Page 19

T he chatter around the two tables arranged in the church office is nothing more than background noise. As they discuss a plan to take down Colt, my mind spins with an idea they won’t like. We’ve come a long way in a short amount of time, but their leniency with my extracurriculars still has its limits. The biggest being putting myself in danger.

I get it. I do. But the asshole that’s lurking in the shadows is nothing more than a child pretending he’s not afraid of the dark. He’s gained a false sense of confidence. It’s easy to beat your opponent when you’re hiding behind lies and deceit, but in a fair fight, he’s got nothing on me. He’s threatened the only things in this world I care about, and I don’t take that shit lightly. If he thinks my crusade for the innocent is brutal, wait until he sees what I’m truly capable of when it comes to those I love.

“You sure this was a good idea?” Etta asks from beside me, her shrewd gaze scanning the men that have taken over our worlds.

“Oh yeah. We’re all under the same roof. We might as well have taken out a billboard that says Fuck You to our big brother. I’m enjoying rubbing his nose in the fact that I am, indeed, better than him.” I catch sight of Squire down the table, and one brow raises as he no doubt catches the murderous smile on my face. “And now we wait.”

“Wait for what?”

As if summoned, “Fuck You” by Lily Allen starts to blare through the room. The catchy little ditty was purposefully programmed as my ringtone for all anonymous calls. Fitting tribute to the only asshole not brave enough to call without blocking his number first.

I press the little green button. “Thank you for calling the My Sister is a Badass. How can I compete? hotline. How may I direct your call?”

Silence descends as every eye in the room turns to me.

“You haven’t won yet, Remington.”

“Technically speaking, you’re right because you’re still breathing.”

“But you and everyone you love won’t be for long.”

“Tsk, tsk. Careful now, Colt. Think about who you’re talking to. What was I able to accomplish in two weeks’ time? Oh. Right. I freed five men from jail and rescued four people from your evil clutches. You sure you want to poke that particular hornet’s nest?”

His voice drops, anger and hatred lacing his normally smooth tone. “All you did was provide me with easy targets. I’ll enjoy taking them out one by one and watching you suffer as I do it. No more playing games.”

“Funny. You had all the opportunity in the world to do just that, yet here we are.”

“I’ll give you one last chance, Remington. Hand yourself over to me, and I’ll let the rest of them continue to live. Ignore this warning, and I will personally hunt you down and kill you, making a spectacle of the revered Steele name. While you’re looking over your shoulder, wondering when I’ll make my move, I will slowly and methodically make sure every single person you care about dies a death so horrific, your kills will look like the work of an amateur. When your time finally arrives, you’ll have suffered to the point where you’ll beg me to end it.”

“I’m curious, Colt. Say I were to hand myself over to save those I love…” A pack of rabid wolves is probably quieter than the men growling around me. I silently wave my hand through the air, meeting my guys’ furious stares with a look that says Really? You think I’d do that again? When they finally quiet, I continue, “Then what?”

“Either way, I’ll be touted as a hero for capturing the notorious Avenging Angel and saving the world from a monster that has murdered dozens of people. I’ll finally get the recognition I deserve, and having you alive when I do it only ups the satisfaction factor. Knowing you will be helpless behind bars, forced to live out your days alone while those closest to you move on as if you never existed? Priceless .”

He’s definitely got Rock’s ego. There’s no doubt about that. Unfortunately for him, he doesn’t have Rock’s balls.

Glancing down at my watch, a grin plays across my face. “Tell me, are you in your fancy office right now, Colt?”

There’s a momentary pause. “What are you talking about?”

“You want to make a name for yourself—your FBI career —using me as leverage. Well, I’m not really a fan of that plan.”

“Remington—”

Knock. Knock. Knock.

“Oh. Sounds like someone’s at your door. Wonder who that could be? I’ll wait while you go see who it is.”

Lowering the phone, I put it on speaker. Everyone in the room needs to hear what’s about to happen.

The clip clop of dress shoes on tile rings across the line, then the snick of the door opening.

“Angie, I’m on a call right now. What is it?”

“Sorry, sir. This package was just delivered by a courier. It’s marked as urgent.”

