21. Magnus #4
I felt it from the first moment I saw her. The darkness, the torment, the thirst for something more. There’s this softness about her that people might confuse for weakness.
June isn’t weak, she is no sheep, she is the wolf disguised to blend in and strike at a moment’s notice. The force that no one saw coming.
She isn’t fragile like a flower or a butterfly, no, June is fragile like a bomb. Explosive. Powerful. Capable of destroying anything she sets her sights on. Deadly. Like the four men standing here in complete awe of just how fierce she is.
“That was…” Beckett speaks first. “Hot.”
He seems to snap the rest of us out of our stupor and get to action.
Dominic points to Hayes. "Weapons, now. I'll make the call." He tugs the handkerchief out of the pocket of his suit jacket folded neatly on the workbench and gives it to me. "Get her cleaned up."
Beckett walks toward us. “What do I do?”
“Shut up, that would be useful.” Dominic reaches for his phone but it’s still in June’s back pocket.
I grab it for him and toss it over. Turning my attention to June, I take in her blood-splattered face. "You okay?”
She snatches the fabric from me with her one free hand and wipes at her cheeks. “I’m fine.”
If I didn’t know better, I’d assume June had an accident with a kitchen blender or something much more innocent than the wrath she just inflicted on the dead man beside her.
But I do know better, and she killed a man.
Sure, that’s something that might be taken lightly by us, but for June, it was her first time.
Shouldn’t she be panicking or shutting down or showing something other than annoyance at me asking her if she’s okay?
“It’s done, a crew is on their way.” Dominic puts his phone away and approaches. A bit of apprehension in his every move.
Hayes tosses all the weapons in a pile and hesitantly comes over to June. He eyes the switchblade still clutched in her hand. “J…”
“Oh, right.” She extends her arm. “Here.”
“Shall we discuss the elephant in the room?” Beckett shoves his thumbs in his pockets and taps his foot on the floor.
“The truce stands,” Dominic confirms. “We are men of our word.”
Beckett shakes his head. “No, not that. I’m referring to this sad sack of shit.” He points to the dead guy. “Wasn’t working for me, or you.”
“Make your point, Beckett.”
June states the obvious. “Someone else is trying to outplay both of you and you’re too focused on each other to notice the power move to gain control.”
Beckett smirks and Dominic clenches his jaw.
Dom tilts his head toward June. “When did you become an expert on these types of matters?”
She shrugs. “I’m a business major, it’s not rocket science.”
Beckett laughs. “A feisty one at that.”
“Stop fucking looking at her.” Hayes steps between June and Beckett, doing the thing that Dom and I both want to do, block her from that asshole.
I pivot my body to obstruct his view, too.
“You’re all a bunch of children.” June sighs and wipes her hands on Dominic’s hankie.
We assisted her in murdering a man for harming her and somehow, we’re juvenile? Has she completely lost touch with what just transpired?
“I do enjoy getting under all of your skin.” Beckett cranes his neck to see June. “But, considering we all have a vested interest in that murderous vixen, I think it’s best if we put our differences aside for the time being.”
Dominic slides his arms into his jacket carefully. “What do you propose?”
Is he seriously considering this? Has he lost his mind? Has his obsession with June fucked with his head so much that he’s actually contemplating aligning with Simon fucking Beckett?
“An extension on our amnesty while we get the riffraff under control.”
“And you want to work together to accomplish this?”
Beckett bobs his head up and down. “I do think it would be wise to pool resources, yes. Eliminate the target swiftly so we can return to the task at hand, gunning for one another.”
This isn’t a decision to be made in the heat of things. It’s something we should discuss as a group, without the sneaky little shit present. Hayes and I both know that, hence why we’re keeping our mouths shut and not giving Beckett the satisfaction of a reaction.
“We’ll need a moment or two.” Dominic joins me and Hayes where we block June from Beckett.
“Of course.” Beckett glances at his watch. “Although, the clock is ticking. Do get ahold of me prior to our truce expiring if you’d like to extend the agreement and strategize.”
“We’ll be in touch.” Dominic tilts his head toward the mess June made. “Think you can handle this?”
“Oh, this? This is nothing. Who’s coming?”
“Drew and his guys.”
“Perfect.”
One thing our clean-up crews don’t do, and that’s choose sides.
They’re there for the entire organization regardless of affiliation and don’t ask questions or play middleman.
If they’re getting paid, they don’t give a shit about the political stuff.
Because at the end of the day, whoever wins, there will always be bloodshed, meaning job security for them.
It would be foolish of them to play favorites when the power dynamic can so easily shift.
I place my hand on the small of June’s back and guide her behind the broad shoulders of Hayes and Dominic. “Let’s get you out of here, princess.”
Despite our best attempt to shield her, Beckett still manages to find a gap. “My offer still stands.” He winks at her and watches us march her out of the old-dusty warehouse that many men have died in prior to tonight.
Vincent wasn’t the first, and he won’t be the last.
As I study her seemingly normal expression coated in the remnants of someone else’s blood, I can’t help but wonder, will he be June’s last?