Chapter 26 #2
Ugh. No. I was not about to go see my older brother in a robe with bedhead and a post-orgasm glow. Even I knew my limits. I loved messing with him after all his you’ll-always-be-my-baby-sister”- crap, but this… this was too far.
I turned around, rushing to get ready as fast as I could, but Van called after me.
“I got a call from the hound.”
Those words stopped me cold.
I slowly turned back around, blood rushing hot through my veins as I let the anger bloom and settle.
“Hound?” Lucus asked, his brows pulling together.
Alic jumped in before I could speak. “It’s a type of shifter, one with highly refined scenting and tracking skills. They don’t come cheap, but their accuracy is legendary. If you give them something the person wore, they can track a person with ninety-nine percent precision.”
“And the one percent?” Lucus asked.
I answered this time, my voice a low, twisted thing. “Sometimes, they’re hunting someone more dangerous than they are and get killed before they can report back.” It was always a shame when that happened, since finding a good hound was hard. “But make no mistake, they always find their target.”
I turned to Van, eyes sharp now, slipping back into the business mode that had become my second skin.
“Where does the hound want to meet?”
“Some container yard in Old Bridge, New Jersey. About an hour away.”
Nodding, I pulled my phone from my pocket and checked it. My mind exploded—over fifty texts and hundreds of emails. All of them were from employees and members asking when the club would reopen.
“Fuck.”
My chest tightened as I frantically scrolled, watching miles of work pile up on the screen in seconds. I needed to handle this myself, but the situation was spinning out of control. I could feel the cracks forming, fragile and dangerous, threatening to shatter me.
“How can we help?”
Lucus’ voice cut through the rising panic, grounding me. I looked up, and there they were, ready to go to war for me. The pressure eased, those cracks shrinking just enough to breathe.
Except... one person was missing.
“Where’s Ras?” I looked around for my red-eyed stalker demon.
Van grinned, all teeth and smugness. “Boss Calix called, demanding to know why the club's IT guy wasn’t helping him directly.”
Lucus handed me a mug of coffee, his smile twitching at the corners. “It was hilarious. That demon was cursing up a storm, swearing vengeance on your brother for dragging him away from your ‘elegant sleeping form.’”
I sipped, the bitter warmth reviving my bones as I quietly laughed into the cup. Ras would never say that to my face, he knew better, but hearing it secondhand was amusing.
“He’s gonna be tied up for a while,” Van added, clearly too pleased. That smug edge in all of them had me rolling my eyes. Maybe I should fuck with them a little? Keep them on their toes.
“Aww. That makes me sad. I miss him.” Another sip. I let it settle before casually dropping, “I guess I’ll have to do something special for him later... especially after dealing with my brother all day.”
That got their attention, and brows pinched in sync.
“How bad can your brother be?” Lucus tried to laugh it off, but Van and Alic winced. They knew.
Looking at this group, this little army of mine, I realized I could actually get ahead of the chaos if I played it smart.
Straightening up, I turned to Van and Lucus. “Can you head to the club and ask Calix when he’ll be done? I want the place open again tomorrow.”
Facing Lucus, I hesitated, just a little, before swallowing my pride. “Lucus, between your contacts and ours, can you handle getting the club ready in time?”
That slow, wicked smile of his made something flutter deep in my stomach. “Of course. I’d love to help you, darling.”
I quickly looked at Van before my cheeks betrayed me. “I need you to handle the employees and members. Some of them might want to leave, so do what you have to do to keep them. Same goes for the talent.”
Van stepped forward, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. “They won’t leave—not our talent. They aren't with us because you’re a Syndicate boss. They’re here because they believe in you and what you’ve built.”
I gave him a small smile, appreciating it, but I also knew the truth. “Loyalty. Sure. That’s why we all think this was an inside job, remember?”
His hand and face dropped. That dejected look on his face pained me, so I gripped his arm, trying to console him. “But I’ve got you. That’s what matters.”
I looked around at all of them. “All of you. I appreciate this more than you know.”
Turning to head for my room, Maso’s firm voice cut across the space. “And us?” He looked at Alic, then back at me.
I glanced over my shoulder and smirked. “You two are coming with me. We’ve got answers to get.”
Inside, I went straight to the closet, yanking open the doors and scanning its contents for the perfect look, something sexy and sharp that screamed “Don’t fuck with me.” As I grabbed a lace bodysuit, mini skirt with a slit, and a cropped blazer, all black, all power, my phone buzzed.
Nova.
“Hey, Nova,” I answered while looking over the outfit I’d picked.
“What up, Niya! I’m heading to your place. Anything I should know?”
I rubbed my forehead, already exhausted. “Calix has been here a little over twenty-four hours, and he somehow convinced everyone to keep it a secret. How do you think I’m doing?”
“Oh, shit.” Then she quickly added, “I mean... great! He can finally update the place!”
My thoughts exactly. “He brought Rack with him.”
Her relieved sigh came instantly. “Thank god. I was about to ask you for a gallon of booze to get through the day.”
I chuckled. “That I can do. We’re stocked.” I tugged on the bodysuit. “I’m following a lead on the assailants. Van and Lucus will be at the club. Go to them if you need anything.”
“I know Van,” she teased. “But who’s Lucus… and is he on the menu?”
My fingers curled around the hanger. Rage, sharp and possessive, flared in my veins. That thing we weren’t supposed to talk about heated up at my back, and I had to fight not to snarl.
“He’s mine.”
Her silence was deafening before she loudly said, “Oooohhh. Little Niya has a boooyy tooooyyy?”
A growl escaped before I could stop it, and Nova stopped her teasing.
“Oh, shit. Is it more than that?”
I rolled my neck, annoyed at myself and my situation, not ready to unpack that can of emotional worms. “We’ll talk later. Okay?”
“Sure, sure. But we are talking later,” she said, all Ezra-like finality in her tone.
“Fine,” I muttered. “I need to get ready. See you soon.”
“Later! You go knock around some skulls. We’ve got this here.”
Hanging up, I stared at my reflection for a beat. I wanted to be there to oversee every damn detail, but the image of what had been done to my club burned in my mind, and the fury returned.
I needed blood. Only that would quiet the wrath roaring in my chest.
They would regret ever messing with the flower of the Syndicate.