But it wouldn’t work, just as none of their attempts had worked so far.

“Then, let’s do this.” I grinned, matching Spade’s bloodthirst as the men disappeared into the darkness.

Spade’s lips found mine, capturing them in a searing kiss that burned straight to my toes. It communicated so much more than any words could. Pride and longing lingered between us as he cradled my head to him like he never wanted to let go.

We both needed this, the connection and to get lost in the violence waiting outside these car doors.

“After you, sugar.” He grinned against my lips, his eyelashes fluttering as his gaze raked over my body, sending another wave of lust coursing through my veins.

If there wasn’t so much at stake, I would pull him into that back seat, just like he’d promised me earlier, but we’d have to save that for later.

My men and violence were definitely my two favorite things, and they were even better when combined.

I crept along the building, my sneakers barely making any sound against the pavement—so much better for murdering than heels. They should put that in an advertisement or something.

Spade was a few paces behind me, making sure we didn’t get trapped unaware as I took the lead, needing to scope out the small back entrance of the bookstore. There were only a few feet of pavement between the thick steel door and the cement wall fencing in the back of the bookstore, with a few small trash cans and recycling bins.

Anticipation flooded my veins, excitement and adrenaline spiking as two of the men stood just under the wall sconce, the light casting an ominous glow over them.

I lifted two fingers as a sign to Spade, warning him that the third was unaccounted for. Just as I was about to retreat to him, the metal door slammed against the brick and the third man stalked out, hauling a quivering Mr. Richards along with him. His grey hair was wild, sticking up in places, suggesting the man had already thrown him around inside.

“Tell them what you told me,” the henchman snapped, throwing the older man onto the ground. He landed with a sickening smack and clutched his arm to his chest, a whimper escaping his lips.

“What did I fucking say?!” The man waved a gun around, his buddies circling Mr. Richards like sharks scenting fresh blood. “Keep your voice down, otherwise I’m going to give you something to really scream about.”

My jaw clenched, my heart screaming at me to launch into action, but right now, we were outnumbered, and they were poised and ready, their guns at their sides, on guard after our attacks last week.

“I-I’m sorry,” Mr. Richards sputtered, his body shaking as he looked up at the men, his limbs curling in as he instinctively tried to protect his vital organs.

“We don’t need your apologies,” one of the men grumbled, crouching low so his gun hovered only a few inches from the older man’s face. “Where’s the money?”

“I don’t—I don’t have it,” he stammered and winced. “Please, I thought—”

“You thought they were going to protect you.” The third guard chuckled darkly. “Well, where are they now?”

I gritted my teeth as Spade put a hand on my shoulder in warning. He must’ve already let our backup know that we’d found them. They’d be here any second, but could we afford to wait that long?

“Please, I didn’t—”

“We had an agreement, Richards. Didn’t we?” the first one asked, hauling him up by the collar of his shirt. “We told you that if you wanted to keep your legs, you had to have all the money ready, including the back payments you missed while we were on vacation.”

Spade’s hand shook, the only sign of amusement he’d let show. That’s how they were trying to spin it? That they were simply on vacation, and that’s why they hadn’t been collecting?

The henchman leaned in, his face mere inches from Mr. Richards’s as his eyes glinted with malice. “I guess we have to keep our promise. We wouldn’t want to be liars, now, would we?”

“P-please no, I can get it. I just need a few more days.”

“Time’s up.” He holstered his gun, the third one doing the same as he strode over to the trash cans.

And that was my cue. I slipped my gun out of its holster, knowing Spade would be right behind me—neither of us was known for our patience, anyway. It was the perfect moment, as two of the men were focused on Mr. Richards while the third had his back turned, pulling an aluminum bat from behind the trash cans.

I couldn’t suppress the grin that curled on my lips at the sight of it, the metal glinting in the glow from the back light. Before any of them could spot me, I aimed for the one closing in on Mr. Richards, in the hopes of restraining him, and pulled the trigger one, two, three times, each of them hitting their marks in his chest, shredding through his vital organs. He attempted to lift his own gun, but it clattered onto the pavement as he peered at the blood spilling down the front of his white shirt.

