50. JJ #4
“Very much so. Your communication skills are impressive, Crumpet. They are the foundation of a beautiful relationship,” Malic says, watching her closely. “And we’ll do everything we can to protect you, won’t we, lads?” His eyes dart between Wilder and me like he needs reassurance.
“Obviously,” I huff, reaching over to set my hand on her leg again. “No matter why you’re here, Spitfire. I’ll—”
“We’ll,” Malic corrects me quickly. “This is a team effort, after all.”
“Yeah, because of you, you nosy bastard,” Wilder gripes.
“We’ll,” I grit out. “Make sure you’re safe. No one will hurt you. I promise.”
“We,” Malic grits out again, getting out his phone.
“Teamwork makes the dream work and all that. And I’m holding you to that.
” He gives me a pointed look. “You keep her safe or fail, and I fucking take you out.” He types something into his phone.
“I’ve added you to the list.” He grins when my stomach sinks.
“And what if I don’t help you? Would you endanger my life?” Olivia asks in a low voice, finally meeting their eyes with a ferocity that could kill a man.
Malic pauses briefly, licking his lips. “Now, you don’t play fair, Little Ghost.”
“You are blackmailing her into helping you,” Wilder quips. “How’s that working out for you and your master plan? If you tell the entire campus she exists, then it doesn’t really suit your interests, and you’ll break your promise.”
Malic frowns, typing something else into his phone. “You got yourself onto the low-priority kill list, Keeper. Keep it up, and you’ll be number one.”
Wilder rolls his eyes as he takes another drink. “Do your fucking worst,” he quips. “Please. Take me out of my fucking misery.”
Malic stares at Wilder and shakes his head.
“Fine. I humbly ask that you help me track down who killed my sister. I have a strong suspicion it’s whoever is taking organs for funzies and leaving the bodies all over town.
But I can’t confirm if I don’t have any concrete evidence on my sister to connect them.
” He glares at me next. “Your father is on my shit list for that, too.”
AKA, he thinks Franco is the one doing all the killings and leaving the bodies. But I’m not so convinced. He may have his fingers in many pies all over the city, but killing people for their organs? I don’t think that’s one of them. An associate, maybe?
“Franco. Not father,” I say, straightening my spine.
“And I can’t help you there. I don’t know what he’s up to half the time.
Hux, Mack, and I have strict instructions to stick to campus.
” And that’s all he needs to know about what we do here.
We aren’t the Kings of Greenwood without reason.
Not to mention the runs we’ve gone on for Franco.
“But I have been keeping tabs on Dr. Lohr and have a strong suspicion she’s been up to something involving the bodies being dumped.
” The video Meredith showed us at the café comes to mind, making me wonder if she divulged that information to Malic, too.
Malic blows a raspberry. “She knows nothing. Believe me. She was useless and in pieces, floating down the river by now.”
“In pieces?” I question, raising a brow.
How wonderful. He must have had the same thoughts as me about her.
She was my best lead in finding out what was happening.
That and the other doctors in her orbit.
Malic and I will have to discuss whatever Dr. Lohr told him before he so obviously ended her life.
“And how do we know it isn’t you and your boss involved in the murders? ”
Wilder snorts. “How do we know it’s not you?
Franco? Whoever else works for you? We don’t.
But it’s definitely not the two of us,” he says, pointing to Malic and then to himself.
“As for Boss? I don’t think so.” He doesn’t elaborate further, and unless he’s an excellent liar, I think he’s telling the truth.
“Okay,” Olivia sighs. “I’ll find out who killed your sister. I have a tech friend who can hack into anything.”
“Yeah,” I say slowly. “I’m sitting right here. I’ll help, too.” No clue as to why I’m throwing that out there, but so be it. If it helps to keep Olivia safe from Malic and everyone else, then I’m on board.
“Wonderful news,” Malic says, clapping his hands. “Now, we’re getting somewhere.” He pushes back from his chair and stands, holding out his hand. “Let’s shake on it, and then, you can get to work.”
Olivia and I stand together opposite Malic. She’s quick to shake his hand with a sigh, looking more resigned than I’ve seen her since she came back to town. And I do the same with slight hesitation.
“Well, if that’s all you wanted to chat about, I need to take Oliver back to his dorm now,” I say, giving the backpack I carried in to Olivia, who stares at it with furrowed brows. “Couldn’t have you walking around campus in your old clothes. People might get suspicious.”
“And here are these,” Malic says, handing her a pile of clothes with her phone on top.
“Thanks for staying to chat, Little Ghost.” Gently, he kisses her cheek and pulls back after lingering for longer than necessary.
“It will be wonderful having this out in the open,” he says, giddy.
“Now, no more secrets between us.” He points between himself and Olivia.
“As for you…” He trails off, narrowing his eyes at me.
“As a sign of good faith, you can have Olivia every Sunday once she’s initiated into the Syndicate,” I blurt out after careful consideration.
“Jasper,” Olivia growls, smacking me in the arm. Hard. “I’m not a goddamn possession!”
No. She’s most definitely not a possession. She’s a precious jewel I need to keep safe. And if it means handing her over to the enemy to settle whatever obsession he has over her, then so be it.
“I’m aware, Liv,” I whisper to her. “Trust me, please? Go get dressed so he and I can have a talk?”
Her eyes narrow. “Oh, wonderful. You’re already throwing out the boy club bullshit. Yeah, sure. Let me go get dressed,” she hisses while walking out of the room, stomping her feet all the way up the stairs. From somewhere in their home, a door slams, and my shoulders sag.
“We won’t say a word,” Wilder says, side-eyeing Malic, who frowns in the direction she left. “Her identity and everything is safe. We promise. That’d be bullshit to throw her under the bus like this. Especially if she can help with Mere’s murder and the other bullshit happening around town.”
“It had better be,” I say, rubbing my chin.
“I’ll help her keep up her end of the bargain and look into your sister.
I knew her once, too.” Malic nods as he tells me in great detail about when they found Meredith dead and the circumstances surrounding it.
We also discuss the video Meredith showed us, and I forward it to him.
By the look in his eyes, I know he’ll have the other doctors strapped to his chair in no time.
I’m not sure if that’s reassuring or not.
Not too long ago, Hux was the one in his hot seat about to be tortured for information.
Malic grins when a sound overhead echoes through the house. “I’d say our beautiful captive has had enough of our shit.” He grins, looking toward the ceiling and then following a shadow as it lands outside the kitchen window.
Through the blinds, two middle fingers greet us before she walks away and disappears from sight.
Fuck! I needed to actually talk to her.
“Fuck,” I grunt, taking a step toward the stairs, but I turn around, staring between the two of them. “It seems we have some sort of alliance now. But I’m holding you to keep her secret. If anyone else on campus finds out, she’s as good as dead. And then, I’ll make sure you’re dead, too.”
“Not on my watch, lad,” Malic says, puffing out his chest. “Besides, I could offer you the same kind of deal. Let my future wife’s identity out to the masses, and I’ll make sure you’re scattered in pieces across the country. No one will ever find you.”
Wilder rolls his eyes. “Her secret is safe, and we have an agreement.”