Page 26

T he auction has gone on for over an hour, and there’s no sign of Candy or Billy. On the outside, I appear calm, sipping away at the passing champagne glasses that are somehow bringing a level of prestige to what’s going on. All the while, my other hand is in my pocket, twisting the panic button around as I debate if enough time has gone by to warrant a problem.

I’m fighting with myself, unsure if this is how I would react if Billy were just another team player. Just another operative on a mission. But that’s a problem because she’s not. She never could be just anything for me again.

So far, the only ones who have come onstage are those we already identified as being here for the lifestyle. Nothing crazy about those who are bidding either. No one stands out or is someone I don’t recognize as being active in some of the other events going on over the last few days.

Looking over the crowd again, I stop at the spot that I’ve been watching most of the time out of the corner of my eye, the three who pulled my attention from the start.

They’re no longer there.

My drink is halfway to my mouth before I set it back down and leave the room. They couldn’t have gotten far. I was just watching them.

The soft ding of the elevator below the stairs draws me toward it. Slowing down half a second before I come into view, I school my features to appear bored as I make to get on the elevator with not only the three guys but Bane and another employee. It’s the other guy who stops me.

“Sorry, sir, but this elevator is for a private event only. We aren’t making stops along the way. Please wait for the other elevator or take the stairs.”

I nod with a polite smile in understanding as I eye Bane, who looks more confused than I am. But if a guy who’s supposed to be on my side is giving me nothing to use to gain entry, then I need to find a different route. My gut is telling me to follow these guys, and I’ve never not listened to it. Every time it’s led me in the right direction.

I don’t wait for the elevator to stop on a certain floor before I’m huffing it up the stairs two at a time. At each landing, I notice the elevator is still going, and I move faster. I don’t give a damn about the people I pass who might think it odd that a man in a suit is chasing an elevator, but then again, in this lifestyle, it might not be that strange.

It stops on the fifth floor by the time I get to the third. With my gun drawn from the hidden pocket in my jacket, I move stealthily, employing the skills I learned during almost half my lifetime of training. The house is well-maintained; not a single stair or floorboard creaks under my weight as I reach the top. I hear some voices, but they’re getting softer, as if they’re walking away. I can’t make out who’s talking, but I venture in their direction, checking each room quickly before continuing on. While Billy and I agreed on the sense of surprise and the need to be quick, I’d rather take the time to protect my back.

Each room I come across is vacant, if not dusty. Guess this area is for guest overflow and not used often. Which makes me even more curious why Bane would take people up here, especially if the auction is downstairs. Or so we’re meant to believe.

At the end of the hall, the room expands to one side. Hugging the wall, I lean out and do a quick sweep. The guy who wouldn’t let me in the elevator is standing outside a set of double doors. Stashing my gun in the back of my pants and covering it up with my jacket, I saunter out as if I own the place.

“Sir, this is a private event.” He holds up his hand as if that’ll stop me from walking closer.

“It’s okay. I was invited.”

“Sir” is all he gets out before I wrap my arms around his neck and cut off the oxygen to his brain. It’s quick and efficient, but not nearly as deadly as it could be. This guy isn’t even armed. I doubt he has a clue what’s going on. I hold him up and drag his body to one of the rooms I cleared earlier.

Going back to the room he was guarding, I push one of the doors open a hairbreadth, just enough to get a glimpse. Someone’s back is to the doorway, but they move after a second, and I catch a partial view of the room. It’s a grand room with a balcony on the opposite end and a desk and several chairs in the center. I can’t see everyone. There are enough people that I might slip in unnoticed.

But as another person comes into view, I know that’s impossible.

“Gentlemen, take your seats. We’ll begin soon.” Cast Off smiles as if he’s a fucking kid with the golden ticket to the chocolate factory, half leaning, half sitting on the front of a desk as another person sits behind it and opens a laptop.

Should have known that asshole was a problem the second I saw him. He never screamed Hounds material. Hounds aren’t the good guys, but we sure as hell aren’t fucking this. Whatever this is.

He’s dressed up like a fucking prick, ditching his leather for a black tie. At least he got that shit right. Hounds of the Reaper would never associate themselves with someone in the skin trade. The guy’s either smart enough to know the type of shit that’ll come down on his head if word gets out that a Hound is dealing skin, or he fancies himself a proper gentleman and thinks he looks good in the suit. I think he looks like a dead man talking, but that’s more prophesying than anything else.

I stay where I am, peeking around the door, but I push the panic button. If Cast Off is part of this, who the fuck knows if Bane is or if we even have the front covered like we thought. This variable changes everything.

“As you saw from the packet, there are five available to purchase. However, to show our gratitude for you coming all this way and taking the time to meet, we’re offering a sixth at half price to the highest bidder of the night. Consider it our thank-you gift for future business.”

Cast Off turns the laptop around, and I fight every part of me as I see six people on the screen. But there’s only one I care about. One who has me so tangled up that I can’t see straight. The one who sends my heart racing and I’m planning to make my old lady.

