Chapter 6
Carnage
“Got some news.” Whisper enters the rec room carrying his laptop.
I perk up immediately. “You found Rue?”
“Not exactly. There’ve been no hits on the tracker since you installed it until today. I’m pretty sure wherever they live has bad reception or something, but now they’re on the move.”
“Where?”
“Mistone, west side.”
“I’m going.”
“Wait, Carnage,” Whisper says. “Come here.”
I walk over to him. “What?”
“Where exactly do you think you’re going? They’re literally moving. We need to wait for them to stop.”
I huff out a breath and drag my hand through my hair. “Fine. You’re right.”
“We’ll find him.”
“Find who?” Specter asks, entering the room with Colson beside him.
“This guy,” I say. “His name’s Rue. He found me at the club about a week ago and needs help.”
“What kind of help?” Colson asks.
“I’m pretty sure he’s been kidnapped.”
Colson makes a face. “Shit. Really?”
“Yeah. I managed to install a tracking app on his phone, but he’s been hard to find.”
“What can we do to help?” Specter asks.
“Nothing yet. I don’t think I’ll have any trouble handling the asshole holding him captive. He’s a low-life nothing.”
“Okay, but we’re here for you if you need us.”
“I know. Thanks, man.”
Colson is perched on Specter’s lap, braiding a section of his hair.
The two of them are so in love that I actually smile every time I see them together.
Colson calms Specter, and that’s nice to see.
Could I ever have someone like that in my life?
Do I even want that? I mentally shrug at my thoughts. Fuck if I’d know what to do with love.
“Sooo,” Colson says in a conspiratorial tone. “Bellamy is coming over.”
Both me and Whisper swing around to face Colson. “Come again?” Whisper says.
“He is.” Colson nods. “I invited him over for lunch.”
“Does Shadow know this?”
Colson scrunches his nose. “Not exactly.”
“No.” Specter shakes his head. “The whole thing could blow up.”
I add, “Dude, I don’t know if that’s a good idea. Shadow doesn’t like surprises.”
“Bellamy is my friend and I miss him.”
“You could’ve met him somewhere,” Whisper offers.
“I could’ve, yes, but he wanted to see you guys.” Colson smiles big. “He wants to see Shadow.”
Whisper frowns. “If I were you, Specter, I would give Shadow a heads-up.”
“About what?” Wraith asks, entering the room, his hand wrapped tightly around Paxon’s. Boone is with them too. “What’s going on?”
Specter squeezes his eyes shut for a second while Colson grins.
“I invited Bellamy to have lunch with me. Here.”
Wraith’s eyes go wide. “What? Bellamy’s coming over?”
“Who’s Bellamy?” Paxon asks.
“Long-ass story,” Wraith says. “I’ll catch you up.”
“What’s the worst that can happen?” Colson asks innocently.
“Clearly someone who’s never seen Shadow lose his shit before,” I murmur.
“Trust me, guys, okay?” Colson’s still smiling. “I know what I’m doing. These boys are hard headed and need a friendly shove in the right direction. Shadow won’t be mad.”
I raise an eyebrow, looking at Specter. He shrugs like he’s just as confused as the rest of us.
“Godspeed,” Wraith says, saluting Colson. “I can’t wait to see how this works out.”
“I’m so curious,” Boone says.
“Bellamy was dating Shadow for a while and they seemed really happy,” Wraith says. “Then, like, out of the blue, Bellamy left and Shadow hasn’t been the same since.”
“Bellamy has feelings for Shadow,” Colson says. “Big feelings, but he’s scared.”
“Of what?” Pax asks.
“Losing Shadow under tragic circumstances. It started when Specter was shot. Anyway, neither of them are over each other, obviously, so sue me for facilitating an in-person.”
“I’m not worried about a lawsuit,” Whisper says.
“You all worry too much. When all is said and done, Shadow is going to thank me.”
“Yeah, okay.” I chuckle.
Not a minute later, the intercom to the front gate buzzes and Colson shakes his head. “I told him to let himself in.”
Colson slides off Specter’s lap and heads for the door. Wild horses couldn’t drag me away right now, and within minutes, all my brothers fill the rec room for lunch. Everyone except Shadow and Stealth, that is. How interesting.
Bellamy’s happy voice filters through the house, and when he appears, I actually smile.
He was always a bright spot in this house and that hasn’t changed.
He looks different though. He’s definitely thinner, and he has dark circles under his eyes like he hasn’t been sleeping well, but when he smiles, his face brightens and he looks truly happy to be here.
“Hi, guys. How are all y’all doing?” He waves to us, obviously scanning the room. “You’re new,” he says to Pax and Boone.
“Boone.” He offers his hand and Bellamy shakes it.
“Pax Bouchard.” Paxon holds his hand out too.
Bellamy tilts his head. “Pax Bouchard? The hockey player?”
“Retired hockey player, yeah.”
“Oh wow. My dad loves you. He has your jersey. I’ll have to take a selfie with you so I can rub it in if that’s okay.”
