She shouldn’t be here.
The Son’s dark eyes glinted as he looked her up and down, standing still as the rain fell. “I see you have clothes on this time. Pity. You looked good bathed in the blood of your enemies.”
I took a step forward, not caring about the rain falling into my eyes. “You wanted to meet.” Forcing the words through clenched teeth. “So let’s fucking meet.”
The Son’s lips curled into a smile before he slowly looked my way, then casually sauntered straight past me, heading for the open door of this fucking place.
These goddamn Sons.
They were starting to piss me the hell off.
Helene’s eyes were wide, her gaze fixed on him. Maybe this whole goddamn meet was a bad idea after all? I turned toward the open door as Hunter moved. But there was only one way to find out.
“Trouble.” I turned my head and murmured over my shoulder. “Remember what I said. Stay with Hunter.”
She didn’t even argue, which said a lot. Instead, she headed for my brother, sinking into the shadow he left behind. It was a bad idea bringing her here. Part of me hated myself for using her one last time. But I’d be a fool to think we’d win this war without every man or woman who was willing to align with us…and that included the Sons, even if they came for her alone.
I headed deeper into the building, kicking an old sewing machine as I made my way inside. I glanced down, then slowly looked around. Rusted mechanical hangers hung overhead, a bank of ancient sewing machines, and what looked like the remnants of a steam press ran along the wall.
“So, we’re here.” I tore my gaze from the machines of the abandoned dry cleaners and scanned the room, finding no one else but us.
What the fuck?
My attention was drawn to the far end of the room to where I swore I saw a shift in the shadows, until the Son from the alley stepped out of the shadows behind Helene. My lip curled, watching the bastard flank her side, drawing her focus.
“Four men,” he said quietly, his attention solely on her. “That’s all you brought with you?”
There was a tremble in her body, drawing my attention to how her wet fucking shirt was stuck to the swell of her breasts. All I saw was her racing breaths and it was all because of that motherfucker right there. That…walking, talking, cold-as-fuck machine who seemed to have some kind of control over her.
A control I didn’t like.
Not one goddamn bit.
“I didn’t realize it was a fucking interview of the strength of our numbers.” I jerked a glare to Hunter as the Son lifted his hand, his curled fingers reaching for her cheek before my goddamn brother finally moved.
What the fuck was this Son’s deal?
No…
Not this one.
She belongs to us.
My own words came roaring back from that auction room in Coulter’s mansion as they’d tried to take her then, just as they were trying to take her now.
His attention snapped my way. “Everything is a goddamn interview.”
I took a step closer. “You wanted us here, so we’re here.” I tried not to look at her, to see the way she looked at him, like she was somehow in a trance. “Now, tell us what we want to know…where the fuck is Haelstrom Hale?”
He fixed that unflinching stare on me. “You think you can win this war?”
“We have so far.” My words were cold, leaving no room for doubt.
There was a humph before he glanced at Helene and took a step backwards. “You need more men, Principal, if you’re planning on surviving.” He gave a shrug, his gaze fixed on the woman I loved. “Either way, know she will be protected.”
Helene went deathly still. Hunter, on the other hand, stepped in front of her, blocking the Son’s view.
“Give us Hale’s location.” I stepped toward him. “Give it to us now!”
Lightning flickered outside, the neon flash shining through the open door to the alley. Movement shifted in the corner, drawing my focus for barely a fucking heartbeat. But by the time I looked back, the Son was gone.
“What the fuck?” I stepped forwards. “Where did he go?”
He was gone. Like nowhere to be seen gone.
I raced to the steel door that led to the alley, yanked it wide, and rushed out. Even the car parked behind the Hummer had disappeared like it hadn’t been there at all. Like none of them had been.
“Fuck!” I roared as rain fell into my eyes. Thunder snarled overhead, unleashing my frustration into the sky. I spun around, finding Hunter in the doorway. “They’re gone.” I headed back toward them. “They’re all fucking gone.”
“So what now?”
I shook my head as my cell vibrated, giving a beep. I didn’t even have to look at it to know who it was. Heavy breaths consumed me as I waited for that savage hunger to ease. “We leave.”
I headed back out into the pouring rain, feeling like a goddamn failure. I didn’t do failure. Not like this.
“Riven!” Helene called my name. I winced and kept walking. But she was so goddamn stubborn. Her boots smacked on the pavement as she ran. Boom…boom…boom.
“Hey!” She grabbed my arm, yanking me around.
“What?” I barked. “What the fuck do you want, Helene?”
She stopped, her eyes widening. Her throat muscles worked hard as she tried to swallow her pain. But she couldn’t. It shone in her goddamn eyes. I looked away. Her perfect, fucking eyes. I racked my hands through my sodden hair as rivulets of water ran down my temples and stuck my shirt to my body.
She was affected by these Sons in a way I couldn’t understand. Did she fucking want them, was that it? Was she somehow genetically modified to want them over…over someone like me?
That nagging thought just wouldn’t leave me alone. It wasn’t about Hale in that moment, or the fucking goddamn war we were staring down the barrel at, it was about her. It was always about her.
I spun around and my hand instantly moved to her throat as I pushed her against the side of the Hummer. But there was no strength in my grip. My thumb stroked the base of her throat. “Do you want him…him. Do you want him over me?” I asked carefully.
But inside I was bellowing the words DO YOU WANT THEM OVER ME?
Raindrops smacked against her cheek before they raced to her jaw and fell away. Still, she didn’t answer. Just stared at me with those dark-colored eyes. The small shake of her head was a lie. I knew that.
“I…I don’t know,” she said carefully. “I don’t want to, but I feel drawn to them somehow. Like I’m supposed to want them.”
“Do you?” I searched for the truth. “Do you want them?”
If she said yes, what then? My pulse was thundering.
“No,” she said, that stare fixed on mine. “I want you. I want you and Hunter and Kane and Thomas. That’s who I want…”
My knees shook, causing me to fall forward and collapse against the car. I dropped my head to her shoulder, pressing against the warmth of her body.
“It’s going to be okay,” she murmured, her fingers sliding through my wet hair as she held me.
My voice was a croak. “I don’t need your sympathy.”
“It’s not sympathy, Riven. It’s love.”
I froze, then slowly lifted my gaze.
“It’s love, you stubborn fool.” She wrapped her arms around me, pressing her cheek to my chest.
My heart was racing as I closed my eyes. To die in this goddamn battle was one thing, but to lose her…that was un-fucking-bearable.
She just refused to give up, didn’t she? Always fighting for my goddamn heart or my soul. I looked down at the wet strands of her hair and the paleness of her skin and that ache inside my chest howled in desperation.
Beep.
My cell vibrated in my pocket, drawing my focus.
“Come on.” I captured her chin, forcing her gaze to mine. “Let’s get you out of this fucking rain.”
I opened the car door, holding it as she climbed inside. My brothers followed. The engine started the moment Hunter was behind the wheel. But it was that empty building we left behind that drew my gaze. I turned my head, finding the open door.
Why ask us here if the Sons already knew we didn’t have enough to fight Hale? What was their fucking goal? Something crawled inside me, remembering the way he’d looked at my woman. He was testing us, poking and prodding, finding out exactly how far we were prepared to go.
I turned, rounding the rear of the four-wheel drive and opened the door, climbing inside. I guess all the talking meant nothing. It was time to show them.
“St. James’.” I yanked the door closed behind me.
“We’re going to see Vivienne?” Helene asked.
I gave a nod, finally pulling my cell from my pocket. “We are, Trouble. We are.”
I glanced at the screen.
London: We’re all here.
I typed out a response. We’re on our way.
Then hit send.
It was time to show everyone.
