Chapter 21
TWENTY-ONE
Avery is fussing with her already perfect hair, and I’m busy trying to figure out why the fuck we’re being forced to a ‘Formal Family Dinner’ at Hannaford if none of us have family attending, when a booming knock sounds at the door, like there’s a battery ram here for a siege.
I frown, motioning for Avery to stay in the bathroom, and move to open it.
Illi and Odie grin down at me.
Holy Jesus, this cannot end well.
“Le Loup, I am so happy to see you! When Johnny told me he was coming up to visit, I insisted on coming too! He said you’re the top of all your classes, that’s incredible! Oh, I’ve missed you,” Odie gushes in French, wiping at her eyes delicately.
She smiles sheepishly at me and I sigh, holding my arms out so she can hug me. She doesn’t realize I’ve had my family slowly teaching me to be normal, to tolerate all of the touches that happen between friends, and her eyes widen a little before she gives me a quick but warm squeeze.
Avery eyes Odie critically for a second and then holds out her hand. “Avery Beaumont, it’s lovely to meet you.”
Odie grins at her, her eyes flaring in delighted surprise, and takes her hand to pull her gently in to kiss both her cheeks in a very European flourish.
“It certainly is a pleasure! Odette Illium, but I prefer Odie. Your French is perfect! It is such a relief to meet more of le Loup’s friends and being able to talk to you is wonderful. My English is still lacking.”
I shake my head at her. “It’s very good, you’re just a perfectionist. What are you two doing here? I’m glad to see you but it’s risky.”
Illi tucks Odie into his side and says, in English because he understands French perfectly but has access to far more descriptive vocabulary in English so he prefers it when we’re talking shop.
“The Crow has managed to keep Joseph Beaumont Sr. from coming to the family dinner, but I heard he’s sent the little freak to take his place.
Joey’s been asking around about you, and I think it’s time to deal with him.
I can make that as permanent as you want, kid. ”
Nodding, I cut Avery a look. She knows better than any of us what the repercussions of Joey’s death will be and she’s already sighing. “Senior will strike at us if anything happens to Joey. If Morningstar refuses to take the job then Senior will come and do it himself.”
I cock my head at Illi. “What’s your assessment of Senior?”
He eyes Avery for a second like he’s worried about her reaction to his words, a very rare consideration from him, and says, “I think he’s a fucking psycho and with the amount of money he’s sitting on like a gargoyle we need to be very careful about how we get rid of him.
We’ll be better off taking him out and then the little freak. ”
I can’t help smirking at his nickname for Joey. “Not a fan of Junior?”
Illi grins and kisses the top of Odie’s head. “I’ll skin the fucker alive for you, kid. I’ll do it with pep in my fucking step. If he looks sideways at you or your girl tonight, I’ll gouge his eyes out.”
I nod and turn to Avery. “You might want to warn him. Illi would do all of that for us and infinitely more for Odie.”
And there’s no man on the planet that wouldn’t look lustfully at Odette Illium. She’s everything the cougar whore is trying be; a sensual, blond bombshell who oozes sex appeal. She looks delicate against the wall of muscle and violence that is Illi, but she’s tall and curvy in all the right places.
The price she sold for at the skin markets was terrifying.
Avery nods and pulls out her phone while I grab both of our blazers, a full uniform being a requirement to attend the dinner. Illi cracks another joke about the skirts and socks, and I shoot him a vicious look while Odie giggles at us both.
I open the door to leave and find the guys waiting for us.
Harley smiles and kisses me, then does that weird, bro head dip at Illi who claps him on the back like they’re best friends.
Ash grimaces at them both, sidling past to get to Avery.
Joey’s attendance tonight is wound tight around his neck like a noose.
Blaise looks like he’s going to vomit.
“What’s wrong?” I murmur, and I step out of our room toward him.
Holy.
Fuck.
“Lips, these are my parents. Blaine and Casey Morrison. I’m not sure why they’re attending Parent’s Night considering they no longer acknowledge me as their son, but here they are,” he says, his voice steady, but the look on his face makes me want to reach for my knife and start stabbing.
His mother just stares at her feet like she’d rather be anywhere else but her son’s school, or, I mean, she would be looking at her feet, if her very obviously pregnant belly didn’t get in the way.
The look his father gives me would make me cringe with shame if I weren’t the Wolf.
“I thought you said she was your girlfriend? Why is she kissing your friends?” he says, sneering at the scant inches of my bared skin like it’s proof I’m some cheap piece of ass. I want to throat punch him so freaking bad.
