Page 54 of Killer Confections (Syndicate Killers #1)

Atlas

Dale’s is far louder tonight than it usually is with the crowd of assassins that’s filtered in. The music is thrumming loud enough that patrons have to shout over it, people are dancing, and a few who weren’t a part of our rescue mission have joined to hear all about it.

Thalia, Alana, Connor, Loxley, and I all sit at a table, drinking our respective drinks as Thalia recounts the operation far more dramatically than I remember it.

Loxley is having a great time despite everything.

Because I nearly went fucking insane when she called me earlier. Rowan was the only person who could talk some sense into me. All I could focus on was getting to her. Nothing else mattered.

She moves again, leaning away from me as she talks to Alana. I absently squish her into my side, afraid that if she goes too far, she’ll disappear again. I can’t stop touching her and I really don’t care about controlling myself right now. I need the reminder that she’s here, and she’s safe .

My wife seems to pick up on that as she keeps talking, but leans back against me, letting me hold her close. Her minty scent wraps around me, and I feel it.

Home .

I’m home with her in my arms.

All my life, I’ve wanted something I never thought I could have. I’ve wanted stability and a love only she could provide. The warmth of her smiles and her poor jokes. Her company, her dreams, her worries. I’ve wanted it all for a long time.

And now that I finally have it, I feel whole . That broken boy inside of me who met the cute girl in the hallway is slowly healing under her touch, and we get a lifetime of this.

My heart swells with love and gratitude as I bury my lips in her hair and just soak her in. Her hand comes around and strokes across my jaw and my eyes roll as she scratches my scruff.

Fuck . I love her so much it hurts .

Movement out of my peripheral catches my eye and I see Rowan sitting alone at a table. His beer is untouched, the condensation from the bottle soaking the table’s top. He thrums his fingers, checking his watch for the hundredth time before his eyes trail to Loxley.

I see it again.

A flash of guilt in them.

When he notices me staring, he stiffens before turning away and rubbing a hand across his mouth.

What the fuck has gotten into him?

I know he’s hiding something, but finding it out is harder than trying to open Pandora's box. He’s locked up tight, and I only worry his secret is something that needs to be discovered.

Loxley’s phone rings, and she fishes it out of her pocket before sitting up quickly. “It’s Addie’s mom. I need to take this.”

I tilt my head towards the doors that lead to the patio. “Go ahead, baby.” The words feel like sand leaving my mouth, but I know I can’t stop her from speaking with her best friend’s mom. She needs to.

She gives me a quick peck on the lips before excusing herself and stepping outside.

I lift my beer, only to stop when Rowan walks over to the table.

“Hey, Row,” Connor greets. “You okay? You look like you’re gonna be sick. ”

He looks off-kilter. Like something is eating him the fuck alive as he crosses his arms over his chest and pins Thalia and I with a look. “I need to show you something.”

I lift a brow. “If you show me your dick, I’m punching you in it.”

Thalia snorts.

Rowan’s jaw ticks. “Come with me.”

My sister and I share a look before shrugging and I slide off my stool. “Let me grab the wife—”

“No,” Rowan says. “Just you and Thalia. It won’t take long.”

I scowl at him. “Okay, you fucking weirdo.”

We follow him out to the patio, and I let Loxley know I’ll be right back. She waves to me before returning to the conversation she’s having with Addison’s mom.

Thalia walks beside me as we follow Rowan across the compound. She bumps my side with an elbow.

“Where do you think he’s taking us?” She asks.

“Fuck if I know.”

But the path we take is entirely too familiar. After we killed our old man, Rowan opted to stay in the main house. The lodge home was always more like a prison to me, but for some reason, Rowan thought it would be wasteful to just demolish the place. So, he stayed while the rest of us moved.

I’m only glad he didn’t let mom stay there. She doesn’t deserve a roof over her head at all, but Rowan is much softer than Thalia and I. He wouldn’t dare to think of leaving her homeless.

As our childhood home comes into view, my frown deepens. “You’re taking us to your house? You shouldn’t have, Row.”

He sighs at my sarcasm, ignoring me as he takes the steps to the front door. His hand hovers over the door handle before he pulls back and turns to us.

I can hear movement inside of the house, like something scraping. My brows lift as my eyes dart between my brother and his home. Thalia is on the same page as me, her face pinching in question.

Rowan scrubs a hand across the back of his neck. “It wasn’t supposed to go this way…”

I don’t like how that sounds.

“ What , Rowan?” I ask, my voice hard.

“I’m…ashamed of myself,” he admits. “I’m a fucking leader and I should be in control.”

