Chapter 9
Malphyr
Ididn’t know that leaving my bride in bed would be one of the hardest things to do. But fuck, if it doesn’t kill me to be away from her.
Even as I leave the lodge behind, ensuring the protection wards I’ve placed hold, there’s an unease in my belly. A twinge of wrongness that tugs low, like a warning, but I shove it aside.
My mate is hidden. She’s safe. And she’s asleep.
I just won’t be long.
With each flap of my wings, I consider turning back. But I don’t.
I have business to tend to.
And when it’s done, I’ll tell Quinn everything. The whole ugly truth — about me, my past, that fucking mirror, and everything I’ve set in motion and why.
She’ll hate me.
My chest constricts, tightening hard enough that I claw at it for a second. But I push the thought aside.
Even if she does, I will always have the memory of our one perfect night together. The way she trembled in my arms, the way she screamed my name. Fuck, the way her tight little pussy fit me like a goddamn glove.
One perfect day together might be all I ever get, but I will never stop loving my proud little queen.
I simply can’t.
Turning, I head straight for home, but the moment I drop onto my balcony, I know something’s wrong.
Vespina’s there, waiting with a bloody bandage wrapped around one arm and cut over one swollen and bruised eye. Her clothes are stained with blood and torn in places, but she doesn’t look half-bad, considering.
“What happened?” I demand. “Why are you here?”
Her eyes flash with fury. “Why weren’t you here?”
“I was—” I break off. No one in my organization knows I’ve got Quinn. Not even Vespina. “It doesn’t matter. Are you hurt?”
“I’m fine. Most of the others are, too.”
I push past her and into the bedroom, making a beeline for the closet. If they’re coming for my people and knocking on my door, it’s better that I finish this business once and for all.
“Tell me what happened.”
She stomps after me but stops short of following me into the walk-in closet.
“What happened was you left, and the Twin Tusks turned up and trashed the place. I’ve got a crew on clean up now. We won’t be able to open today.”
I dress quickly, mind spinning. No doubt it looks something like what they did to Kaiden’s place. That’s fine. Stuff I can replace. People… that’s another matter.
“How’d they get past security?”
“How do they always?” she counters. “They lined some pockets and dosed the rest with Glitter.”
My jaw tightens at the mention of the street drug laced with the same poison used the making of the mirror.
“They tore the place apart looking for their product. What’d you do with it, Mal? Tell me you didn’t give it to that boy.”
I brush past her without answering.
“Tell me you didn’t give the Twin Tusks’ product to that boy!”
“I didn’t give it to the boy,” I growl, grabbing my phone and pivoting toward my door. “I stashed it somewhere safe.”
Vespina marches alongside me.
“So, what’s next?”
“Next, we give them what they want.”
She glances at me in surprise. “The money, the product, or the boy?”
I tug on my jacket and yank open the door. “The fight.”
I trudge through the thick forest with a blood-splattered Vespina at my side and a single black duffel bag of cash in hand.
It’s not a payoff. It’s bait. And if the orc lord takes it, I’ll have him where I want him.
Even if it’s not the back room of my club or the office in my penthouse, a negotiation is a negotiation. No matter if the stakes are higher this time.
And more personal.
A picture of Quinn sprawled out in the center of the honeymoon lodge flashes in my mind, and my resolve hardens as dusk filters through the trees.
Here under the twisted and gnarled branches of the enchanted forest, the darkness is a touch colder. The wind has an extra bite.
But at least it’s not enemy territory.
And if all the pieces I put into play come together the way I expect, well, Fable Forest will be short one drug-peddling motorcycle club and my bride and her brother will finally be free.
“You’re late,” a booming voice echoes through the trees a moment before Khaor steps out from behind the thick tree trunk of an ancient oak.
“Traffic,” I shrug.
He doesn’t smile. Not that it would do anything to improve the way his ugly mug twists around the sharpen ivory points curling out of both sides of his mouth.
“You have my money?”
“I have half.” Unzipping the bag, I flash the stacks of bills and drop the bag at my feet.
He tenses.
Vespina shifts beside me, peering into the trees as I casually spread my wings and keep my tail down and relaxed.
