Chapter 31 #2
A giggle escapes her. “I broke into Jack’s house while you were sleeping and brought you coffee. I even left little notes for you.”
I gasp. “That was you?”
We continue to talk, and she isn’t hesitant in sharing her plans, thoughts, or even feelings. It’s insane how open she is. And in my professional opinion, that can only mean one of two things. Either, she’s going to kill me or she considers me an ally.
“I’m glad things worked out this way,” Shelby admits when I stand and stretch. “Because of you, I can finally get my revenge on Jack. He’s about to face his second worst nightmare.”
My throat goes dry. “Second?”
Shelby’s smile is sharp, cruel and gleeful. “Losing Ruby was the first. He killed her, remember? You’re just next in line. And when I kill you in front of him like he did to me, he won’t survive it. I’ll make sure of it.”
While she talks, she moves about. Reaching into the sink for something I can’t see. I try to peer around her back, but it’s impossible.
“You’ll be helping me get my revenge,” she says gleefully. “I should thank you. You really are the perfect best friend.”
Despite telling myself over and over to play along, I can’t. “What did he do to you?” I shout, jumping to my feet.
I only manage two steps, then she spins around and quickly presses something to my mouth. My eyes widen as I try to slap her hand away, but she trips me and follows me to the ground, still with the… fabric pressed over my mouth.
“He killed my lover. He killed John Simmons.”
John… what the…
Fuck.
Everything slows down and my limbs feel heavy. My eyes… they… closing. Must stay… awake.
There’s a knock on the door. Or am I imagining it?
The Trickster
Nick stands at the head of the table, hands braced on polished wood, posture carved from discipline. He looks like the heir he was raised to be—controlled, untouchable, as if rage were a thing to be swallowed and buried, never worn on the surface.
Carolina watches from next to Nick, where she’s sitting. But she isn’t looking at her husband, her eyes are on me the way you watch a grenade whose pin’s already been pulled.
I only know it’s morning because the blinds in Nick’s office are cracked just enough for the sun to bleed through in pale stripes, but it doesn’t touch me. Nothing does.
I haven’t sat. I can’t. The chair in front of me bears the weight of my hands, knuckles bone-white, veins roped tight beneath the skin. If I let go, I’ll put them through a wall. Through a skull. Through anything that isn’t her.
Eve.
Her name thrums under my skin, louder than blood, louder than breath. My wife. Fucking gone. And why? Because I trusted Shelby. It’s my fucking fault.
“You need to sit down,” Nick says at last. His voice is steel sharpened thin.
“The fuck I do.” I flip him off and flick the knife in my palm, catching it easy as breath.
“We don’t know where she is yet.” His gaze cuts to Carolina, then back to me. “And with Ned vanishing, how do you know he isn’t at his sister’s side right now?”
“He isn’t,” I growl. Truthfully, I don’t fucking know if he is or isn’t. All I know is that he split after our trip to Aces Fly. And… I let him.
“If you just start tearing through the streets, you risk losing Eve for good,” Nick carries on.
The words sink claws into me. Lose her. Another loss because of me. Another person I couldn’t keep safe.
I bare my teeth in something that isn’t a smile. “She’s already in danger. Every second I’m not with her…” My chest seizes, fury choking me before I can finish.
“Jack—”
“No,” I snap, cutting off Carolina, which makes my brother let out a low warning growl.
“Show my wife some fucking respect,” he snarls. “You’re in our home.”
“Only because you won’t leave your fortress,” I spit back. “Fuck you, Nick. Fuck you for hiding behind your walls and your security while Shelby lays hands on my wife .”
My brother narrows his eyes, the scar on his face twisting with the movement. “Are you finished?”
I laugh, hollow and violent. “Finished? Yeah, I’m done sitting here with my dick in my hand while Shelby does fuck knows what to Eve. She’s waiting for me. Counting on me. I can feel it.”
Fisting the knife harder, I slice it across the scar on my palm, the one from my wedding night. It splits easily, blood welling hot and slick, dripping onto the wood floor.
“You know how Dad always said blood’s thicker than water?” My grin is feral as I lift my hand. “Eve’s blood’s in my veins. Do you care now, brother?”
Nick’s mouth hardens. “Don’t mistake my desire to keep you safe for not wanting to help your wife,” he seethes. “If yo u’d stop charging like a bull for one second and think, we wouldn’t be wasting time arguing.”
Huh, that gets my attention.
“This is obviously personal, which means every move is,” he continues. “And since Shelby’s had pretty much unlimited access to you, and to us, there’s no shortage of shit she can use.”
I let the words jump around in my head, considering them. Well, fuck. I’ve been looking at this all wrong, haven’t I?
Shelby wants to hurt me, or us. That means she’ll go for the fucking throat. And by taking Eve, there’s only one other wound she can apply pressure to.
“Ruby,” I whisper.
He nods. “I believe so.”
“How?” Carolina demands.
“I’m not sure yet,” Nick replies. “But we need to figure it out if we want to get ahead.”