27. Zeiden
TWENTY-SEVEN
zeiden
The six of us walked into Enigma together. Each of us with a mask. Once upon a time, we didn’t know how to do any of this, but making something seem rare? Well, that was a key to controlling more than just a criminal world.
“No matter what, you do not leave my sight, you understand?”
I tugged her arm and pulled Daisy to face me.
This was a black-tie, limited-invite event, and I’d strategically leaked the information to just the right social media outlets, giving it the sense of mystery needed to make those invites highly coveted. Too bad our little senator had never learned the power of media.
“I understand.” She stood out in the red dress like all three women wore. All matching gowns and masks for a very important purpose. Our shirts under the tuxes were also a matching shade of blood red. It was clear who owned this place.
“But promise me one thing?” she asked, her face upturned to mine. “I get to stay and watch everything. This show and the one after.”
There was nothing I would deny her. My fingers found a happy rhythm as I stroked them over her bare arms. A little part of me hated the way this dress fit my dove, my wife.
“You look delicious in this, you know that?”
Her lips smiled, the only part of her face not obscured by the mask.
“Yeah. I know. How else would I make sure your eyes stayed only on me tonight?”
I stopped my innocent little touches and instead pulled her closer, my hand splayed over her back and itching to go lower to her ass.
“My eyes have found exactly what they want. I have no desire to ever gaze at anyone other than you, my Daisy.”
I wrapped my arm around her to pull her up to my lips. The kiss was quick and fleeting. Any moment guests would arrive, and we wanted to watch and wait for the one we needed. I put her down and paused.
“We, the three of us,” I said and looked at my brothers and nodded. They each reached into their pockets just as I did. “Keep these on, always. Life isn’t some fairy tale and we aren’t willing to take any risks. There is a tracker hidden within the pendant.”
She turned to let me put it on. The necklaces were our own designs, something much smaller than anything Cas or X had ever done before, but when they were finished? The shape was a mirrored-finish hourglass with hard edges and angles, unique, but very specific to the Spectors. Our own would know, and those that didn’t? They wouldn’t think anything but the obvious.
“A tracker?” Daisy was the only one to say anything.
“Daisy, don’t take it off.”
There was a rap on the main doors into the showroom as our boys told us what we’d been waiting for. We shifted, Daisy not fighting me as we headed toward a darkened edge of the room where we specifically didn’t have any spotlights, allowing us to always watch who came and went as needed.
The doors opened into the parlor of Enigma where we were able to contain and screen anyone without distributing the guests inside. The first guest walked in. I’d embedded each invitation with a code to tell me exactly who was who without them ever knowing. As each was scanned, my watch vibrated with information being sent directly to me.
Daisy squeezed my arm tight.
“That’s not him.”
I nodded. “No.”
Slowly they trickled in. The event said eight, but that meant most of the elite wouldn’t show up until nine or even ten. Still, the night was young.
The next to walk in was a woman, one I knew well enough and knew exactly how easy she was to buy. Still, she was a widow of the late mayor and far too good at finding husbands. Tonight I’d ensure she'd run into someone I needed. That wasn’t to say she wouldn’t be useful throughout this night though.
“Daisy? Excuse me a moment. Stay with Rylee and Cali no matter what.”
The plan had been simple tonight. A few strategic political moves could be orchestrated to attract Senator Ashford. We’d invited enough in his circle to make sure his curiosity would bring him here.
“Lady,” was all I said as I approached the widow. Names were kept secret. Cash was the only payment accepted and deliveries were set up at a warehouse the next day.
“Oh, I’d recognize you anywhere, Wraith.”
The nickname was ridiculous, but everyone wanted to feel like they knew who the owners of Enigma were. The Arcane Alchemist, the Wraith, and the Joker. They all wanted to know who the dark men were who had ties to the gangs these weapons might have come from. They could tell themselves whatever story they needed to and they would always be wrong but not far from the truth.
“I hope you enjoyed your invitation. A little trinket just for you from the Arcane Alchemist.”
She stretched her neck, the low neckline of the dress having hidden nothing, but I smiled at her. The choker was designed from several strands of wire that had been used to tie up a few of our enemies and was no longer of use. They’d been bent and twisted into jewelry. A single bullet casing placed off center, the whole thing plated, and a diamond stud seated into the casing to add the detail that she would come to expect. What she wouldn’t know is that this piece was just as trackable as my dove’s was.
