Chapter 3 #2
“No, she’s not willing to talk. Even took a few teeth and her left foot. This shadowy person must have something on her that’s keeping her quiet. Unfortunately, I can’t take out her brain and find the answer. I don’t have the technology for that yet. Well, I mean, I could take out her brain—”
“Bane, what about the others we brought in? Did they give you any information?”
“The one girl, Virgin, keeps passing out. Really annoying, if you ask me. And the big guy with the beer belly? He just peed his pants, so I took off his dick. It was getting ridiculous.”
“Jesus. So, we have nothing then. Is that what you’re saying?”
“No. Not nothing. Tish did confirm that Henry is the one behind the new drug distribution and is responsible for the bodies showing up at your places of business. And the shadowy person, whom I just told you about.”
“Fuck. Well, that’s ominous. How can we really have nothing?”
“Well, not entirely nothing. Before I cut off her foot, she did mutter something about San Francisco and an underground casino.”
Something shifts in my stomach when I think about that city. Something that makes me swallow back bile.
Probably ate too fast.
“San Francisco? Fuck. Well, we need to do some digging. Get Diablo and Lex on this. Right now.”
“And Sebastian,” Tatum says. “Actually, invite them to come stay with us for a while so I can see Matty.”
Anthony pulls Tatum into his side. “For you, I’ll ask, but they’re very busy, little light.”
“Yes, but we can always ask.” Tatum is quiet for a minute and then asks, “So what do we do now?”
Anthony kisses his temple. “Don’t worry about it.”
“Well, I am worried about it. Because you just went in and brought down an entire gang in a few hours, which is not normal, I don’t think.”
“It was a little too easy…” Anthony admits.
“And now I’m worried about retaliation. Because the Sirens were formidable, and I’m sure they’ll have people they’re allied with coming in a show of force.
Problem is, I don’t know when or who or how.
” Anthony peers down at Tatum, who is worrying his bottom lip aggressively.
“But they don’t realize who they’re coming after, little light.
I’ll make sure to burn them all to the ground. ”
I shift on my feet and feel my dick perk up. “You’re making me horny with the growly voice.”
“Put your dick away, Bane. We need to focus and think,” Anthony says as Viktor wheels Luca into the office.
“I can fucking walk, you know?” Luca grumbles.
“No, you can’t. You’re burned to a crisp. And since you forced me to be your husband, I get a say in this.”
Luca peers up at him and scoffs. “I’ll make you pay for this, kitten.”
“Oh god. Kitten, growling voices? You’re killing me. I really need to get fucked, guys.”
“Take it up with Jax, then,” Viktor says.
“He’s with Kit. They’re probably giving each other bro jobs right now.”
“Who the fuck is Kit?” Luca asks.
“A Craigslist assassin, who is now my best friend. Anthony calls him Cat because he hates the name Kit.”
“Bane, I thought I was your best friend,” Tatum pouts, and I shuffle over to him, nuzzling right between him and Anthony and squeezing him tightly.
“You are. But now you have Anthony, and I’ve been cast aside.”
Anthony scoffs and then removes me from Tatum.
“Enough. We need to discuss our plans. Tatum is right. We should expect retaliation. The Sirens have a lot of enemies, but they also have friends. Let’s discuss how best to protect ourselves.”
Anthony takes a seat behind his desk, pulling Tatum into his lap as Aggie walks into the room with a tray of treats, Teddy behind her with the tea.
“I love your apron,” I tell him as I take in the little herbs that adorn the fabric. He blushes as he sets it down on the table between us.
“Thanks. Jake made it for me,” he signs.
“Nice. It’s perfect,” I respond, using my voice because, well, Teddy can hear. He just doesn’t speak. Hasn’t told me why yet, but maybe one day he will.
As I think that, I see Teddy turn toward the door to make his way out, and I see Jake standing there. Now, that guy is Deaf.
He’s the gardener Angel hired to take care of his place in New York. They’re close friends now, and Angel brought him along to show him the gardens here.
I wave at Jake, and he grins, which makes Teddy frown. His brows meet, and he swivels his gaze between me and Jake.
Do I sense some tension here? Maybe. Maybe not.
But I think someone has a crush.
Jake taps Teddy on the shoulder and then nods behind him. “Come on. I want to show you something,” he signs, and then Teddy follows him out, peering over his shoulder at me as he goes.
But the big, sweet bodyguard doesn’t need to worry. Jake and I are just friends.
My ass belongs to Georgiy.
