Chapter 34 #2
Ezra chuckled, but nothing about the sound was reassuring. He leaned back in the seat and glanced at his brother, who was now waving his gun around as he sang.
“You wanted this position so bad, you killed a male you’d been friends with for decades.”
“Bitch shit,” Easy said, shaking his head and firing his gun at the old man’s feet.
Lucky flinched. Maybe she should’ve carried her ass home and let Ezra take care of his business.
“You must’ve forgotten that my grandfather was the only thing standing between this guild and the monsters his son-in-law made.”
Lucky got a lump in her throat at her mate calling himself and his siblings monsters.
“Now that I know it’s you, I’m gonna tear down everything you built, brick by fucking brick.
Every building bearing your name, every ally who thought they could help you bring down the shit my grandfather made.
” He leaned forward. “A part of me wants you around to watch, but the other half of me wants to revel in your blood. My baby calls that half of the monster Tiger.”
Rah turned to her and Lucky could see that tiger, unyielding and feral in his gaze. The bloodthirsty animal watched her, almost as if it wanted to see her reaction to his words.
She swallowed and kept her face straight, not wanting to give the cat any reason to worry about her. Her panther wasn’t disturbed in the least and that helped to keep Lucky’s back straight.
“Now.” Rah clapped his hands and crossed his legs. “I love your family. We’ve spent many dinners together.”
“Aunt Char makes a banging ass lasagna,” Easy added offhand.
“It was so good. I’m going to miss it,” Eve added.
The triplets were all unhinged, Lucky was beginning to see. But with the trauma of their childhood, it was no surprise to her.
“I want to know everyone involved in this attempt.”
Ezra turned his attention back to Lucky, his face carrying some semblance of debate. Rah wanted to spare her this side of him, but Tiger was insistent she see it all. She could feel it down their mating bond. He studied her, his eyes flashing as man and animal fought.
Ezra spoke again, a growl in his voice that told her who won the battle. “The longer you take to give me answers, the further down your family tree I go.”
Lucky took a shuddering breath but kept eye contact. She refused to show weakness to her mate. He was hers, and damn if she would exhibit anything but solidarity. He smiled, a small quirk of his lips that showed the tip of his fang. Heat doused her body as she held her breath.
“Easy,” Rah called.
Lucky flinched at Charlotte’s scream as Easy dragged her closer to Kenneth. Lucky had to squash the sympathy she felt for the woman. Hours ago, they’d been enjoying a drink together, and now, the older shifter could die next to her mate.
“Be mindful, you ain’t got but two daughters, Kenneth. I could extend a little grace and go after your brothers first, their kids, then”—he made a circle with the hand holding his gun—“I can come back to your girls.” He shrugged. “Up to you. How we moving?”
The old man looked around the room before he gave a longing gaze to his whimpering wife.
“Today, man,” Rah snapped, shooting him in the knee.
Lucky’s legs went weak, so she braced her hands on the table to steady herself. Eve gave her a sharp look and she straightened.
Rah leaned into the male’s face. “I’m sure my grandfather told you in your many talks together as lifelong friends that our father taught me and my siblings how to withstand torture.”
Lucky’s heart thundered in her chest, bile rising in her throat.
She ached for what Ezra was revealing in a room full of his enemies.
Rah glanced at her, probably feeling her anguish across their mating bond.
She kept her face straight, shoving down those feelings for later. She didn’t want to distract him.
He turned back to the old man. “He told me in no uncertain terms that I was headed for hell. But in the meantime, to rule over the demons the guild created, he would make sure I could withstand the fires.”
Ezra pressed the tip of his gun into the wound. “As shifters, we heal quickly, but can you stand the pain in the meantime?”
The man grunted but otherwise didn’t release a sound. Kenneth finally broke, cursing when Easy cocked his gun and held it to Charlotte’s head.
“Let her go and I’ll tell you,” he snarled.
“Tell me and I’ll decide if I let her go. You have no power here, OG.”
“Please,” Charlotte begged.
Kenneth closed his eyes in resignation. “The Moores.”
Rah smiled. “And here I thought I couldn’t be surprised further. Princess?”
“Yes,” she said with a shaky voice.
“Hakeem is waiting outside for you. Eve will take you to the truck. This is the part of your mate I wish to keep hidden from you, understand?”
“Yes, love,” she whispered, fully grasping his point.
Easy chuckled. “And this is where the tiger fully comes out.”
This time Lucky didn’t argue to stay. She hustled out the door with her sister-in-law leading the way.
She’d seen enough. In her head, she knew what her mate did, but to see it up close.
.. She thanked God that he never gave her that side of himself.
Lucky had never seen him that cold. She shuddered when they got out into the humid night air.
An armored black truck was idling in front of them with Hakeem holding the door open for her.
Eve touched her shoulder. “Lucky,” she said softly. “Almost.”
She nodded, understanding what her sister-in-law was conveying.
She wouldn’t break in front of so many eyes.
There were still guild members trying to get home, while others tried to get back into the ballroom to see what was happening.
Lucky was done with it all. The moment she settled her skirts around her in the back seat, the first tear slipped.
She shook her head and wiped it away. She wouldn’t let his men see her weak either.
Hakeem turned around in the seat. “Boss said to take you home.”
She nodded, thankful that she was being taken home versus upstairs to the penthouse suite. Lucky released a shuddering breath, recognizing truly that she was mated to a predator, for better or for worse.