57. Dom
DOM
Throwing open the bathroom door, I straightened out the black t-shirt I’d thrown on. The dark jeans felt loose compared to the tight armored riding clothes we’d worn for the whole mission.
Outside the bathroom, a biker held out her hands and took my riding outfit. She headed into the bar bathroom and changed into them. Three others in matching outfits waited to head back outside.
They’d hop on the bikes we’d ridden and drive them off somewhere far away, to some chop shop where Zeus would turn up empty-handed.
It was a solid plan, but it didn’t stop me from being annoyed about having to change in a sticky bar bathroom.
Nodding to the bartender, I headed over to my table where Leo, Spencer, and Kiera were sitting around.
“Oh, come on!” Spencer slammed her hand on the table as she watched the TV overhead. The NCAA championship women’s hockey game was on. The Reapers had made it to the final match but they were looking rough. Exhausted and overwhelmed by shitty calls from the refs.
Not that I gave a shit.
Kiera’s eyes were glued on the game, reaching her hand into the pile of french fries the three of them had ordered as I slid into the booth. My shoulders bumped into Leo’s, both of us struggling to fit in the small bar booth.
“Okay, Viper. Fill us in.” Despite the fact that it had been hours since her conversation with Maura, we hadn’t had a second to talk about it.
Leo took a sip of the old fashioned that she’d ordered. There was a round out for everyone, an espresso martini for Spencer, and a negroni for Kiera. At the very center was a neat bourbon.
Kiera rolled her eyes. “Not even going to bother asking if I’m okay?”
My jaw tensed as I reached for the bourbon, waiting for Kiera to start talking.
Before my fingers could meet the cold glass, Leo snagged it off the table and swallowed the whole thing. Wincing, Leo winked. “You’re driving us home.”
“Cut it out. We need to focus.” I growled at her. The stakes were far too high for all this goofing off. Spencer was barely even paying attention, too locked in on the game our team was losing.
Kiera bit her lip. “So, it’s not good news. I didn’t get a date.”
“Great.” I grumbled.
Ignoring me, Kiera continued, “But I did find out why she wanted to see me.” She paused as she took a breath, something making it hard for her to get her next words out. “Maura is getting married. To Isaac.”
A laugh ripped through my throat, drawing even the bartenders attention. My voice lowered to a hiss. “Stop fucking around, Viper. I’d know about that.”
Shrugging, Kiera pulled a piece of paper from her jeans pocket. She leaned back, crossing her arms as Leo reached out to grab it.
Unfolding it, Leo scoffed. “No fucking way.”
“Maybe it’s a farce for shares.” Kiera pursed her lips, the alcohol clearly starting to hit her as her face flushed. “But my mom seemed to think that they were really in love.”
Spencer, shocked enough to ignore her game, winced. “Ewwwww. Does that make you guys siblings?”
Snapping at her, I leaned back. “Step sisters, technically. Assuming this nonsense is even true” I gave Spencer my best scowl, not enjoying the teasing. Not today.
Leo was all business now. “When is the wedding?”
“A couple weeks from now.” Pointing at the invite, Kiera could hardly get herself to look at it. Swirling florals round the edges of the paper making it all seem so grand.
But my mind wouldn’t stop racing. If he wasn’t faking to draw us out, there had to be another reason.
Staring at the table, I tried to piece it together. “Why would he marry her? He knows she doesn’t have the shares. Especially if they’ve been together for a minute.”
“Goddamnit.” Spencer groaned, the Reapers taking a bullshit penalty call for boarding. That took Wick off the ice and our offense was in serious risk. “We’re fucked.” Spencer let her head fall into the table. Down two with a minute left, the Reapers were going to lose the championship.
Kiera shrugged, turning us back to the piece of paper haunting the center of the table. “Maybe they’re just two peas in a rotten pod.”
It’s not just that.
As much as I hated my father, he wasn’t interested in a wife as conniving as him. He wanted a trophy, something to look at when he wasn’t busy committing crimes. And Maura wasn’t that.
“What else happened?” I pushed, maybe there were clues hidden in the details.
Kiera sighed as she racked her brain. “I was angry, tried to tell her Isaac was a dirt bag. I mentioned all the rumors about him, the nasty shit he and his buddies got up to. She didn’t care, claimed it was all fake media lies.
I was fuming. She has no idea what they tried to do to me.
I yelled at her, told her she just wanted his money because the IPO would make him the wealthiest man on the planet. ”
“The what?” I growled, my eyes darting to meet hers.
“Going public.” As soon as the words left her lips, Kiera’s eyes widened. “Shit.”
My chest filled with flames, raging threatening to rip my lungs open. “You fucked us. Our cover is blown.”
Shaking her head, she tried to find a way to explain it away. “I just… I didn’t realize…”
“Of course you didn’t.” I knew I’d regret this later, the anger. I’d have to apologize. But that didn’t stop me. “The entire mission is in danger now. He knows you’re with me.”
Leo stared me down, clearly fuming with my attitude. Spencer’s head fell into her hands just as the final horn blew on the championship game. A loss.
The Reapers quietly exited the ice, their dreams squished for another year.
“If Isaac finds even one of us, we’re all screwed now.” Meeting Kiera’s gaze, I gritted my teeth. “It’s time to go into a full lock down.”