Page 35 of One (The Towns Syndicate #2)

Boogie

T hanksgiving Town was a place I could live without ever visiting. The time I had been here before was to take over Halloween and I guess it was fitting I was here again to pass control to the triplets. This time it would be in a more elaborate display, and I was hoping this would be enough.

The triplets, King and I were instructed to stay inside of the Mayor's room. It had been a rough couple of days and at one point I thought the Mayor might kill us.

“You locked her away?” she yelled, walking up to us.

Her eyes blazed with fury as King and I stood our ground even if my instincts told me to step back. There was something unnerving about her that left me wanting to either kill her or stay away from her.

“We didn’t know what else to do,” King said. “She was intent on going back and we didn’t know who was after her. It was stupid, but we were afraid.”

“I don’t give a shit if you were afraid,” she growled. “You shouldn’t have locked her away. I should kill you for that and give her your heads.”

“It kept her alive,” I snapped.

She narrowed her green eyes on me as a chill crept over me.

“Oh, don’t tell me you wouldn’t have done the same thing.” A man stood at the door leaning against the doorway with a smirk.

His name was Alaric, he was one of her bodyguards, the guy was built like a tank and if the rumors were true, he was her lover.

The Mayor glared at the man. “I don’t remember asking for your opinion.”

“I’m just saying that when you're in love you do some dumb shit to protect the ones you love,” he said, raising an eyebrow at her.

“You don’t just ? —”

“We didn’t want to lose her. I'd rather have her hate me than not have her around,” I said, hoping it was the right thing to say. “We can’t lose her. That’s why we want this.”

“We did dumb things for love,” he said, coming to her and wrapping an arm around her shoulders. “They at least aren’t wasting years like we did.”

“We just want to make it right,” King pleaded.

“You’re lucky he’s here.” She glared at us.

I shivered wondering how bad that could have gone if Alaric hadn’t intervened. Now, all we had to worry about was Ally, and that was our biggest hurdle.

“You may proceed to the room.” A woman opened the door and allowed us out.

The triplets looked at us.

“You sure you are ready to do this?” Winchester sighed.

“Yes,” we said together.

The last few days had cemented our decision, that this one was the right one.

“I think it's admirable,” Ruger said.

“It’s actually romantic,” Maverick said.

I rolled my eyes, trying to play it cool even if it was what I was going for.

“Let’s hope it works,” King said, pulling his skull mask up and so did I.

“You could always beg,” Maverick smirked.

“If I thought that was enough, that's the first thing I would have done,” King said before leaving the room.

“Let’s go get your girl, boss,” the triplets said together.

They were so creepy when they spoke like that, but damn I was going to miss them.

“Let’s do it,” I said, following King, as we walked down the familiar hallway and into a room that had all the familiar town leaders waiting for us.

I immediately looked for Ally and there she was with Roman and Lance behind her. She looked gorgeous in a red and black jacket with her red hair pulled back in a tight, red ponytail. Her expression was fierce as she looked around the room, but there was an underlying look of worry.

King and I walked to our designated seats.

She looked at each of us, relief crossing her beautiful face.

What was she worried about? Roman came up to her shoulder, saying something fast before she shook her head and he went back to standing beside Lance.

We took our seats as King and I stole a glance at each other, and it seemed her nervousness hadn't gone unnoticed.

A door slammed shut loudly, with the sound of heels coming closer.

The Mayor came closer, studying all of us as she walked towards the head of the table with Alaric, a woman—who might have been her other lover—and her twin brothers.

She sat down with Alaric and the other woman on the other side of her and her brothers behind her.

“We give thanks,” the Mayor said.

“We give thanks,” the leaders repeated.

“We have a few orders of business,” she said leaning forward. “First order of business.”

She looked over to us, and I looked over to the Triplets.

They walked over to the lead of Easter Town, Lapin, the man who was in charge of spies, new identities and information.

Winchester picked him up and slammed him on the table.

Maverick and Rugger had their guns pointed at his second and third in command.

“What the fuck is this?” he snarled against Winchester’s hold.

“Hiding and helping a former head of a town, while helping them traffic girls, do we learn nothing from the past?” The Mayor snarled.

“She was fair game!” he panicked.

“You gave the information to have her stolen and countless other girls,” the Mayor snapped. “Did you think your involvement would not be found?”

“The skin game used to be allowed,” he snarled.

“And now it isn’t, it hasn’t been for years.” She stood up, slamming her hands on the table.

“You have no proof,” he snapped. “I deserve?—”

Maverick slammed a stack of paper in front of him.

