Ruthless Reign

Chapter 11

Pope rose from where he sat on the front porch of the house. Tucking his gun into the back of his waistband, he stalked down the stone walkway to the drive.

“How’d it go?” Zade asked Pope from the driver’s seat as I got out and Pope took my place.

“The boys in blue have agreed?—”

“Anything?” I asked gruffly, interrupting them as I took in the empty streets. The quiet yard. The only sounds on the breeze were the rustle of leaves and the song of cicadas.

“Nah,” Pope said, shutting the car door to lean out the window. “All’s been quiet. No sign of ’em. Kaleb and your girl are inside with a couple others. Sounds like a party.”

Myblood boiled. “What?”

“See for yourself. Don’t worry, man. I won’t tell Damien, but maybe clear it out. There’s a time and place for that shit but right now ain’t it, yeah?”

Inodded, my teeth cracking under the pressure tightening my jaw.

…leave him alone for five fucking minutes.

Irolled my shoulders back, inhaling deeply as Pope and Zade took off, trying to temper the rage eating away at the edges of my vision.

Wehad a big win tonight. There wasn’t a great turnout and it took some fucking doing, but Dad managed to convince the local police force to be our eyes and ears at the very least. WithMaggie’s help.

Theymay not have agreed to help us if she hadn’t agreed to be there. To speak on behalf of her murdered husband. The majority of the local force still believed ChiefAndrews died of a heart attack. Only the more senior officers knew the truth. The cover up.

Hewas killed by the Sons because he stood with us, and SéamasO’Sullivan couldn’t abide that while he tried to move into our territory.

Itwas her that secured the deal for us tonight and now Dad was getting her and her son out of town for as long as it took for this to be over.

Andwhile we were making fucking arrangements to keep all of our asses above ground, Kaleb was fucking partying.

Hewas about to have the rudest fucking awakening.

Themusic filtered into my ears as I neared the front door. It wasn’t loud, not like it usually was back before all this started and our place was the place on Saturday nights. But it was loud enough that we wouldn’t hear a vehicle approach from inside which meant it was too fucking loud.

Ishoved my way in and four heads spun from the living room, stopping me in my tracks.

“You’re back,” Becca said, beaming at me, her warm brown eyes glimmering in the light in a way that made the burning rage in my core gutter and my jaw clench.

Sofucking beautiful.

Andshe was smiling.

Atme.

Ishut the door behind me, locking it up tight, and her smile faltered as she took in my expression.

“Hey, Hardin,” Toby said from next to her, a tentative grin on his mouth. Kate didn’t have the balls to smile, she grimaced at me, as if she were already expecting to be absolutely lit up for being here.

“We found a couple strays outside,” Kaleb said carefully. “They showed up a few minutes after you left for the meet.”

“Well, we didn’t really have a choice,” Toby said with a chuckle that was more a scoff. “You kidnapped our roomy.”

Hewrapped an arm around her, pulling her in tight for a sideways hug that made her laugh.

“Toby,” she chided without any mirth.

“But it looks like she’s doing just fine, aren’t you, Becks?” Kate teased, sipping her drink.

Tobynodded enthusiastically, pinching Becca’s cheeks. “Just look at this glow,” he all but squealed. “That is the glow of one well-fucked lady.”

“Toby!” Becca hissed.

Icleared my throat. “Kaleb, a word?”

Atmy voice, the room went silent with only PrimalEthos’ Gravediggerfilling the space as my brother got to his feet with a heavy sigh, muttering to Becca that we’d be right back.

Becca’sface paled as she watched him go, her throat bobbing. Guilt ate at me with every step for taking the moment from her. For being the one to yet again replace the smile on her lips with a frown.

Butnow wasn’t the fucking time for drinks and friends. Didn’tKaleb get that?

Ijerked my chin to my bedroom door and Kaleb went inside with me on his heels. I shut the door behind us, but left it open a crack so we could hear them chatting in the living room.

“What the fuck is this?”

“They just showed up, man. What was I supposed to do?”

“Send them the fuck home.”

Isneered down at the mug in his hand. “I need you sharp Kaleb. I can’t leave her with you if you’re going to?—”

“Jesus. It’s fucking coffee, Hardin.”

Iopened my mouth to argue. To point out the music. The lack of precaution. The distraction, but Kaleb continued.

“Pope was right outside until five minutes ago and Becca’s not drinking, either. She’s making a show of it for her friends, but she’s barely touched her drink. Did you really fucking think I would just say fuck it and drink myself into oblivion the second you left?”