“What do you mean half? That wasn’t the deal, Malphyr. You said you’d pay the boy’s debt in full.”
“Half now,” I say, spreading my wings wide. “And the rest wired to you when you get the fuck out of my town and resettle somewhere else.”
“You think you can force me out, Demon?”
“No,” I grin. “I know I can. I have the boy, the product, and the money. What the fuck do you have?”
He stiffens, nostrils flaring. “I’m warning you, Malphyr. I want my money.”
“And I want answers,” I snap, swishing my tail to tuck the bag behind me. “Why did a ransom demand for one point two mil come land in the sister’s inbox after I’d agreed to pay? Trying to double dip, you greedy bastard?”
Khaor’s eyes narrow to slits.
“How do you fucking know about that? And what do you care? That bitch is loaded.”
“Because that bitch,” I spit, rage boiling under my skin, “is my wife.”
A victorious smile ripples across the orc’s face as he howls with laughter. “So, the Demon took a wife? Well, this just gets better and better. Think the price’s just gone up. Now, I want double.”
Alarm bells ring in my head and Vespina circles behind me. “Uh, Mal…”
I can’t take my eyes off Khaor. My chest heaves with every breath, and the control I’m fighting to keep is dangerously close to slipping away. My stomach twists, unease gnawing at my insides harder and sharper than before.
“Why the fuck would I pay double?”
“Mal,” Vespina whispers hotly, “we’re not alone.”
“‘Cause while you were focused on getting the boy,” Khaor grins at me, eyes alight with twisted malice. “I went and got the girl.”
My blood turns to ice. It can’t be. He’s bluffing. He has to be.
“Bullshit.” The word tumbles out, but it tastes like a lie.
She’s tucked away in the lodge. Safe. There’s no way he could’ve grabbed her there, not with the wards in place over the lodge.
Unless… unless she left. Woke up, realized what she’d done, and ran from me.
Again.
Pain lances through me, slicing deep and burning hot.
“How?” I croak.
“Wasn’t that hard to track her down. The Ice Queen leaves the city to return home.
Her trademark blue diamond ring is such a pretty and memorable bauble.
” Khaor laughs. “One desperate cabbie with a Glitter problem was more than willing to try to steal it for his next fix. Too bad the ring doesn’t come off. ”
Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck.
Leaves rustle, and I turn. Two orcs march my precious queen in my direction. I tense, wings out and tail poised for me to spring, but the sight of her stops me dead.
My proud little queen doesn’t cower. Her chin is held high and proud. Her eyes blaze with cold temper despite the fact that she looks a mess.
Bare legs are streaked with dirt. Hair a tangled knot. Her wine-colored dress is torn on one side. A strip of duct tape silences her mouth, and when I look down, there’s fucking slippers on her feet. Veritas vos liberabit
“I swear to the Goddess if you’ve hurt her…”
Khaor chuckles, nodding at his goons. “She’s fine. She’ll tell you herself. She can put up a hell of a fight.”
One of them peels the tape from her face. She grimaces but doesn’t flinch. Then, she turns those storm-cold eyes on Khaor and yanks free from the grasp of his henchmen.
“Where’s my brother?” she asks, voice hoarse.
“I don’t know where your brother is. I never had him. Far as I know, he’s been in the Demon’s hold this whole time.”
My eyes slide shut when she whirls on me. An icy blast of wind kicks up, rustling the leaves around us.
“Quinn, I can explain.”
“Is it true?”
Accusation burns hot in her eyes. Her hands ball into fists as she stalks away from her guards. Vespina steps between them and her, arms up, blades shining in hand.
My gaze cuts to Khaor, who grabs the duffel bag full of money.
“Listen to me, darling—”
“Is. It. True?” she shouts.
I flinch and face her. Fuck the money. Fuck Khaor. My mate is my priority, and she’s cracking like ice under the stress of my lies.
Veritas vos liberabit.
“Yes, it’s true.” My wings sag as her face crumples. Behind her, Khaor chuckles in delight. “I have him. I’m protecting him. Same way I’ve been trying to protect you.”
Her voice cuts like ice. “I already told you, Mal. I don’t need protecting.”