“Baby, you got a rap sheet a mile long,” she purred.

“And we’d like retribution.” King stood up.

We had no idea if he was the one who gave my information to my captors, but this was a perfect opportunity to kill him for Ally because her information was found in his files.

“I wasn’t the one who stole Boogie,” he wailed as I stood up. “That was someone else! I… I didn’t!”

He struggled against Win and Ruger, but Maverick got up and kneeled on his back. I glanced at Ally—who looked confused and angry—as I walked to him. This was all for her.

“Even if you didn’t take Boogie you need to pay for your sins,” the Mayor said. “Tonight, Lapin, leader of Easter Town, you die.”

I took my time walking to him, dragging out the inevitable. He struggled until I reached him, and he started to hyperventilate.

“Time to meet your maker,” I growled, pulling out my gun, pressing it to his temple.

Win and Ruger pulled his arms back, breaking them. He screamed loudly as he thrashed in pain, and then I pulled the trigger and one more shot mounted. I wanted him to experience excruciating paint before he died and as I looked up Ally had her gun pointed at him too.

They let go of his body, as two men came into the room to remove him. She sat down, looking at the Mayor as if she were ready for her own punishment.

“If I find out anyone else is in the business of skins, I will personally handle you,” the Mayor growled. “Do I make myself clear?”

Everyone agreed. No one was dumb enough to defy her, but then again, they always underestimated the Mayor.

“Now onto the second order of business,” The Mayor said, nodding at me as I walked back to my seat. “We have a change in leadership.”

Ally looked back at us with another worried expression.

What had her so on edge?

King and I exchanged a glance and it seemed we were both clueless.

“Boogie and King will no longer be running Halloween Town?—”

“It was all a misunderstanding.” Ally abruptly stood up. “If you will just give me a minute to explain my?—”

“Do you dare interrupt me?” the Mayor snapped.

What the fuck was she doing?

“I’m sorry, but I feel?—”

“Noelle.” The Mayor glared at her.

Ally all but glared back at the Mayor, but stayed quiet.

“The Triplets will be taking leadership of Halloween Town,” the Mayor said, glancing at us. “Boogie and King?”

We stood up, walking around the room to where Ally was seated. Her brows furrowed as she watched us. She turned around when we stopped behind her and we knelt down. We bowed our heads, changing our masks to bear her mark.

“We kneel before you not as men who rule a town, but as men pledging their allegiance to you,” King said.

“We vow to keep you safe, our priority is you, Noelle,” I said. “Nothing is more important than you and this is our vow in life and death.”

The room was silent as we knelt before.

“You fucking idiots,” she whispered. “You didn’t have to do this.”

“We would do anything for you,” King whispered.

“You are our everything,” I said softly.

“I accept.” Noelle stood and we did too.

We stood behind her taking Lance and Roman’s place as the triplets took our place. The Mayor finished up the rest of the meeting which centered on a complaint from Valentine Town.

“Now we have let go of giving thanks here in Thanksgiving Town, in hopes that would give you time to run your towns, but now we will be coming back a few times a year and you must be prepared to give me updates here,” the Mayor said.

The leaders nodded and we were released.

“Noelle,” the Mayor said, as Ally stood up.

“Yes.” She turned around.

“No interruptions,” she stated.

“Won’t happen again.” Ally nodded as she walked out, and we followed her.

Madame Red grinned at Ally as we left and Luc from St. Patrick's Town eyed us warily. No one would fuck with her if they wanted to live. Once we got outside to the cars, Ally turned around and hit me in the shoulder before doing the same to King.

“Why the fuck didn’t you tell me what was going on?!” she huffed. “I thought she was going to kill you!”

She threw herself at me and she felt so fucking good in my arms.

“I mean she thought about it after she heard what we did, but we are fine,” King said next to us, and Ally pulled him close to us.

“I was ready to plead for your lives,” she mumbled. “And while yes, I’m still a tiny bit mad at you, I missed you so fucking much.”

King kissed her first and I was so jealous I wanted to stab him.

It was over before I had time to get my knife out and she kissed me next.

I wasn’t a romantic guy, but kissing Ally was like coming home.

All I wanted to do is be with her and King forever.

If I did nothing in life except be theirs, my life would be full.

Ally abruptly pulled away from me.

“I might be forgiving you, but I will not forget. Pull this shit again and I will slowly kill you myself,” she growled.

She was so cute. I kissed her again, deepening the kiss as King threw his arms around us, pulling us in for a kiss. It was uncoordinated, chaotic and fucking filthy. We were finally together again King, Boogie, and our Little Doll.