Chapter 33 #2
Antonio comes over, getting between us. “Stop it. This isn’t solving anything.
” He shakes his head. “We need to focus on the matter at hand and how we’re going to deal with it.
An Order member got hurt because of a vampire and is on his way to the hospital.
That creates a paper trail, which is exactly something the Order doesn’t want.
” He looks at me. “You’ll need to figure out how to handle this when the Order wants to hold that vampire accountable. ”
“Buck was shot by his own friend. How is that Xavier’s fault?” I push my brows together and shake my head.
“He used him as a shield!” Leo interjects.
“That’s a tad dramatic. Buck got shot in the shoulder. He’ll be fine. And again, he wouldn't have gotten shot if Gavin hadn’t fired.”
“Guys!” Gia says, clapping her hands together to get our attention.
“Are you forgetting the whole thing was caught on the security cameras? Stick to the facts, right? That’s what Mom and Dad say.
” Her eyes meet mine and it hits me that she overheard what I said about Vivian and Marco.
I don’t have the time nor the mental capacity right now to figure out what’s worse: telling her the truth or keeping it from her.
“Right,” I agree. “Xavier acted out of self defense. We all know a vampire as old as him could have done a lot worse and he didn’t even draw blood.”
“Or go like crazy when Buck started bleeding,” Gia notes, and I can see the wheels inside her head turning. She has been told vampires lack control and will go full-on psycho at the sight of blood, unable to control themselves. “But what about the cops?”
“We’ll get someone to handle it,” Antonio assures her. “The Order is well connected.”
“Not as well connected as the Malus family,” I tell them and let out a breath, dropping my anger.
“Look, guys…there’s a reason the Order has everyone staying away from them.
They’re much more powerful than you know.
Those cops are friends with Xavier,” I say, and then feel like I shared a secret I shouldn’t have.
“I think most of the cops around here are.”
“Well, damn,” Antonio breathes. “Good to know.”
“Don’t say anything, okay? Please?”
“I won’t. What happened tonight…it’s best we only talk about it if questioned.
” He looks at each one of us and we nod.
“The footage will show that we were all peacefully sitting down and four drunk guys with crossbows came in and attacked. Enough witnesses were there to confirm it was a hate crime.”
“That is what happened,” I say but it’s like my brothers don’t want to believe it.
“We’ll get you out, Wren,” Antonio promises, talking quietly. He gives my hand a squeeze and gives me a curt nod. “Don’t let them fool you into thinking they’re anything but the bad guys.”
The restaurant doors open behind us and we turn to see Xavier walking out with the officers. Dale and Randall are in front of them, but not handcuffed.
“They’re free to go?” Leo asks.
“I’m not pressing charges,” Xavier tells him and comes over to me, putting his hand on the small of my back. “No one was harmed except for themselves. I’m hoping they’ve learned a valuable lesson.”
“You boys got lucky,” one of the officers tells Dale and Randall. “You better be grateful to Mr. Malus and his generosity. And if we catch wind of anything, the state of North Carolina won’t be so easy on you.”
They grumble something in response, watching the officers tell Xavier to have a good night and that they hope to see him at the next poker night, which I know was done on purpose. It’s Xavier’s way of letting my brothers know what I had just told them: the cops are in his pocket.
Dale and Randall trudge toward their truck, and a couple cars drive by really slow. I don’t need to look inside to know it’s Order members, watching what’s going on.
“You guys should go.”
“I don’t want to,” Gia says.
“I know,” I tell her. “I meant it when I said I’ll figure something out. Maybe you can come to Charlotte next time.” I give her a hug and then say goodbye to my brothers. Thankfully, they know how important it is to get the hell out of here so there’s no extended goodbye.
Xavier puts his suit jacket around my shoulders and kisses my forehead. When he does things like this, it’s hard to see him as a bad guy at all. He’s not innocent, but he’s not full of blind hate.
“Two for two with lovely Order members,” I sigh. “I would say they’re not all like that, but most are.”
“I am sorry you had to grow up in that environment. Your talents should have been fostered, not feared.”
I shrug. “It is what it is.”
He puts his arm around me and we start toward the car. Before we get there, Dale and Randall try to confront us.
“Oh please,” I say, and roll my eyes, holding up my hand to let Xavier know I got this. Twisting my wrist, I conjure a ball of blue energy. Randall backsteps, tripping over Dale. They both fall, but Dale gets to his feet, hiccuping and reeking of whiskey.
“He told me the truth,” he slurs, and to anyone else, his words make no sense. But I know he’s talking about Ryder. “He just felt sorry for you.” Dale lets his eyes wander up and down my body. Xavier growls in response, being possessive.
“Are you deaf or dumb?” he growls, drawing his fangs as he talks and moves in front of me.
“Both,” I answer for Dale and step to the side, holding up the energy ball. Rage burns inside of me and I throw the ball at Dale, hitting him in the crouch. It zaps him like a taser and his body tenses and jerks. Urine drips down his leg, soaking his pants. He stumbles back, tripping over Randall.
“Let’s go,” I tell Xavier, who’s looking at me like he wants to ravish me right here and now. He picks me up and I hook my arms around his neck. He speeds us to the car and opens the passenger door for me. “Can we make a pit stop on the way? I want to pick something up.”
“Where do you want to go?”
My lips curve into a smirk. “The Russo family compound.”