“I’ve got it. Thank you. I’m not to be disturbed for the rest of the afternoon.”

“Yes, sir.”

The door closes, and his footsteps traipsing back across the tile brings a large smile to my face.

“Etta and I do so hope you like this newest gift, Colt.”

Paper tears on the other end of the call, followed by the sound of the box opening. There’s a gasp, followed by a heavy gag.

“What the fuck?” he rasps.

“I know, right? It’s not much bigger than a cocktail wiener—or Melinda’s middle finger, honestly—which is just really embarrassing for a man Viper’s size. Imagine trying to get someone off with that tiny little thing.”

“I’m going to?—”

“You’re going to… what ? Tell your boss that your sisters just dick-bombed you? Because you better believe our DNA is planted all over that package…which, of course, will match yours. They probably won’t be able to find any fingerprints because we made sure to use gloves. Lord only knows what kind of diseases that little pecker was infested with.”

“Remington, I swear to Christ?—”

Looking around the table, my guys’ intense stares light a fire in the darkest depths of my soul.

“Hmmm… Now that the playing field has been evened out, I wonder if you’ll cave under the pressure.”

“You’ll never see me coming until it’s too late. I’ll fucking kill?—”

“You can most definitely try. I eagerly await your next move, big brother.” Tapping to end the call, I set my phone down on the table. “The only way that could’ve gone better is if Grant had been able to sneak a camera in the box.”

Etta sighs. “I would’ve so loved to see his face when he got a glimpse of that wrinkled dick. It looked so perfect nestled inside that red silk.”

“I’m not sure if I should applaud your ingenuity or be wary of your methods,” Jay murmurs, running a hand across his mouth.

Rogue smirks. You can’t really see it because of his beard, but I know it’s there. “You get used to it.”

“That’s assuming he’ll be around long enough to,” Etta mutters.

“Oh, sweetheart… I ain’t goin’ anywhere.”

“Who the fuck is this guy?” Big Mack crosses his arms over his chest, glaring at Jay beside him. “We just letting anyone in here now?”

Etta rolls her eyes. “Only the man who saved me and now thinks that earns him a free tour of my panties.”

Diesel leans forward, scowling at both of the men. “Ain’t no one getting in our girl’s panties unless she consents and we approve. I haven’t heard the former, and we sure as hell haven’t done the latter.”

“Okay, we need to table the harem discussion for another meeting. Right now, we need to seriously discuss our plan of attack because I can guarantee you, Colt is going to go full psycho now that I’m not giving in to his demands.”

Ace’s fingers are tapping against the wood, his stare locked onto me as if he can see right into my warped mind. “I’m assuming you have some ideas.”

“And I’d hazard a guess we’re not going to like them,” Squire adds.

“Angel, if any of it involves you going in solo, the answer is a resounding no .”

It’s my turn for an eye roll because Saint should really know better than to openly challenge me like that. It sends my demons into a frenzy, and the brat emerges.

“I don’t need to remind any of you that I spent ten years doing shit my way, with Grant handling the technical shit in the background. Every single project was physically acquired and handled by me .”

“But you weren’t carrying our baby back then.” Trip gives me a look, daring me to argue. “That alone gives us a say in how we proceed from here.”

“We know you’re capable, doll. There’s no question about that. But none of us are willing to let you put yourself at unnecessary risk in order to take Colt down.”

Taking a deep breath in and exhaling, I remind myself that they’re just worried about me. It’s what they do best. This is what I signed up for when I decided that my life was better with them in it. Relationships are all about give and take, and that’s something I’m not at all used to.

Etta’s hand slides into mine. “They’re right, Rem. This time is different. We have more people in our corner than ever before. We need to trust in them the same way they trust in us.”

I know she’s right. They all are. But that doesn’t make it any easier to swallow.

“Fine. Nothing risky and no rash decisions. We decide the best course of action as a group, and we take that slimy motherfucker out. But first, there are a couple of loose ends we need to tie up.”

My gaze slides to my sister, and she nods. There’s one particular person we should’ve taken care of a long time ago. Out of respect for our father and Aunt Charlie, we spared him, but now?

His get out of jail free card has finally expired.

The question of whether he lives or dies will be answered sooner than anyone knows.