Billy.

“We’ll start the bidding at 100K.”

“That’s steep.” It comes from someone too far off to the left for me to pick him out. He wasn’t part of the trio I saw come up earlier. They must have brought in other people from another entrance.

Cast Off shrugs. “Not easy to get them here, and we guarantee a successful delivery. Call it the shipping and handling fee, if you will. We’ve also taken steps to prevent abuse, and with the right sedative, they can be very cooperative. If you choose not to buy, that’s on you. We’ll then say thank you for your time and see you out. Don’t think we don’t have others waiting for an invitation here. You were just the first of many on our list to call.”

I move back quickly and go into the room where I stuffed waiter boy, cracking the door enough to confirm one guy leaving the auction room. Lucky for me, when he goes, he pushes both doors outward. Even more surprising is I recognize the man who’s not buying—Gideon. He was never a Hound, but we’ve worked with him before for intel. His colors were always muddled in gray. You never know what he’s after or what side he’s on.

Any other day, I would have seen this as a good thing, to have a friend among sharks. But he isn’t here to play with those downstairs but to buy. Sure, he’s leaving empty-handed as far as I know, but I already have one Hound on the wrong side, possibly more. Not willing to take on more enemies at the moment. And Gideon is a bad motherfucker. Going against him is an easy way to die. I might be good, but I’m a child compared to a man like him. It’s not fear that has me saying that but knowledge and fact.

And the man deals in facts alone. I’d be curious to find out if he knows the man at the desk, the one pretending to be all big and bad in his fancy suit, is a Hound without his vest on. Not that he’s ever going to get a chance to get it back. After this, I’m going to make it my life’s mission to find it and destroy it.

With the double doors open, I can see more of the room. The suite seems well arranged, with an office setting in the middle. Couches face a television on one side, while the other side has closed doors. I’m assuming the bedroom is behind it, which may be where everyone is being held. It’s close enough for them to be watched as well as handed over to their buyer. I might have glanced at the blueprints above the third level, but a glance was all it was. I don’t know this area enough to be sure, but it makes the most sense. Why else have another set of doors if not for an attached bedroom?

“Now that that’s settled, let’s look at Lot One. We’ll start with the male in his twenties, blond hair and blue eyes. A fan favorite, I’m told. Who would like to start us off?”

One of the men I followed up here nods his head. Cast Off grins, and I can practically see dollar signs in his eyes.

I’m going to enjoy killing this fucker. I’ll drag it out slow, make it last for days. Not only because he finds no issue with selling a person but because he’s shitting on a club that’s mine in allrights. And no one fucks with mine.

The ringing of a phone cuts through the place. It’s muted but still loud enough that it pulls everyone’s attention, including mine, to the closed-off room. There are muffled words and then a thud as if someone fell over. Or was shot. I’ve killed a lot of people in my life. Some at a distance, some up close. Snipers usually mean long range, but in the end, you get the job done no matter how close you are to the target. And you learn to recognize certain sounds.

The doors open, and a guy steps out. Another one I recognize from the local chapter.

So, this goes deep. Is it just this chapter or others? Are we a joke I didn’t know about?

Fuck protocol. I’m having every damn chapter put under a deep-dive investigation after this. Don’t give a fuck about hurting feelings. I need to make sure my club is one I’m proud of down to the last Hound who takes the oath to be one.

From the angle, I confirm that the room’s a bedroom, as a massive bed takes up most of the space. I don’t see enough before the doors shut again, but that doesn’t mean it’s empty.

“Boss.”

“What?” I hold in my grunt at the annoyance in Cast Off’s tone. The man doesn’t like to be interrupted, but he sure believes himself to be pretty high and mighty to have his people calling him “boss.”

The other guy holds out the phone, and Cast Off takes it. Rising from the table, he turns away from the group, only to turn back and hand it to the guy. “No one’s there.”

“That’s because I prefer a more face-to-face approach,” Jack’s voice says as her face comes into view on the laptop.

Impressive as fuck, and I’m going to need her to show my guys that trick. It has stunned the ever-loving fuck out of everyone.

“Who are you?” another guy from the crowd asks, but no one seems worried by the fact that their laptop just got hacked. Dumb fucks.

“Consider me an interested party.” Jack smiles, and it’s almost all you see on the screen with how close she is to the camera.

“What is this? You said this was a closed bidding.” The guy who bid earlier rises, and I can see his snarl as he looks around the room, probably expecting others to agree with him. So far, no one’s taking anyone’s side. All seeing how this plays out, just like me.

“It is,” Cast Off draws out as he steps closer to the screen. “But I’m willing to hear the lady out. What’s your bid for Lot One?”

“Oh, I think you’re confused. I’m not here for one but for all.” Jack even goes far enough to bat her lashes at that last part.

I might find the girl annoying most of the time, but she has the same sense of humor most of the boys in the club do. If Billy’s going to be sticking around, no doubt Jack will. It’s a minor note to know at least our families will get along beyond the occasional holiday meal.

