Page 10 of Pretty Ruthless Monsters: Complete Series

QUINN

A couple of days later, I head out to meet with Nico.

I bring a few of my crew as backup, because I’d have to be an idiot to head into this alone.

Even when it comes to something that’s supposed to be about just talking, all it takes is one wrong move for things to break bad and for guns to be drawn.

And being outnumbered by the Princes of fucking Carnage isn’t an experience I want to repeat.

We may have to pool resources, but that doesn’t mean I trust Nico and his two shadows any further than I could throw them.

For meetings like this, it’s always best to come together on neutral ground, so as not to risk either group trying to have the edge. We meet up at a run-down park that’s not claimed by anyone and doesn’t see many visitors at all.

My people and I arrive first, and it gives us time to scope out the spot and make sure there’s no ambush or anything set up. It all seems clear, and we don’t have long to wait before the Princes and their crew ride up.

They come blazing in on their motorcycles, riding in formation until they reach us.

It’s showy and meant to intimidate, but I don’t give them the satisfaction of being drawn in by it.

All of them wear motorcycle helmets with skulls emblazoned on them, but even so, Nico, Killian, and Atlas are easily recognizable.

Nico is at the front of the group, flanked closely by Killian and Atlas, who shadow him like always.

They’ve got two other men with them as well, bringing up the rear of their little entourage.

I stand with my arms crossed and my stance wide, flanked by my own people. I try not to let the distaste show on my face as Nico takes off his helmet and smirks at me.

“Nice day for a little get together,” he says, and I’m disappointed to see that the bruise I gave him during our last little ‘meeting’ has already mostly faded.

Next time I’ll have to give him a mark that lasts longer .

That vicious thought brings a smile to my face, and Nico’s gaze flicks downward to my lips for a half second. The smirk on his own face widens.

“Glad you’re so happy to see me,” he drawls. “Did you miss me?”

I have to grit my teeth to hold back a sharp-tongued response.

That’s not what we’re here for, and I know my people will take their cues from me.

Honestly, I almost wish I’d ambushed Nico and his two friends while they were alone for this meeting, the same way they did to me—just so that I could speak more openly.

I’d love to tell him exactly what I’m imagining doing to him right now.

On either side of Nico, Killian and Atlas take off their own helmets. Killian’s face is impassive, impossible to read as always, and Atlas is scowling at me, already seeming pissed off about the situation.

“So,” Nico says, getting down to business and drawing my attention back to him. “What did you want to meet about?”

That pulls my focus back to the matter at hand, and I take a step closer to him. “I did some digging,” I tell him. “And I verified that you and yours are also being targeted by whoever’s been coming after my people.”

He narrows his mismatched eyes. “Seems like a lot of work to go to when you could’ve just taken my word on it.”

I snort, not even dignifying that bullshit with a response.

“From what I can tell, it seems likely that whoever is targeting my people is the same one targeting yours. Our territories butt up against each other, so they’d have to come after both of us if they want to make a move on this whole area. ”

Nico nods, running a hand through his dark hair. “I had the same thought. Neither of us would let some new fucker move in untested, so maybe they’re trying to test our strength. Poke at us, see where our weaknesses are.”

“Yeah.” I grit my teeth, hating the next part of this.

It leaves a bad taste in my mouth, but it’s the next logical step.

“Whoever the fuck is doing this is a threat to us both, so it might serve our interests best to… team up. To protect the whole area from whoever wants to brute force their way in.”

A slow smile spreads over Nico’s face as he takes in my words, and I hate him a bit more for it.

“So you’re saying you want to join forces?” He lifts his brows a little. “You want to be allies? You… need our help, even?”

I scowl at him. This fucking asshole has a way of getting under my skin that few people in the world can manage. “I didn’t say that.”

“Sure sounded like you did. That’s what teaming up means. We’d be working together.”

“We’d be defending our territory ,” I snap. “Don’t make it more than it is.”

He waves a hand, that annoyingly sexy little half-smirk still on his face as he holds my gaze. “I’m just repeating what you said. We can’t be vague about this kind of shit. If we’re going to make a deal, I wanna know the particulars.”

“There aren’t any particulars.”

“There are always particulars, Quinn.”

“Fine,” I bite out, fed up with this shit already. “We’d be… allies.” The word sticks in my throat as I say it. “For as long as it takes to bring whoever’s been attacking us down. We’ll defend our area together.”

The smile drops from Nico’s face, but he doesn’t look away from me. Our gazes stay locked as a thoughtful, intense expression passes over his sharply handsome features.

“An alliance,” he says quietly. “It could work. We’re each small enough that we probably seem like easy pickings for someone trying to come up and make a name for themselves, or claim a lot of territory in a short time. But together, we’d present a more formidable opponent.”

“Exactly.” I nod. “It’ll work to both our benefits. I’d rather deal with you than with some unknown threat.”

His lips twitch at the corners, something flashing through his eyes and disappearing so fast that I’m not sure what it was. “I’m flattered.”

He studies my face for another second, then turns his head to share a look with both Killian and Atlas. Neither of them say anything or change their facial expressions, but there’s clearly some unspoken communication that passes between all three of them.

Just like the other day when they found me in that empty building, I feel a strange twinge of jealousy at the bond they all share.

There’s no one in my own circle that I can speak to without words like that.

Not even Emmett, although I do trust him, despite the slight awkwardness between us at the moment.

“Well?” I ask, my voice sharper than it probably needs to be.

“You’re right. It’s the best idea we have, and the best way to protect ourselves,” Nico finally agrees, turning back to me. “But like I said, we need to work out the particulars.”

“Fine. For starters, we each will keep control over our own territories.”

“Agreed.”

I nod. “But we’ll have a truce between us. No going behind each other’s backs, no fucking with each other’s business.”

Nico nods in return, his tattooed forearm flexing as he drums his fingers lightly against his upper thigh. “Done. And we’ll share information as we get it, as well as resources when it comes to defending against whoever this is.”

“Makes sense,” I say.

“And we’ll need to get married.”

It takes me a second to register his last words, and as soon as I do, my eyes flare wide with shock. What the fuck?

I scowl at him. “What the hell are you talking about?”

“Just what I said. We’ll have to get married.”

My pulse picks up, an instinctual fight-or-flight response making a surge of adrenaline shoot through my veins. I was already struggling to reconcile the idea of coming together with our rival gang and treating them as allies, but the idea of actually marrying Nico sends everything into a tilt.

Nico is still gazing at me steadily, waiting for my response. And this time, I don’t bother to hold back the words that bubble up behind my lips.

“You’re fucking insane,” I snap at him before turning and stalking away.