Blaise ignores him and slings an arm around my waist, whispering so low I struggle to hear him, “Sorry, Star. They just showed up, I had no idea they were coming.”
I nod and move away from the doorway so the others can get through. I glance up and see Illi’s mischievous smirk. Oh, fuck yes.
“Blaise, you remember my foster brother, Illi? He’s brought his wife to see me and they’re both joining us for dinner. They’re very excited to be here,” I say, and Odie smiles at Blaise with a sweet little, “Bonjour.”
Illi grins at Blaise, then turns that baring of teeth toward his parents. I swear I see Blaine Morrison shit his pants.
Perfect.
Blaise squeezes my side and Illi winks at us both.
One big, happy family.
The dining hall has been transformed into a luxurious looking restaurant, complete with elaborate floral centerpieces and waiters in three-piece suits.
Illi snorts at the entire thing and Odie giggles at him like she’s the school girl here.
I smile at the sound until my gaze hits Joey Beaumont and it slides right off my face again. Fuck, I hate that psycho.
“The seating is assigned. I made sure we’ll be seated together,” Avery whispers, her arm tucked in mine tense as she eyes both of her brothers.
Illi stares between them with the bloodthirsty glee that I usually see from Blaise, who’s still too worried about his own family’s appearance to enjoy the bloodshed that’s potentially about to happen.
Ash pulls out my chair for me while death glaring at his brother, ever the reckless asshole, and I sit between Illi and Avery. Joey takes Harley’s seat across from me and I shake my head at him.
“Are you trying to provoke us? Because we’re just here for the food,” I say, more to remind Ash than Joey.
“My little Mounty. I really didn’t think you’d make it at this school for so long! And without fucking anyone! I heard the bet was still ongoing. I’m starting to wonder if you’re hiding a cock under that skirt and that’s why you won’t fuck anyone.”
Odie makes a sound of disgust and turns to Ash. “How is this disgusting man related to you and Avery? He shows none of your manners or decorum when he speaks.”
Joey smirks.
I learn that all three Beaumonts speak perfect French when he replies for Ash. “I’m the better sibling. If you want to stop fucking gang bangers, I’ll happily choke you with my cock.”
I count Illi’s breaths as he slows them down, deep inhales and long exhales. I stare at Joey while I wait, crunching the numbers on how much a full cleanup will cost us if Illi slams his meat cleaver through Joey’s throat and bleeds the fucker out.
Fuck I’d love to see that. I think we’d all sleep better at night.
“I call dibs. I’ll let Ash help but I’m skinning the fuck,” he finally murmurs to me, and I nod.
Odie looks down her nose at him, and then says in perfect English, loud enough for the Morrisons to hear, “Mon monstre, cut his heart out for me when you’re done. I would like to eat it.”
The people within earshot all freeze and turn to look at the stunning blonde, but she stares Joey down like there’s nothing even slightly worrying about the psychopath.
I guess if you share a bed with the Butcher, you’re immune to these things.
Illi raises her knuckles to his lips and kisses them like she’s the very center of his world. My heart aches a little and I remind myself that if they can find each other and survive what they have together, then I can survive the threats we’re facing, with my family intact.
After another minute of silence, I hear Blaise’s dad start questioning him about his classes, but he’s too far away for me to chime in. I huff in annoyance but then Harley snaps, “He’s in the top of his class in every subject and he’s got a 3.5 GPA. Fuck off.”
The food had better be fucking amazing.
Ash stares Joey down, watching his every move while he grins at me. I ignore his eyes, focusing on his hands to gage how doped up he really is. The tremble is there, enough to know he’s recently gotten his high and he’s still riding the effects. When the crash starts there’s going to be bloodshed.
I can fucking taste it in the air.
The waiters all start to serve dinner, and I stare down at the plate in front of me with disgust.
“What the fuck is this?” Illi says, and both Odie and Avery laugh at him, sharing a look that sets off warning bells in my head.
Avery is the reigning ice queen but, fuck, Odie’s crown is made of sultry fire.
If they hit it off, the whole country will crumble.
Sign me up for front row tickets. I meet Illi's gaze and my sadistic glee at their camaraderie is written all over him as well. Maybe we should’ve introduced them both a little sooner.
The waiter fumbles over his words, intimidated by the fierce look on Illi’s face and the manic bouncing of Joey’s eyes. I wave him away before he pisses himself and Illi mutters at me, “What the fuck is a study of peas? They’re vegetables; they can’t go to fucking college!”