The metal ringing of the bat hitting the ground rang off the sides of the buildings as the third henchman attempted to draw his weapons, but Spade’s gun was already aimed at him, a devious grin on his mouth.

“Put him down,” I instructed the one holding Mr. Richards as I aimed in his direction, my attention split between him and the one on the ground, his blood-soaked hands grasping at the wounds in his chest as he fell to his knees.

“Bitch,” he spat, glaring daggers at me. He gripped Mr. Richards, who winced as his collar dug into his wrinkled neck, even tighter. “You think I’m really that stupid? We heard what you did last week to our fucking friends. If I let him go, I’m a dead man.”

He had a point there.

“You’re dead either way.” I shrugged. “But at least if you put him down, you might have a chance at shooting me before I can put a bullet between your eyes.”

Finally remembering the gun holstered at his side, his fingers grazed the barrel, as though he was considering his options. In a flash, he released Mr. Richards, letting him tumble to the ground as he grappled for his weapon, but it was no use. My finger pressed the trigger the moment he released the older man. The bullet whizzed toward him, embedding itself right where I told him it would.

He weakly dropped his gun, the weight slipping from his fingers as the force of the lead plowed into him, sending him stumbling back a step. I quickly unloaded a few more bullets into his chest, just to make sure. He fell backward, his muscles unable to keep him upright as my shots hit their marks.

The seconds had felt like hours, my mind processing each detail until the world came slamming back into focus. Blood pooled around his body as he lay next to his friend.

“You need to get out of here.” I turned my steely gaze on Mr. Richards as he stared up blankly at me. Blood splatter coated his crooked glasses, his lips open and closing like a fish as he searched for the words. “Now.”

The barked order seemed to spark his survival instincts as he scrambled to his feet, not bothering to waste a moment locking up as he ran down the alley.

Scooping up the discarded guns, I strode over to the trash bins and tossed them in, taking my time as Spade held the third henchman at gunpoint.

“That’s my sugar,” Spade whispered conspiratorially, as though the man he was talking to wasn’t about to die. “Isn’t she marvelous? Wait, don’t answer that.” He glared at the confused henchman, who looked between us, apparently trying to keep up. “If you do, then I’ll have to kill you so much faster than planned.”

I couldn’t help but grin as I strode over to his side and placed a tender hand on his shoulder. This man just got me.

“It was annoying that we had to get rid of the other two so soon.” I pouted, fluttering my lashes at Spade before I looked at the henchman, who wasn’t sure if he should be confused or terrified. “See, he just gets me. He knew that we’d take our time with you. Send a message, you know, just like you wanted to do by breaking poor Mr. Richards’s legs.”

“Please, I’m just doing my job. You should know that more than anyone.” He retreated a step, his back hitting the hard brick.

That was the wrong answer.

My lip curled into a snarl as recognition sparked. I’d seen him before, his face muddled through the tear-hazed memory, but I remembered him now. I stalked toward him, stooping to collect the bat from where he’d dropped it and holstering my gun. “You know . . . I have a thing for bats—pretty fitting, right? That’s right, I remember you. You were the one holding the tire iron as you beat Ryan to a bloody pulp.”

I took his silence as an answer as he looked to the ground, appearing to feel some remorse, now that I was his judge, jury, and executioner.

“So, were you the one that killed him, and just had your friends make the delivery?”

“N-no. I di-didn’t know.”

“You should ask those friends what I can do with a bat—oh wait, I guess they’re not alive to tell the story now, are they?”

He shuddered, the confusion washing away as he looked between us with desperation.

“You were the one who asked Richards where we were, right?” I hoisted the bat over my shoulder, giving him a pointed look.

His lips opened and closed as he searched for the words before he settled on nodding.

“Well, then, aren’t you glad you found us? Or, I guess, we found you.” I giggled and swung. The crunch of bone echoed off the cement walls, his scream punctuating the sound perfectly as he fell to his knees. The impact drew another pained shout from his lips as he tried and failed to keep his weight off the one I’d just hit.

“I know you were so excited to see exactly what I did to your friends with one of these.” I swung the bat in a circle, letting the tip breeze mere inches past his nose. He shuddered, a sob racking his chest as he closed his eyes, his lips forming silent words, seemingly praying to a higher power who wouldn’t answer. Nope, his soul already belonged to the devil. “But my love didn’t get to have any fun the last time, and he loves playing with his knives.”