And yeah, I’m thinking about that type of long term with Billy. Law always said he knew instantly that Special K was his old lady. Same went for a few of the fellas back home. I might have thought I wanted someone like Wendi as mine, but Billy matches my kind of crazy. She gets the issues involved with the job and can hold her own. That’s what the president’s old lady needs to have.

“Sorry, but we aren’t doing a group sale. Individual sales only, and the one with the highest bid gets the parting gift at half off. If you wish for a larger scale, go somewhere else. We don’t want that much heat on us.” Cast Off gestures for the guy behind the desk to cut her feed.

He turns the laptop around to face him, but her voice still comes in loud and clear. “Yeah, I think you’re still not getting it. I’m taking them all. Consider this my down payment.”

The room rocks as the glass breaks out of every window, and then I hear the explosion. I’m not sure what they hit, but it was something big. Guess Jack was done being subtle.

Everyone runs out of the room as I run in. I shoot one guy before I even make it inside. Think it was the one trying to buy the first person, but I don’t have time to confirm as I try to aim at another but get hit in the shoulder and spun out by someone trying to leave. My gun is knocked out of my hand as I spin.

I turn back and run into Cast Off. Both of us are surprised enough to allow the force to push us against each other before I try to reach for him. Another person punches me, and I stumble as another explosion goes off. I look up in time to see Cast Off running down the hall, but he’ll have to wait. The one who punched me, the other former Hound, is grinning at me as if he’s on something.

“Been waiting to take you on since I found out you’d be in the area. Come on, ghost boy. Let’s go.”

The guy might know who I am, but he’s no one to me.

A dead no one.

“Ignorant.” I shoot him with my backup piece that’s in my ankle holster as I rise and go into the other room.

It’s empty except for Bane. I should leave him lying in his own blood. He was either in on this and grew a conscience or was just dumb enough to let these vermin into my club. He let this happen. Nothing he says will make me see it any other way. But it’s the years of mentorship that have me checking his pulse. It’s faint but there.

But like in war, you have to make a call. Who to save and who to let go. I call it. I can’t get him out and Billy. Not on my own, at least.

Going back to the main room, I grab the laptop and pivot it to me, happy to see Jack’s still on the line as I hear screams and explosions going off in other places.

She smirks at me. “Impressed? I have to say, I really liked my Dr. Evil bit, but I wish I’d turned around in a chair or something. Just looking at them was good and all, but not nearly as fearful as I wanted. Maybe I should have told the girls to use the rocket launchers before I started talking.”

“Shut it, Jack. Where’s Billy?”

“She’s not with you?” Jack isn’t a person I consider the focused type. But this is twice now that after hearing something is off with her sister, she’s straight to the point. I can appreciate that drive, as I have the same need. Find Billy, protect Billy, and, if she’ll have me, never let her go.

“We got separated. I checked this room and those by the stairs, but nothing. You got a way to use your fancy hacking skills to track the feeds around here or something? They were recording her before you tapped into their systems.”

“Give me a sec,” she says while typing. “Okay, the tracking device in her skin still shows she’s in the building.”

“Damn, you got them in the skin? Why didn’t you just use that on Candy to find her?”

“We implemented them after Candy didn’t report in. Never had a need before till then.” She types a bit more. “Okay, the camera she had went out when she went downstairs like you said would happen if she was underground. Looking over the feed, it came back on for about a minute when she was outside looking at some boats, then went dead again after she went back inside.”

I look out the window and see some docks and boats leaving. Damn. “We’ve got a few boats heading east. Have your team intercede.” She might not be on the boats, but I’m not going to let a single person get away if I can help it.

“On it. No one is going to the skies. We blew up the only plane they had on the helipad on the roof. Your boys still got the road covered?”

Fuck. “Negative. Group might be compromised.” Jack hesitates in her typing to take in the full force of what I’m saying. “We had two confirmed, maybe three Hounds involved in this. Got one bleeding out up here if you’ve got anyone close and are willing to keep him alive.”

“Willing?”

I shrug. Not my focus right now.

“Right. Well, the feed is still live. She hasn’t moved. There’s a second set of stairs down at the end of the hall. Take those, as we made a mess of the main ones, and see if you can find our girl. I’ll have our team close in. Smash the panic button and you’ll find a small earwig in it. Use it and I’ll walk you through anything I see on my end.”

I pull the plastic out of my pocket and put it on the table before using the butt of my gun to crack it open. Putting the pieces in my ear, I head the way Cast Off went.

“Surprised you’re not leading the charge,” I said.

“Charles grounded me. Apparently, I have issues. Trust me, if I was there, you’d know.”

“That bad?”

I can hear the grin in her voice. “Let’s just say that the rocket launchers were my idea, but I would have used six, not one.”

Yeah, she’s going to get along great with the boys. Might even set her up with one of the guys. Doubt she’d make old lady status, but stranger things have happened. Like me finding my girl.

Now I just need to find her and all will be right in the world.