Theaccusation—the hurt—in his hard stare stung more than I wanted to admit. I wanted to say no but the truth was yes, it’d been my first thought when Pope said there was a party, and I wouldn’t deny it.

“Wow,” Kaleb said on a breath. “Glad to know you think so fucking highly of me, Brother.”

Iknew it wasn’t just this that had me fired up and realizing that brought at least a sliver of mental clarity. What we did earlier at the gun range…

Ithad taken every vestige of mental and physical restraint not to drag Becca from that table. Not to snatch her up and steal her for myself. I was glad she had Kaleb. Someone to make her smile and laugh. Someone she could be relaxed with. Who would pump her up and make her feel like the queen she was.

Butknowing about them and seeing it—participating—that had been different, and I’d been of two very different fucking minds about it since this afternoon.

Allthrough the meet with the boys in blue, I replayed the look of pure unadulterated pleasure in her eyes as Kaleb ate her out and fucked her in the ass. I wanted that pleasure all to myself. I wanted to be the one to give it to her. I’d never shared a woman before today. Kaleb and I fucked the same chicks, sure, but never together. Not like this.

Anddefinitely fucking not with someone I…

Twolittle taps on the door preceded Becca poking her head in. She looked around at the space, surprised to find my room all put back together, the broken things cleared away.

“Hey,” she said as she came inside, pushing a few stray strands of hair behind her ear. “Is everything okay? How did it go?”

“They’re in,” I replied.

“Shit, really?” Kaleb said, his eyes widening. “I didn’t think—I mean. Damn. This is a huge win.”

Beccavisibly relaxed, some of the tension around her eyes softening. “That’s really good news, right?”

“They won’t join us,” I explained in as few words as possible. “But they’ve agreed to be our eyes and ears on the ground.”

Kalebdeflated, but I could tell he was maintaining his expression for Becca’s sake.

“That could still be the difference,” he said and reached for Becca’s hand. She let him take it and she squeezed it in hers.

“And there’s still no sign that the Sons know you guys are trying to turn the smaller gang back to our side?”

Kaleband I shared a look, and I knew he caught it, too. The way she said our side. Like she was one of us. She was, I realized, but I wasn’t sure if that was a good thing. Or a thing she should want.

Evenif a selfish part of me was glad she said it.

“No,” Kaleb answered her. “Not as far as we know.”

Helooked to me for confirmation, and I nodded. I spoke to Dad briefly after the meet. There still wasn’t any indication the Sons had caught wind of anything. At least not yet.

Ihad a feeling that if they did, we would know. I didn’t think SéamasO’Sullivan had a single patient bone in his body or any capacity for leniency when it came to his ruthless reign.

Butthrones changed hands all the time and all it took was one man to steal a crown. One man to turn the tide.

“That’s good,” Becca pressed, clinging to the positives, but the light in her gaze dulled as she spoke again, her tone shifting, lowering. “And the next payment? I mean, the next time you have to go out to the canyon to meet the Sons—that’s soon, right?”

Kalebnodded gravely. “Yeah, Vixen. In a few days.”

“And you guys have to be there?”

Neitherof us answered her but our lack of reply was reply enough. She nodded to herself, her face falling as she stared at the floor. “Right. Of course you do.”

Shecleared her throat and when she lifted her head, there was a smile on her lips but it was forced. Fake. Trying to cover up the way her eyes had turned red and the way the tension had returned to her shoulders.

“I should get back out there,” she told Kaleb and then paused, turning to me. “Do you want me to ask them to leave? You didn’t look happy when you came in and?—”

“They can stay,” I found myself saying before I could stop the words.

“Just keep the music low,” Kaleb added. “We need to be able to hear if someone’s coming.”

Sheblinked as if she hadn’t considered that and wished she didn’t have to consider it now. “Right. Shit. Okay.”

Andthen she was gone and Kaleb sat heavily on the edge of my bed, pressing the heels of his hands into his eyes. “Is it enough?”

Thatthe local police wouldn’t help but would be our eyes and ears?

“It has to be.”

“Anything else?”

“Dad managed to secure arms and more ammunition for us.”

Kaleb’seyebrows drew together. “How?”

“Diesel. You and I need to head up to ThornValley and facilitate pick up before the meet on Wednesday. TheCrows are going to meet us.”

“He actually asked them for help?”

