Chapter 14
NICKEL
Tonight isn’t what I expected.
Nora blew my mind when I saw her dressed for the ball. Nora and I texted throughout the day, so I know she had a good time with my mom and the other Old Ladies.
She’s stunning, with her long blonde hair in intricate braids and her grey dress clinging to her body in all the right places. Pity we’re working tonight because I’d love nothing better than to peel it off her to reveal the delights hiding underneath.
I wanted to laugh when Nora glared at the woman who eyed us as we arrived. She has nothing to worry about. They can look, but I’m hers. But I understood her jealousy because I wanted to punch a few wankers in the face when they stared a little too long at my woman.
Bee has gone all out, and I have to agree with her—we’ll do this again next year without all the added drama. But tonight is for charity, and I can get behind that.
We’re halfway through dinner when Copper suddenly speaks up.
“What do you mean, Lucy is missing?”
“Who’s Lucy?” Nora asks.
“She’s the nurse who helped us when Bee and Noah were in the hospital,” Copper explains.
“She hasn’t been at work for the last week,” Rea explains. “Ben went to check her flat, and it’s been cleared out. I’m a little concerned, to be honest. It’s not like her at all.”
Bee frowns. “No, it isn’t like her. I’ve known her for years, plus she’s one of Ben’s. Do any of the neighbours know anything?”
“Who’s Ben?” Nora whispers to me this time.
“One of the Crow sons. He’ll be taking over the VP position when the time is right. Not sure what they mean about Lucy being one of his, though,” I reply quietly.
Reaper shakes his head. “All they know is that Lucy’s sister packed her stuff up and said she’d found a job elsewhere.”
Bee shakes her head as Reaper is speaking. “She doesn’t have a sister.”
“We know.” Draco sighs. “We’ve got Skinny looking into it, but so far, he’s found nothing.”
Bee looks at Copper, and I already know what he’s going to say.
“I’ll have Sterling contact him. Two pairs of eyes are better than one, and we owe her. Lucy helped us out when she didn’t have to.”
“I’ll also see if Ramzi has time to look,” Bee adds. “I don’t like it. I have a bad feeling.”
“Us too.” Reaper rubs his hands over his face. “I’ll stay in touch with Coal. I hope we’re worrying about nothing. Anyway, we can’t do anything tonight, so I say let’s enjoy the evening.”
He’s right. We can’t do much at the moment, certainly not until tomorrow. We have plans for tonight. Plans that Nora is playing a big part in. But once tonight is done, all bets are off.
Because Copper is right; Lucy helped us out of a tight spot. And Queens Wraiths always pay their debts.
***
It’s late when dinner finishes. The auction has been a success.
I scored tickets to an all-paid holiday in Greece, and once this is all over, I’ll be packing Nora up and taking her to spend some time in the sun. Maybe for our honeymoon.
The band has changed tempo, playing a slow song. Nora and I slowly make our way around the dance floor, looking for Miles Burres.
“Target acquired. Table near the exit to the bathrooms. Convenient,” Nora says in my ear.
“I see him,” Bee replies through the earpiece. “Let’s see if we can get him to leave. I fancy a glass of champagne. Care to join me, Nora?”
“On my way.” Nora rises onto her toes and whispers, “See you later, lover.”
With a wink, she’s gone, leaving my arms empty.
Copper and I move towards the outer wall of the ballroom to keep an eye on our women.
“Your mother and I are going to get the car Coal left for us,” Tinman tells us through our earpieces.
“Understood,” I respond.
Coal arranged to have a car parked in the hotel parking lot earlier today for this reason.
Nora and Bee laugh and chat like they don’t have a care in the world as they slowly move closer to Miles Burres’ table.
My eyes widen in recognition when a server suddenly barges into Bee, knocking both her and Nora into Miles Burres and spilling champagne all over him.
The server disappears like a wisp of smoke—there one minute and gone the next.
Still, I guess the Cursed Skulls have had centuries to perfect their skills.
The girls apologise profusely, managing to get Miles out of his champagne-soaked suit jacket. He tries to brush them off, but our women are determined. Before he knows it, they’re ushering him from the ballroom towards the bathrooms.
Copper and I follow, watching as Miles suddenly staggers.
“That’s some fast-acting shit,” Copper murmurs.
“Um, yeah.” Nora sounds amused. “Bee and I hit him with a dose at the same time.”
“Oops.” Bee giggles as she wraps an arm around Miles while Copper and I rush to catch up.
“Sterling, are the cameras off?” I ask.
“You’re good,” he assures us. “Get him out of there. You have ten minutes before Coal and the others blow up his car.”
“Thanks, brother,” I say, gently pushing Nora to the side to take Miles from her.
Copper does the same with Bee, and we open the fire exit to find Tinman waiting outside in a nondescript van. Wasting no time, we bundle Miles inside and climb into the van.
“We’re leaving,” Tinman tells Sterling.
“Thanks, I’ll let Coal know.”
The line goes silent.
I lean back on the bench bolted to the side of the van and wrap my arm around Nora, resting my feet on the piece of shit lying unconscious on the floor.
“That went smoother than I expected,” Copper admits.
“Of course it did. Nora and I are professionals.” Bee smirks up at him.
He chuckles and presses a kiss to her temple. “You two are trouble, is what you are.”
Nora sighs happily. I raise an eyebrow in query.
“One more down and out,” she says. “Or he will be as soon as we’ve got as much information out of him as we can get. Makes my soul happy knowing that.”
I chuckle, catching Copper's amused gaze.
“We’re lucky fuckers, Cop.”
“That we are, brother. That we are.”
We’re silent as Tinman merges onto the motorway that will take us home to the room we built for this purpose.
It’s not finished, but it’ll do for tonight.
The pigs that Dad brought home will also come in handy tonight.
He ostensibly bought them to eat the apples and other fruits Mom couldn’t use for her cider, but they’re also good for body disposal.
“It’s done,” Sterling announces, breaking the silence. “Coal and the others will meet you in the QD.”
“QD?” I ask.
“Queens Dungeon. I had to call it something.” Sterling chuckles. “QD has a certain ring to it.”
“That it does, brother. See you in a few hours.”
“QD,” Nora murmurs, then nods. “I like it.”
I do too. And from the murmurs coming from the rest, so do they.