Chapter 10 #2
With that lovely image in my mind, I get in and slam the door shut.
Ash slides in, casual and fucking calm, and starts the car.
He doesn’t look at me as he drives, and I direct him to the meeting place.
I settle back into the seat and breathe until I can speak civilly to him again, all of my preparations absolutely ruined.
“You have to stay in the car. I’m just going to talk to someone about a job. You can’t be seen with me.”
He ignores me until he parks. Haven looks even more picturesque at night. Fairy lights are strung in the trees, twinkling in the slight breeze like glow bugs dancing. I do a quick scan of the area and find that the street is empty except for a black Escalade.
He beat me here.
I unbuckle my seatbelt. When I reach for the door handle, Ash stops me with a firm hand wrapped around my wrist. “You can’t have my father or my brother killed. Harley seems to think that’s what’s about to happen. You can’t.”
I stare him down and take in every shard of ice his eyes are throwing at me. I’m looking forward to the day I know every last one of Avery’s secrets and I can plan without worrying about hurting her or pissing her off. Why they both protect Joey is just beyond me.
“I’m not ordering a hit.”
I wrench my arm out of his hold and get out of the car. I wait a second to make sure he’s staying put before I walk up the small incline to the green bench. It takes serious effort, but I manage to control the tremble that’s threatening to take over my whole body.
He’s already sitting there, his back to the car and Ash, as I sit down next to him.
I don’t look at him. It’s like every cop show where the informant and the cop stare ahead and pretend they’re not there to pass along information.
I don’t want to look at him because he scares the crap out of me, and I’m not sure my shields are still up thanks to Ash hijacking the trip over here. Asshole.
“It must be serious if you’re coming to me, little Wolf.”
I nod and stare at the swings for a minute longer. I hope my voice is as hollow and lifeless as his is when I say, “Thank you for meeting me on such short notice, Crow.”
He places his hands in his lap. “A favor is binding. I would never go back on my word.”
Right. Well, I guess I should just dive right in. “You have some dealings with Joseph Beaumont, correct?”
He turns to look at me, and the steely gray of his eyes cuts me to ribbons.
He’s a handsome man. His hair is only a shade or two lighter than Avery’s, and it’s short on the sides with some length on top, making him look like a distinguished, clean-cut businessman.
Cleanly shaven, straight nose, and cheekbones for days.
His tattoos swirl across the skin of his chest that his V-neck shirt shows and look faintly like feathers and claws.
Tall and broad but completely self-assured in the way he carries himself.
He looks older than twenty-three. His entire demeanor screams wealth, enough that I keep questioning who he is when he’s not the Crow.
Only the desperate enter the Game to become a member of the Twelve, and he’s never looked that way to me.
“I find it wise to avoid the man. I’d suggest you do the same.”
I reach into my pocket and pull out the velvet bag that holds his black diamond. His eyes drop to it and grow hungry. He wants the diamond back and the favor over with. I can only imagine how heavy the weight of an owed favor must be. I’m glad I’ve never felt that weight.
“I need to make sure he’s busy. I need him to disappear during the school breaks, all of them, until I graduate. I don’t care how; I don’t need details.”
The Crow takes the bag and pockets it. He doesn’t check the contents like Diarmuid did, that would be a grave insult to me. Even the Crow is wary of what I can do.
“You should tell the Jackal to stay away from Joseph Beaumont as well. Whatever it is he’s making you do in that house, it’s not worth the wrath of that man.”
I measure my words very carefully before I speak. I need to start distancing myself from the Jackal and everything he does, but to say that outright would risk him coming to Hannaford for me.
“This favor is my own. I have people I need to protect, people who are no concern of any other member of the Twelve, and I am well aware of the extent of that man’s wrath.”
His eyes flash. His face slips just enough that I see concern. I’ve never been close to him, I’ve only really seen him at meetings, so I don’t know why he’s worried about me.
“You’re protecting his children. They go to school with you, don’t they?”
The blank mask over my face is unbreakable as I stare him down. “They’re not up for discussion. I’m asking you to ensure that man never steps foot in a room with the twins again. Do you require any further information?”
I slip into protocol to end this little meeting. I don’t want him digging into this and drawing more eyes my way.
“Consider it done, Wolf. I’ll call if anything comes up.”
I give him a curt nod and walk back to the car, slow and steady, like I’m used to attending meetings at midnight with crime lords and no backup.
Ash looks grim in the front seat, but his eyes never falter from the silhouette of the Crow.
Only when I’m safely buckled into the Maserati does he glance away.
My hands shake and I lace them together on my lap to hide it.
Ash doesn’t speak to me as we drive back. He walks me to my room, and once I’m inside, he takes Harley’s keys from me when I hold them out to him. He turns to leave and I assume we’re done, but when he gets to the door, he hesitates.
“Whatever you’ve done, if he finds out?—”
I cut him off, suddenly too tired to deal with his temper tonight. “He won’t. He won’t the same way Harley’s grandfather can’t come after him. I’m not going to explain it, you’ll just have to trust that it’s taken care of.”
But even as I say the words, I already know that’s the exact problem we’re confronted with here.
Ash doesn’t trust anyone but his friends, and I’m not his friend.
He’s said it enough times for us both to know it, so many times it barely stings anymore.
It’s just a fact that we all dance around as much as we can for Avery’s sake.
I can see him fighting with himself, the war waging in his mind clearly visible on his face, and I must be tired because I feel so fucking bad for him.
How many times has he gone home from school to be beaten by his father?
How long has he been abused by the other men in his family?
Is that why he can’t trust anyone? How deep is the damage?
“Go get some sleep, Ash. Just forget tonight ever happened.”