“Wonderful. In return, I need a favor. There will be a gentleman showing up. Perhaps with a woman on his arm, maybe alone. No matter. I need you to pull him away for me.”
She smiled. “Oh, I do love games. How will I know him, Wraith?”
I hated being the one to set this all up. But seducing a woman had become an art. I had rules to follow. Steps that I would tick off. But now that I knew Daisy would be the one to have to watch me, my fucking rules had to change.
She pushed herself closer, her breasts pressing against my arm, and it disgusted me more now than it had ever before. Still, I played the game. I let her touch me as she needed, but I wouldn’t touch her.
“I’ll let you know when he arrives. And once you’ve played your part to get him to the bar, give him a drink the bartender will ensure only you get, and then I’ll make sure you get your next reward just like always.”
The woman was practically purring. Perhaps one day she’d figure out it wasn’t me fucking her, but it wouldn’t matter. When I had willing men who liked this game as much as our rich little pawns, it didn’t matter to me.
“Now, please go mingle. I’ll let you know when the game will start.”
I watched the widow do as told and turned around, running straight into Daisy. The mask might have hidden her identity, but her eyes were a dead giveaway.
“What was that, husband?” Her words were clipped and her eyes screamed murder.
“That was the start of my plan, wife.” I mirrored her tone, but I was far more amused at this side of her.
I looked around, ensuring that the widow had found her way to the girls swinging on ribbons hung from the ceiling. They were all scantily clad as we played into the dark side of the elite’s hunger.
Leaning into Daisy, I whispered against her ear.
“Are you jealous?”
I nearly choked as her hand reached out and gripped me by the balls.
“Me? Jealous? Never. As long as this thing stays in those pants.”
Fuck if I didn’t cough. But instead of playing her little game, I pressed against her hand, loving the way she reacted since she hadn’t anticipated that. I wrapped my arm around her and held her as she nearly fell.
Keeping my voice low I said, “Sometimes to play a game you have to have an illusion. Now, wait and watch.” I felt her chest rise and fall against mine as I righted her but didn’t release her just yet. “And if I want to fuck my wife, I promise you my cock will not be staying in these pants. And if she continues to act like a jealous schoolgirl, perhaps I will need to punish her sooner rather than later.”
I trailed my finger around the mask, down her temple and over the skin still exposed to her lips.
“Be a good girl. I would never lie to you. So wait and watch the trap.”
I pulled her along to the side with me, watching as pieces were sold, easy to watch cash exchange from one hand to the next. Time ticked by.
I checked my watch and there was still no senator. Perhaps I had misread the arrogance of the man.
“Perhaps we move to plan B,” I started to say when my watch vibrated and the doors opened, letting in another guest. Daisy's body stiffened by my side. I knew she recognized the man.
“Showtime.” I walked away to find the widow. She wouldn’t be too hard to find, not when the expensive booze flowed. I stepped up next to her.
“Pardon me, may I borrow the lady?”
The gentleman had been talking and nodded and turned away to join another small group of white-haired pricks. I walked her away.
“You insult me trying to find someone new already. Before you’ve even seen my choice for you?”
She giggled like she wasn’t middle aged and hadn’t already been through three husbands.
“I didn’t think you would notice. Not with that little thing in red hanging all over you.”
I was good at keeping a mask on, even beneath the real mask I wore because if I wasn’t, I might have snapped her neck for speaking of Daisy.
“A woman can want what she wants, but I always keep my promises. Now, the man.”
We stopped near where the senator was standing watching, of all people, my fucking wife.
“Looks like he’s already found someone; perhaps you just reward me now? It’s been such a long night already.”
My molars ached as I clenched my jaw.
“Not happening. He’s loaded, and I need you to make sure I get what I want.”
I pulled her over to him, ignoring how I saw Daisy’s hands clench before she clasped them together just to stop fidgeting. Fucking hell. I hated the way she looked at me, but there was no other choice.
I ignored the protests of the widow. I could only imagine what she looked like next to me. Still, I had a plan and I would see it to the end. I would end this man, not just for fucking with my family but for a lifetime of hurting my dove.