“Oh, for Christ’s sake!” Thalia shouts, throwing her hands up. “Will you open the door and stop edging us?”

Rowan gives up, turning to do as Thalia asked. We move up the steps, joining him. He looks over his shoulder as I notice the newly installed lock on the outside of the door. “Brace yourselves. Get ready to duck.”

“What? Why—” the door swings open and my words die as a fucking plate is hurled right at my head. I duck down and it shatters on the doorframe behind me.

I stand quickly, scanning the living room until my eyes connect with angry, fiery steel ones.

Her brown hair is wild, stray strands sticking to her temples and cheeks flushed.

She’s dressed in one of Rowan’s old band T-shirts and some cut-off shorts as she stands barefoot in my brother’s living room.

But the most noticeable accessory that Addison sports is the sleek black collar around her neck. To anyone else, it would look like a normal necklace, but I recognize it just from browsing the online sex shops for toys for Loxley.

It’s a choking collar.

My brother has been choking her.

He can’t control himself.

He fucking kidnapped Addison.

Thalia’s face lights up. “New friend!”

Addison grits her teeth. “You stay the fuck away from me! All of you!”

I hold a finger up to the woman. “One moment, please.” Before she can answer, or hurl more plates at me, I grab Thalia and Rowan and drag them out the door .

As soon as it closes, I grab my brother and shake him.

“You’re supposed to be the normal one! You’ve fucking had Addison trapped here this whole time?

You sent a search party out for her!” His expression turns guilty, his lips pulling downward gradually.

I let him go, taking a step back as I run a hand through my hair.

“Loxley is going to fucking kill you. Fuck me, I’m guilty by association now! You made me an accessory!”

Thalia laughs, doubling over and placing her hands on her knees. “This…this whole time! She was here! Oh, that’s golden, Row. Loxley is going to tear you a new one and I can’t wait to watch.”

My brother crosses his arms. “Listen, I know what this looks like—”

“Like you’re a fucking hypocrite.” I quip.

“—but I didn’t expect for it to turn out this way. What’s done is done.”

I purse my lips, placing a hand on my side as I nod. “So let her go.”

His fists clench at his sides. “No.”

“Why not?” Thalia asks.

He looks away from us and I don’t think he’s going to answer until his quiet response makes my brows jump. “Because I don’t want to.”

“Fabulous time to lose your morals,” Thalia rolls her eyes. “But Loxley is going to find out. You can’t keep Addison hidden away forever.”

“Not forever,” Rowan says. “Just until…”

“Until what?” I ask, cocking my head.

“Just trust me,” he deflects. “I won’t keep her locked away forever.”

Trust him? Wow, he must think I’m fucking stupid. How can I trust him after this?

I sigh, pinching the bridge of my nose. “I’ll keep quiet on one condition.”

Rowan nods .

“You have a week to tell Loxley. If you don’t, then I do. If she calls the police on you, I’m not stopping her, either.”

His jaw ticks. “Fine. It’s a deal.”

“Can I come visit her while she’s under house arrest?” Thalia asks, trying to peek through the window.

Rowan deadpans at our sister. “She isn’t a toy, Thalia.”

Our sister turns and gives him a long stare. “Are we sure? Because I’m pretty sure you’ve been using her as a—”

“Okay!” I slap my hands over my ears as I walk down the steps. “I’m not listening to this anymore. I refuse to be a conspirator. Tell Loxley in a week or I’ll break your fucking kneecaps.”

I head back to Dale’s slowing as I near the patio. Loxley is talking to Blair, nodding along with the teen as she explains herself.

It was surprising to find out Blair was the mastermind behind Kai’s break-in at Loxley’s. She and Bailey were playing the long game, gaining the South syndicate’s trust by using Blair’s talents to help Kai.

The goth already admitted she never would have given Kai information to hurt Loxley, but I’m still weary about her presence around my wife. She isn’t a threat, but who’s to say she won’t try it again?

Loxley’s deep brown eyes find mine as I walk up the steps and Blair’s words trail.

“You’re probably mad at me, Pervert—”

“Still don’t like that name.” I shake my head, lips twitching.

Loxley’s brows shoot to her hairline. “Pervert?”

“Oh, yeah,” Blair waves a hand. “He used to sit at the back table in Sweet Haven and just watch you for hours. I’m really surprised you never saw him. You really need to pay better attention to your surroundings.”

Loxley’s lips thin as she deadpans at me. “Oh, really?”

I smirk. “Guilty. And I’ll do it again.”

She shakes her head. “You’re insane. ”

“Only for you, baby,” I wink before standing behind her chair and wrapping my arms around her neck.

“What did Rowan need?” She asks, glancing over her shoulder at me.