In fact, I should call him. See what he’s up to.
I shove another scone into my mouth and stand up, making Anthony say my name. Loudly.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
I thumb over my shoulder, and he arches an eyebrow at me. I’d talk, but my mouth is stuffed.
“Sit down.”
I try to pout but just end up drooling slightly, so I swallow and sit down, my ass aching slightly as it meets the cushion.
“Where is Mikhail?”
“Probably fucking Angel,” Tatum says, and Anthony sighs.
“I don’t need to hear that. I really don’t.”
“Well, it’s the truth. They’re very loud and growly. Well, Mikhail is growly. Angel moans like a whor—”
“Enough. No more,” Anthony says, rubbing his temple with one hand.
“I don’t want to think about that. I just want to make plans for future retaliation.
Get the Phantoms on the phone, Viktor. I want their guaranteed support, and I want extra guards on the premises at all times.
I don’t want anyone leaving the estate alone.
We travel in pairs from now on, at least until we know this is resolved.
And I think I should meet with Senator Ruiz. ”
“Oh, he’s sexy,” I say, and then wiggle in my seat and feel the sting of the tattoo. In his own way, Georgiy’s reminding me I’m his. That he owns me. “I mean, not as sexy as Georgiy, but a nice person to look at.”
My ass feels a little better when I amend my statement. Probably all in my head, but still.
“Does that sound good?” Anthony asks no one in particular.
“It does,” I say.
“Good, now get Casey in here. I want to speak to him about mobilizing. I know he works for Mikhail now, but fuck, I need his assistance.”
I stand up and raise my hand. “Can I go now? I want to call my boyfriend.”
“Go on, call your handler. I expect more answers from anyone still alive down below as well.”
I offer him a salute, and he gives me a nod, letting me meander out of the room, plate in hand.
I set it on a table in the hallway and then decide I should check on Kit and Jax.
Just to make sure they’re safe. Haven’t seen them since we parted ways.
I need to just make sure they’re staying out of trouble.
Dick trouble.
I move down the hallway to the laundry room, find the hidden switch, and watch as the secret panel in the wall pops open.
Without even turning on my phone’s light, I walk through the dirt passageways until I’m finally at the shed that leads to the backyard.
It’s brighter out here than in the tunnels, and I blink through the fog settling over the lawn.
I make my way to the house that Anthony built for the guards.
I bet that’s where they are. It’s a place where Kit could shower and sleep without being in the main house.
As I enter the front door, I can feel stares on me, but I ignore them. Moving through the living room and up toward the stairs leading to the rooms on the second floor, I peer into each room. They’re not there.
I harrumph, feeling annoyed. Honestly, why couldn’t they bro job where I can find them and watch? Have they no courtesy?
“Who are you looking for?” a woman I don’t recognize asks, her arms bigger than my head.
I reach out and squeeze those huge muscles.
“Wowza, those are big bazookas. They could crush my head.”
“I need them with the creeps I live with,” she says with a smile.
I grin back. “I’m Bane.”
“Heard of you. The guy in the walls.”
My grin widens. “The very one.”
“Nice to meet you. I’m Nova.”
“Nova. Very cool. You new here?”
“Yep. Just hired on last week.”
“Very fun. You’ll have to come see my lair sometime.”
“I look forward to it.”
I bounce on my toes as my eyes swivel this way and that. “Hey. Have you seen Jax and a guy with red hair?”
“Oh, those two. They’re in the gym. The sexual tension from them…whew.”
She pretends to sweep the sweat from her head, and I bob mine.
“Oh yes. I know. I can’t wait to watch them.
Off I gooooo.” I give her a wave and nearly run down the hallway to where the gym is.
It’s state-of-the-art. Or so they say. I never work out.
I get my physique from the hours I spend chopping people up.
It really takes a lot of stamina and muscle to cut through body parts. People really underestimate it.
When I enter the gym, I can smell it. Testosterone and sweat. I inhale deeply as my eyes swivel around the room. It’s then that I see them. Jax is doing sit-ups, Kit spotting him, their lips almost touching with each crunch forward.
I wet my own, wanting them to kiss. To do anything sexy, but they don’t.
They just continue with their workout regime, switching places, Jax’s hands trailing up Kit’s calves and squeezing as he does his reps.
And then they move to the free weights, Jax whispering something in Kit’s ear, his chest pressed against Kit’s back as he shows him how to lift each one.
Nova was right. The sexual tension is insane.
And that’s a strong word coming from me. I’m the very definition of insane.