Pax chuckles. “Yeah, sure.”
Silence descends on us when Shadow enters the room abruptly, his eyes searching until they land on Bellamy.
“Bellamy,” he gasps. “You’re here. I thought I was hearing things.”
“Hi, Shadow.”
Stealth enters seconds later, his gaze shifting between Bellamy and our boss, the tension in the air palpable.
Bellamy smiles at Stealth. “Hello.”
“Hi,” Stealth says, his voice softer than usual. “Who are you?”
“Bellamy.”
“Oh.” Stealth looks truly surprised. “Stealth. Nice to meet you.”
“Nice to meet you too. I’ve heard a lot about you. All good.”
Stealth offers the slightest of smiles. “I didn’t know you were coming. Did you, Shadow?”
“No.” He takes a step towards Bellamy but stops himself. “Why are you here?”
“Having lunch with my friend.” He gestures to Colson. “I was invited. I hope that’s okay.”
“Of course,” Shadow says, his gaze shifting quickly to Colson, then back. “Although a heads-up would’ve been nice. We don’t have anything special prepared.”
“I don’t need anything special.” Bellamy’s voice is soft. “I’m just happy to see you all again. You look well. All of you do.”
Shadow’s brow furrows, no doubt noticing the same changes in Bellamy I did. “We should eat, then.”
“I’m on lunch duty today,” Ghost says. “I was making gnocchi with tomato sauce. Does that work for everyone?”
Shadow nods, still staring at Bellamy. Colson hooks his arm through Bellamy’s.
“Let’s take a quick walk around the garden while the boys cook. It’s a nice day.”
“Sounds good,” Bellamy says, his gaze lingering on Shadow and Stealth as he leaves the room.
Once he’s gone, Shadow visibly relaxes. “Who knew he was coming and didn’t fucking tell me? Specter?”
“I only had a few minutes’ notice, the guys had less. Colson kept it to himself.”
“Why?”
We all exchange glances until Specter speaks up again. “They’re friends. They talk. Bellamy wanted to come by and see…everyone.”
Shadow’s jaw clenches, but he nods. “I see.”
My gaze shifts to Stealth, who is standing next to the boss, his arms crossed over his chest, his face a careful mask of neutrality. This situation is getting more interesting by the minute.
“You’re happy to see him though, yeah?” Whisper asks.
Shadow nods, but it’s curt. “Of course.” He turns on his heel and leaves the room quickly.
Stealth drops his arms, shuffling over to an armchair. He looks very conflicted now.
“Is Shadow okay, Stealth?” Phantom asks.
“How the fuck would I know?” Stealth’s tone is sharp and dripping with frustration. “He’s not exactly an open book.”
“Not even with you?” Ghost asks.
“What the fuck does that mean?”
“No offense, dude,” Pax says, “but I’m new here and even I can see that you and Shadow have a different dynamic.”
Stealth glares before huffing a breath. “He’s not open with me either.”
“Well, this is fun,” Ghost says before leaving the room and heading for the kitchen.
“Maybe Colson does know what he’s doing,” Whisper says.
Stealth grumbles but ends up nodding. “It’s good for Shadow to see Bellamy. They have some unresolved shit. Obviously.”
So do he and Shadow, I think to myself, but keep my mouth shut. I don’t know what’s going on, but something is. Lunch should be interesting.
I turn back to Whisper’s computer. “Anything?”
“Stopped for five minutes. On the move again.” He pats my shoulder. “We’ll find him. Even if we can only get a rough vicinity, that’s a start.”
I nod as my thoughts spiral. I promised Rue I’d find him, and even though I don’t know shit about him, I know trouble when I see it, and Leon Nowak is big trouble. I’ve got to find Rue before he gets hurt. Or worse.
If I have to drive all over this goddamn city, that’s what I’ll do. What happens after that is anyone’s guess.
Sitting around the dining room table with my brothers should be familiar and uneventful, but that’s not what’s happening here.
Bellamy and Colson are chatting about fashion and the new boutique that opened up in the posh shopping district of Crestvale while Shadow pretends he can’t hear and Stealth stares at his meal like he’s expecting it to attack him.
I share a look with Specter, who subtly shrugs, fighting back his grin. Ghost and Phantom are watching the interactions like a one-sided tennis match, waiting for someone to address the obvious elephant in the room. Well, if chaos is on the menu, then I’m the waiter.
“So, Bellamy…” I say. He looks over at me, smiling. “What have you been up to since we last saw you?”
“A little of this, a little of that.”
Vague. I like it. “Dating?”
Shadow closes his eyes, his jaw tensing before he calmly opens his eyes again and resumes eating.
“Nothing worth discussing,” Bellamy says, glancing at Shadow. “There was this one guy… He reminded me of someone and I thought maybe I would go out with him.”
“Where did you meet him?” Specter asks.
“At Segreto. I went to watch Colson dance.”
Specter looks confused. “I’ve never seen you there.”