“You’re so good to me, baby.” Spade sighed wistfully, his gun still aimed at the henchman as he strode to my side and placed a kiss on my cheek. “How am I ever going to repay you?”

“I can think of a few ways.” I grinned mischievously, sparing a second to rove my gaze over his black leather jack and white T-shirt that I already knew he wanted splattered in blood by the end of tonight.

Spade leaned in, about to close his lips over mine, but a flash of movement pulled him short. The asshole was lunging toward the garbage cans, hobbling desperately, despite his injured knee.

I let him grasp the lid, let him have just a taste of freedom before I closed the distance with one long stride, my bat already raised above my head. I pulled some of my strength back at the last second as I brought it down, the metal smashing against his cheek with a sickening crunch that sent a spray of blood over my face and chest.

The man faltered, his eyes closing as he tumbled to the ground, barely regaining enough consciousness at the last second to throw his hands out, letting them take the brunt of the impact instead.

“Sorry, I just had to get one more hit in.” I took a step back, giving Spade a chagrined look over my shoulder.

“Don’t apologize, sugar.” Spade chuckled, his lips trailing up my throat, each word sending a teasing caress of warm breath over my heated skin. “You know I love seeing you at work.”

He reluctantly pulled away as the man sputtered, blood dripping from his lips.

“My turn.” Spade holstered his gun as I tugged mine free and let the bat clatter to the ground. I was almost sure the guy wasn’t going to try anything again, but I didn’t want to risk being caught off guard. “Plus, we can take our time. I told the others that we have it under control, so they’re keeping watch at the front of the store.”

Dread froze the henchman in place, his arms shaking as he struggled to keep himself upright.

Spade reached into his pocket and flicked out a switchblade, the silver glinting in the light. “Which means you’re stuck with us.”

“Please,” he begged, his plea hitching into a scream as Spade gripped his brown hair and snapped his head back to expose his neck.

“I could make this short,” Spade whispered, dragging the flat of his knife over his throat where the man’s carotid artery lay just beneath. “I could slice right here, and it would be over.”

The man shook on his bad knee, his eyes pressing closed as his throat trembled with the effort it took not to swallow.

I was transfixed by Spade, by the sheer terror he was able to evoke.

“But where would the fun be in that?” Spade shifted his knife higher, slicing a thin line across the henchman’s cheek.

He gasped, his eyes wild, as though he had just narrowly escaped death, despite the blood trickling down his neck.

“Where should I cut him next, sugar?” Spade grinned, his eyes electric as he glanced at me over his shoulder. “How about a finger?”

“N-no,” the man stammered, earning himself a stab in his arm.

A scream pierced through the night air as Spade yanked the blade back out, wagging his finger in disdain. “I wasn’t asking you.”

“I agree. The fingers are the next logical step, especially since I don’t want to see him without his clothes.”

I cringed, bile rising in my throat at the thought of it.

“Don’t take that as an insult, buddy.” Spade clapped him on the shoulder, like he was consoling an old pal. “If she did, I’d only make this that much more painful for you out of principle.”

He smacked his arm just over the wound, coaxing another scream from the man’s lips. “My sugar knows just how to get me worked up. I’ll share, but not with just anyone.”

I couldn’t help the giggle that slipped from my lips before I clamped a hand over my mouth, for some reason not wanting to bruise the man’s ego any more than we already had.

“I like a good scream as much as the next person, but this is overkill at this point.” Spade shook his head in disgust. “Almost ruins the whole thing.”

The henchman’s shoulders slumped when Spade released him and turned to me, relief visible in his expression as he drew in a ragged breath.

Violent delight sparkled in Spade’s eyes, rather than the mercy the man had assumed. Spade was playing with him, like a cat with his freshly caught mouse.

“Almost.” Spade spun on his heel and yanked the man’s injured arm up.

A scream tore from his lips as he desperately tried to pull it back, but it was no use with the blood pouring from his stab wound. Spade twisted his hands up and grappled for control of his fingers, not bothering to subdue him with threats, relishing in the struggle.

I waited with bated breath, my own anticipation humming through my veins just as he gained control of a finger and sliced through it.