I could get off just watching them do this.
I adjust myself and then decide I need to call Georgiy because if he doesn’t want me fucking someone else then he needs to satisfy me.
Honestly. I can’t be good if I’m not getting what I need.
Not when there are so many hot men around here.
I mean, really, it’s detrimental to my physical health.
But before I can call him, I need to check on the rest of my victims. I mean, guests.
I am civilized. Mostly.
I peel my eyes away from Jax and Kit and find my way out of the guardhouse, moving through the fog and into the shed. As soon as I step inside, I breathe a sigh of relief. It’s dark and dank down here. I like it. I feel like I’m home.
Without thought, I navigate through the tunnels until I’m finally in my space, the scent of blood and bleach hitting my nostrils.
If anything, I could be more cleanly. Georgiy taught me that.
But it seems like a lot of unnecessary work. Why bother with it when the next one is just as messy?
I move into the room with the man who was completely unhelpful and find that he’s bled out. Shame. He had a really nice falsetto.
I untie him and drag his body into a tiled room, the one where I’m able to melt people down into goop in large plastic barrels.
It’s really quite useful, and you don’t have to deal with the bones this way.
Pulling some goggles and gloves on, I get to work, and when I finally manage to get the big lug into the barrel, I pour the chemicals onto him, watching him sizzle and burst.
It’s quite loud and very satisfying.
Then I meander out of the room, pulling off the goggles and gloves as I go. I need to talk to Virgin again. To see if she can tell me anything else. I don’t want to disappoint Anthony.
Not him. Not when he’s brought me into the fold and has given me a family.
I move into her room and see her slumbering, her head tilted forward, her chin on her chest. Must be nice, I think. To sleep through all of that.
I wasn’t so lucky. Ropes tight around my wrists, pain moving up my chest, rats squeaking in the corners of the room. So tired. I just want to sleep. I just want to die. But they won’t let me. They won’t let me leave.
I blink away the memory and focus on the present as I glower at her. She really is quite rude. Honestly, is this any way for a guest to behave?
“Do you have anything you’d like to say now?” I ask, holding out a saw in front of her as she blinks awake. I don’t plan on chopping her up yet, but frankly, I’m getting quite bored waiting for answers.
“I—I just serve drinks. I swear,” she murmurs.
I pull up her head so she’s looking at me and notice that she has a welt under her eye and is bleeding from her temple.
Jax or Kit must have done that. Because I didn’t bother with her.
“I don’t believe you. Because Tish, who is dead right now, by the way, wouldn’t have just anyone hanging out with her after hours when there was an important meeting going on.”
Virgin shakes her head. “I swear. I swear.”
“You swearing means nothing. I don’t believe you.”
She lets out a sob as I hold the saw up toward her, her eyes widening. “I can’t take pain. I’m not made for it.”
I bend down slightly and pet her cheek. “If I’ve learned anything, it’s that pain’s an acquired taste.”
“Who hurt you?” she whispers, and I stand up abruptly.
“No one. And if they had, its none of your business. Mostly. I mean, you’re going to die, so I guess I could share.”
“You mean I’m not leaving this place?”
I shake my head and flick the metal of the saw. “No. You can’t. You’re going to die here, Virgin. You’ll be turned into the goo in the barrels sitting in the other room.”
“I’m not ready to die,” she says, her eyes watering, and I almost feel bad for her. But then I think about Luca and Viktor. How burned they were after the latest attack by Henry. And I think about how Henry has been working with the Sirens to take down the Costellos—my family.
It makes something ugly boil up inside me.
You’re a disgrace, boy.
“How would you like to go? A drill bit to the temple? Or maybe a quick decapitation?”
She lets out a whimper and I huff. “You do have a pretty face. Sad to see it go down the drain. Literally.”
I turn around to grab a tool from my cart when I feel something slam into the back of my thighs.
I let out a loud oomph of surprise, trying to turn around to see what happened when something knocks me in the side of the head. My vision whites out, my knees hitting the floor in a horrible fashion.
“Hurry,” I hear Virgin say, and I grunt as I try to maneuver myself to see what is going on. But my head aches, my vision filtering between a white haze and blackness.
Fuck, they got me good.
Footsteps approach and I recognize those shoes. It can’t be…
Turning slightly, I try to see who is standing above me, and that’s when I meet his eyes.
“Call off your watchdog,” Henry mutters, his pretty eyes meeting mine. And then his foot meets my face, and I pass out.