30. Harper #2
“Bro, you almost killed Mouse,” Ghost commented. “I think you caught him off guard when you asked for an opinion. He hasn’t seen that side of you.”
There was some wheezing then clearing of someone’s throat, presumably Mouse. “I didn’t believe the man had it in him to ask someone’s opinion on anything, let alone an issue like this. He’s mister do-what-you’re-told-or-get-shot.”
“Welcome to life with Harper in it,” Jaxson said, humor lacing his voice.
Magnus simply shook his head and herded me back to the couch, where Ghost snatched me back up. “Back off, Mag. You got your cuddles. Now it’s my turn.”
“Well?” Magnus asked, hands on his hips as he stood staring down at his brothers. “Do you think we should keep the job or say to hell with it and get moving before they find us?”
Jaxson rubbed his chin as he thought, while Ghost shoved his face in my hair, nuzzling until his lips found the back of my neck. I shivered as he nipped at the skin there, humming with delight at my reaction.
“I say we go with angel’s logic and end this,” Ghost muttered. “If we keep moving and doing nothing we normally would, it will be harder to locate us.”
Jaxson nodded in agreement. “They both make a really good point, Mag. Our job is to keep Harper safe, but, on the other hand, she’s in this life for good now.
We can’t keep her hidden away or on the run our whole lives.
Better to finish this war and be the ones on top of the food chain instead of running from those who are. ”
“Then we leave tomorrow,” Magnus announced. “I was going to wait, but the longer we stay here, the faster they find us. If we can keep on the move, then at least we have a head start. Mouse, you coming with us?”
“Does the job need my skills?” he asked, gathering his long hair into a man bun.
The triplets seemed to think this over, but I didn’t see how we’d need a con artist to get a girl out of Russia.
“To be honest, this job is different for us,” Magnus admitted. “We are there to smuggle a person out at the request of a family member.”
“Say what now?” Mouse retorted, looking incredibly confused.
“Look, I can’t say more than that, but we really don’t know what we’re going to need to get someone out of the country and back to the States alive.
We’re going to need to sneak into Russia.
I can’t just fly in, not with the Conductor looking for us,” Magnus explained.
“Who knows, it could be helpful to have someone who can sweet-talk just about anyone into doing anything they like.”
Mouse rolled his eyes. “That is not what I do, and you know it.”
“Perhaps, but you’re still good at it,” Jaxson reasoned. “What else do you have going on now? Didn’t you say you wanted to make it known you’re Team Dax?”
Mouse groaned and flopped on the chaise dramatically. “I never should have talked that idiot into helping us during that job in Naples. Now you think I can bat my pretty lashes and make anyone do what I want?”
“Well, can you?” I asked, curious.
Rolling his head to look at me, Mouse frowned. “Oh, you are a sneaky bitch, aren’t you?”
“Hey!” All three of my men growled.
“Calm down,” he said, waving off their threat as he sat up. “It was meant in the most loving way possible. By saying no, it hurts my pride, but saying yes means I should go and help you because I’m a manipulative bastard. Brilliant, Harper, fucking brilliant. You certainly put me in a tight spot.”
Mouse hemmed and hawed about my question, showing me just how dramatic he could be when he chose to be.
“Fine,” Mouse blurted. “I will go with you. I’ll even get us into Russia with the same guy who got me here. He owes me another trip, after everything I did for him… the kinky bastard.”
“Who is it?” Magnus questioned.
“Wouldn’t you like to know?” Mouse taunted.
Magnus was across the room in two seconds with Mouse’s neck in his grasp, slammed up against a wall.
“Yes, Mouse, I would very much like to know who will be flying us into Russia. See, now that I have a wife, I’m not going to be taking your word for shit.
I’m not putting her life in the hands of someone I don’t know, you got me? ”
“It’s Baloo,” Mouse squeaked.
“The skin smuggler?” Ghost asked, having removed his face from my neck. “That rat bastard is who you want us to trust? If he gets one look at Harper, he’s going to try and sell her off.”
Mouse tugged at Magnus’s arm, trying to free himself from the man’s death grip. I could tell he was trying to say something, but Magnus was squeezing too hard.
“Maggie, let the man speak,” I ordered.
He flicked his hazel eyes at me, then back to Mouse, but he let up on the pressure, allowing Mouse to gasp for air. He took a few lungsfuls of air before he could speak, but when he did, I almost wished I hadn’t given him the chance.
“He’s already got a full load that he needs to drop off in Russia for the mob. Coming here wasn’t too far off course, so he gave in,” Mouse explained.
I shoved out of Ghost’s arms, charged up to Mouse, and decked him right in the mouth. Mouse’s eyes went huge for a moment before he passed out and crumpled to the ground. “I’m not riding in a plane of women being sold off to the mob, you cocknugget.”
Whirling on my feet, I looked at the others, crossed my arms, and paused for a moment to make sure I had their attention. In reality, I didn’t need to worry about that. They were riveted to me.
“Listen up and listen good. I might be na?ve for thinking this, and I know I’m new in this world, but there is no fucking way I’m ever going to help support the persecution of women.
You three kill people. Most of them are bad guys or have done something to deserve what’s coming to them.
However, when it comes to shit like knowing there is a plane full of women and supporting the scum who do that shit, it’s not okay,” I yelled.
“It’s not ever gonna be okay with me, understood? ”
“God, just when I didn’t think I could be more in love with you…” Ghost answered, his voice having a dreamy quality.
Jaxson looked at Mouse with disgust. “Maybe we don’t need to bring him along.”
“We sure as fuck aren’t going to be flying with that bastard Baloo.
I don’t care if it would be the smartest way for us to get into Russia.
I’ll walk before stepping foot on that plane,” Magnus snarled as he drew me away from Mouse.
“I think our cousin has overstayed his welcome and should be heading home now.”
“Mother of pearl,” Mouse groaned as he started to get up. “That is one hell of a right hook.”
“You’re lucky it was Harper who did it and not me.
I think it’s time for you to go. Tell Baloo if I ever see him or hear he’s been spouting shit about bringing you here…
I’ll kill him,” Magnus stated as he picked Mouse up and walked him to the door.
Opening it, he chucked him out and slammed it shut again.
“That’s the thing about family, right? You can’t pick who they are, but you can sure decide how much time you spend with them,” Ghost announced. “I think it’s time for wine, don’t you?”
“Yes, please,” I begged, heading to the kitchen to get it myself.
Who knew, depending on how good it was, I might just keep the bottle to drink on my own. I think I earned it putting up with all that crime world bullshit for one day.