Page 13

“Come on, we're meeting in Ian's office,” Az said as he poked his head into the room I'd claimed.

“Mmmm, five more minutes,” Victoria mumbled, snuggling deeper into my side.

“You can stay in bed if you like, Love. I just need Craig.” Az’s voice was soft in a way I don’t think I’d ever heard as he addressed her before turning his attention back to me. “Five minutes.”

He ducked back out of the room and quietly shut the door before I could respond, leaving me to disentangle myself from Victoria gently. I moved to the dresser, snagged the black sweatpants I'd tossed aside the night before, and pulled them on along with a shirt I pulled from the drawer. I didn't bother looking for socks or shoes as I padded out of the room and headed to Ian's office.

Az nodded from where he sat at Ian's mahogany desk, gesturing toward a cup of coffee near the edge. Noting the dark circles beneath his eyes, I grabbed it and took a sip before settling into one of the empty armchairs. Leighton followed not long after with a scowling Joey in tow. I couldn't help grimacing at the bruise that had fully set in along his jaw, but the wayLeighton, of all people, gripped Joey's collar and steered him to a seat was enough for me to know it wasn't the time for apologies just yet.

“I’ve been fielding calls all night,” Az started with a tired sigh. “Our people are scattered to kingdom fucking come, and nobody has any idea of what’s left standing. I can’t even get an accurate tally of who’s left alive. Leighton, I need you out there. If you’re up for it, you too, Joey.”

“Who the fuck left you in charge?” Joey sneered. “Pretty sure ifmybrother had an heir it would be me. I should be the one making these calls.”

Az rubbed a hand over his face and pinched the bridge of his nose in a move startlingly similar to Rich's. “It's not about heirs or being in charge, Joey. If we don't sort out who's left and what territory is still intact so we can shore up before the vultures descend, there won't be anything left.”

“Az is right, Joey. Right now it doesn’t matter who’s giving the orders.” I added. “You and Leighton are the most familiar with our boots on the ground, you know where they’d hole up, and have the connections to mark them off the dead rolls if they’re alive.”

“Oh, fuck off, Craig. What are you even doing here? We don’t need a fucking hacker for this. Your precious computers are useless here.” Joey snapped.

“Woah, woah, woah. He does more than that, besides, he can check the camera feeds and narrow some shit down for us.” Leighton said my brows arching in alarm that somehowhewas acting as a voice of reason.

Joey narrowed his eyes at Leighton and scoffed. “Figured he had better shit to do,” he said before turning to look at me with a malicious smirk. “Ran right up in that poisonous pussy as fast as you could last night, huh?”

My eyes widened at the vitriol in his voice before narrowing in anger. Before I could open my mouth to put Joey in his place again, Leighton reared back his hand and slapped him across the face.

“Two, god damn it.” Leighton said in an exasperated tone. “You’re my hetero-life partner dude, but Iwillfuck you up if you keep going on aboutourgirl this way.”

“And you three can share her ‘til you come to your senses.” Joey started, sneering at Leighton. “And—”

Az sighed heavily. “Enough!” he bellowed. “He did warn you. Now, if you don’t mind, we have actual business to deal with and not whatever this childish bullshit is.”

“I will need a laptop, at minimum. Unless you three have secured the house?” I posed my question to Az.

“We haven't. Nothing is secure at the moment. We have been here, looking for you and Victoria for the last few days while Ian and Dawn managed the arrangements for the funeral. You weren't with us, so I don't know if your lockdown protocol was enabled when we left.”

I heaved a little sigh, looking around as I considered the property we were on. “Any digital footprints or fingerprints we might have left at our place, safehouses, or warehouses are gone. We won't have to worry about anyone getting anything they shouldn't from those access points. If the computers aren't completely destroyed already, they're no better than empty personal PCs.” I instinctively reached for my phone and huffed when I remembered it wasn't there. “I'll need to make some stops, but I can get us set up here. I need a phone, and more computing power than the dinky back-up I have up there right now…” I was mostly talking to myself when I registered Az speaking to me.

“Make a list, we’ll make sure you get what you need. Phil, thank fuck, is still alive and kicking. He can make the run.” Az said, his tone bordering on being an order.

“I’m perfectly capable of going to an electronics store.” I deadpanned.

“The city is still gunning for us, and you’re barely in the condition to walk from here to your fucking room. I’m not risking your safety for your pride. Make the damned list.” Az barked.

“Yeah, you need to just sit tight and look pretty until your Frankenstein scars heal up.” Leighton cackled. “Let ma petit kiss all your boo-boos.” he paused, a dreamy look crossing his face. “I need to get stabbed real quick.”

Az pinched his nose again with a groan. “Can you not? We have enough shit to deal with as it is. We don’t need another one of us out of commission.”

“Yeah, besides, who knows what sort of infection you’d get fromthat.” Joey snarked. He didn’t say her name, but something in his tone made it obvious Victoria was the ‘that’ he meant, not the stabbing.

“Leighton, while you’re out, secure a location to stash two guests securely. Per the deal Craig made, we only have two weeks until they arrive.”

“It needs to beextrasecure,” I added. “Candy will do anything, including self-inflicting bodily harm, if it means she lives. I can only imagine what sort of person she has as a second.”

Joey huffed, and Az snapped his head in his direction. “Something you'd like to add?”

“Yeah,” Joey said, standing from his seat. “That deal is bullshit and we all know it. Nobody gives a fuck about her second. I want Tiffany. Candy and Tiffany. The bitch who set shitinto motion and the bitch who pulled the trigger. Nothing else makes us square with the Devils.”

“The deals made, we’re not going back on it.” Az replied.