It took the henchman a moment to realize what had just happened, his eyes wide with horror as Spade sawed through the rest of the bone and sinew. Spade lifted it up, so the man could see the now severed appendage, blood coating Spade’s shirt as it sprayed from where the man used to have a finger. Panicked screeches followed as he cried his pain to the night sky, but no one would come to investigate.

Just like with the guard at the diner, I knew no one would. They’d desensitized the town from looking too closely. And besides, his own friends knew what they were supposed to be doing tonight. If anything, they’d think it was a job well done as the three men broke poor Mr. Richards’s legs.

He had dug his own grave, and now it was up to us to toss him in there.

“Don’t go passing out on me just yet.” Spade sighed, tossing the finger on the pavement as he gripped the man’s hair and tugged, ripping him from whatever sweet oblivion he was about to tumble into.

Sobs racked the man’s chest as he tried to lift his hand, but judging by the way it flopped back at his side, and the wince curling his lips, the pain was too great.

“I can’t let you off that easy, now, can I?” Spade tsked in admonition.

“Just let me die,” the man moaned, agony lacing his brown eyes.

“Oh, I will, but why let you pass out?” Spade pressed his knife to his throat, the edge slicing in as he struggled to hold himself still this time. A thin trickle of blood spilled onto Spade’s already bloody blade. “You deserve to feel every slice, just like you would’ve done to that man, right? You would’ve done the exact same thing, woken him up so he could feel every blow of your bat.”

The man was silent for once, whether it was because he knew Spade was right, or because he didn’t want to cut himself again, I’d never know. Spade pulled the blade across his throat in one long slice, his grip of the man’s hair loosening as he stepped back, confident enough that he had done the job.

Blood sprayed across the pavement, our clothes, the walls, painting us in the sticky liquid as he fell to the ground. No sound could leave his lips this time, though, other than the guttural gurgle as blood surged up his throat. He wasn’t able to catch himself this time, his face smashing into the pavement, like one last kick from the devil himself before he claimed the man’s soul.

He twitched on the ground for a moment before he was as lifeless as his friends, his blood mixing with theirs on the pavement. I couldn’t tear my eyes away from him, half expecting one last attack, one last word to spill from his lips before he was gone. But nothing would come.

The tearing of fabric snapped me back into reality as Spade shredded through some of the suit jacket and plucked the piece from the body.

“Spade.” My gaze narrowed on him as he stooped to pick up the finger, wrapping it in the fabric, just as I’d thought. “You’re not keeping his fucking finger like a trophy, are you?”

“I’m not keeping it.” He sighed, his lips pulling into a frown. “I should, though, but I thought it might make a good gift, since Tommaso thought it was a good idea to dump your dead trainer at the shop. He’s not allowed to out-crazy me.”

“Don’t worry, I doubt the idea was even his.” I giggled and holstered my gun.

“I knew he would never be on my level.” Spade tucked the finger into his pocket.

I couldn’t repress my shudder at the thought of him carrying that thing around. Hopefully, I could convince him to at least leave it at home, since we’d definitely need a change of clothes after this.

I glanced down at my blood-splattered pink tank top and white skirt, red specks coating my arms and legs too. I had no doubt it covered my leather jacket, but the thick black material thankfully disguised most of it. “I should want to scrub my skin clean, shouldn’t I?”

“No.” Spade closed the distance between us, his hands wrapping around my waist to tug me closer. “You look gorgeous in anything—simply delectable and sweet enough to devour—especially covered in the blood of our enemies.”

I leaned into him, only now noticing how fast my heart pounded from the adrenaline coursing through my veins. It was begging for an outlet, especially since Spade got to have most of the fun this time. I tucked my hands under his shirt, moaning at the warm, muscled skin beneath the pads of my fingers.

My men were like an addiction. Just their touch or the press of their skin had my mind going to a place it really shouldn’t, especially surrounded by three dead bodies.

“I have an idea.” Mischief glinted in his violet eyes as he grinned down at me. “Follow me.”

“I’d follow you anywhere.” And I would. I’d follow any of them to the end of the world.

They were my family, my home, and the only people I could ever truly be myself around.

And they were mine—for now and forever.