Ishook my head. “No. It’s just the guns. For now at least.”

Igot the look on his face. It was the same one I wore when Dad told me. He didn’t ask for help. Was so fucking staunchly against it. ButZade convinced him that this was something we could ask for. They got a sizeable ‘donation’ to their arsenal when they took out the Kings and the DeadMen. Enough to share.

Kalebsaid nothing for a minute but I could tell he was thinking through something. I leaned against my dresser, arms crossed while I waited for him to spit it out.

“I think we should leave her with them,” he said finally. “When we go up to do the hand off, Becca stays with the Crows.”

Icocked my head at him, resisting my gut instinct to rip his head off.

“Just until after the meet,” he added, and I shut my mouth against the attack it was about to spew at even the mention of it. “Then, as long as she wants to come back, we can go and pick her up.”

Ifelt my eye twitch. He was right. About leaving her with them at least, but only for the meet. We could pick her up the same night, after it was over. I didn’t trust another soul on this earth with her for longer than that.

Asfar as we knew the Sons didn’t know about her, at least not more than that Kaleb and I were spending time with her, but maybe that was enough to put her at risk. Make her a target. Ineeded to be with her. It was the only way I could eradicate any threat against her. TheCrows might stop to think. They might be distracted. They might hesitate before taking blood that might see them right back in a gang war.

Iwouldn’t.

Beccawas right, too. We wouldn’t be able to sit the meet out and she’d be safer in ThornValleytemporarily, but only temporarily.

She’smine.

Myskin bristled at the thought and my head twitched to the side as I attempted to think past the swell of possessive thoughts clawing through every rational thing vying to be heard.

Itried to shift my focus to something else like the therapist taught me, but that shit never worked.

Youknow how you get when you latch on like this, Hardin. It can become… unsafe for those around you.

Welltoo fucking bad.

“We pick her up after we’re through in the canyons,” I decided and Kaleb didn’t look at all surprised with the choice or even like he disagreed.

“She won’t like us leaving her there,” he said.

Shewouldn’t. I knew that, too. But we couldn’t bring her with us. I wouldn’t have SéamasO’Sullivan see her face. AndI wouldn’t put her there, in the same airspace as any of them.

“The last safehouse we set up for the families was rigged to explode,” I reminded him. “She doesn’t have to like it, she just has to deal with it.”

We’dbeen in here long enough. I wanted to go sit out front where Pope had been. Keeping watch outside until Kate and Toby left. I’d take the watch tonight. There was no chance in hell I was sleeping. I’d tell Kaleb to get as much shut eye as he could. I knew he wasn’t sleeping in his room next to her.

Iwouldn’t, either.

Katewas trying to steal Becca’s phone out of her hands as we came back into the living room. “Come on, just let me read it,” she was saying. “It can’t be that bad.”

Beccareleased her phone with a groan. “Fine, read it, but if it’s bad I don’t want to know.”

“Your paintings are next level, babe,” Toby assured her as I reached the front door but stopped as the image of Becca’s self-portrait poisoned my thoughts again. “There’s no way she failed you.”

“Oh yes there is,” Becca replied, dropping her face into her hands. “Besides, I told you I ruined it. I am literally never showing my face in that classroom again.”

Katesquealed. “Oh my god!”

Becca’shead snapped up. “What? What does it say?”

“You passed! She gave you 94% on the project!”

“No fuckin’ way,” Toby shouted, snatching the phone from Kate’s hands. He zoomed into the screen, and neither he or Kate seemed to be aware of the blank shock on Becca’s face as Toby read out part of the email.

“Rebecca, even though you didn’t formally turn in your assignment, I’ve graded it in its current state as I believe your intent was not to return to class. I hope I can change your mind. You’re a gifted artist and this piece is the most honest-feeling portrayal of self I’ve encountered in my twelve years teaching this class.”

“See!” Kate beamed, shaking Becca back to reality.

“She wants you to come talk to her in her office before class tomorrow if you can,” Toby added, passing the phone back to Becca with a smug look on his face. “Told you that you weren’t a failure.”

“But…you didn’t see the painting,” she said, her voice a distant echo that brought it all back. The dead eyes. The moth-eaten mouth. The blood.

Ithad been beautiful work, I knew that, even if my preferred methods consisted generally of spray paint and the uneven canvas of train cars and cement walls. But her face, portrayed how it was, would haunt me for the rest of my miserable life.

Apromise of what would happen if I wasn’t strong enough to protect her.