Page 24

TWENTY-THREE

HUNTER REED

ROYCE

N ow, my first instinct is to grab my Beretta, find Miles Haines, and eliminate him. He’s not a Dragonfly; that wouldn’t be going against our truce. But then I remember that it actually might . Haines is a patron at the Playground, but also East End properties. A big spender who made a big mistake, I can see how taking out Haines might complicate matters in these trying times.

Good thing this isn’t the first time when, as the fixer, I needed someone taken care of without implicating any other Sinner.

Alfieri is too high up for an accident like I have in mind for Haines. Especially once his former relationship with Nicolette came out, if anything happened to Alfieri, it didn’t matter who eliminated him. It would fall back on us.

But Haines… if no one knows that I have a reason to take him out… well. Look at that.

I wait until she stops shaking before I drop a kiss to the top of her damp hair. Then, pulling away from her just enough so she can see the look on my face, I clear my throat.

She gazes up at me.

“The Sinners protect our own.” I take Nic’s hands in mine, squeezing them. “But you’re mine. And I’m going to protect you. I just want to make one thing clear about what happened. You said he cornered you in the corridor, you got him in the balls, then left. No one saw it happen?”

She shakes her head. “We were alone.”

That’s what I thought. Good. I’d have bigger problems on my hand if someone at the Playground knew Nic had been assaulted and kept it from me. What probably happened is that Haines hobbled out as soon as he recovered, never telling he passed that the blondie waitress got him good.

Of course, if he didn’t try to use his money against her—trying to get the Playground to side with a wallet over a waitress—it’s probably because he plans on getting revenge on Nic some other time.

Good luck, asshole.

Still holding tightly onto Nicolette, I lead her over to the couch. Once she’s seated, I take out my phone. It isn’t often that I need Nicholas Reed’s services, but over the last few years, I’ve had enough reason to that I keep the shadowy businessman in my contacts.

I stumbled upon the true nature of the Reed twins by accident. We had this waitress a couple years back. She obviously used a fake name, running from something, but just like I did with Nicolette, I gave her a chance. It wasn’t long that I realized she was running because she was a witness to a murder.

Well, no. She was accused of being a murderess, and though she knew the true identity of the killer and refused to squeal, it was hard to prove her innocence. After a while, the cops gave up, but because the killer was actually her former student turned young lover, she was hiding out from him.

I forget what name she went by then, only that her real name is Tamryn Carlisle. Up until this past Christmas, she lived in Springfield, though she’s originally from this small, secluded town called Shadowvale. It’s about two hours away from Springfield, and I know that because, when I heard rumors of a hitman operating out of Shadowvale, I looked into it.

The Reed twins—a pair of brothers about my age—basically run this town. This Shadowvale. On paper, it’s because they own the two largest businesses: the sanitation company and the sawmill. In truth, Nicholas Reed takes jobs, and his brother, Hunter, sees them out.

It’s late. Almost one in the morning. Just because I’m up, it doesn’t mean that Nicholas will be up—but I could give a shit. Men in our line of work are used to late hours, and if I can hire him, he’ll surely make me pay for it.

After making sure that Nicolette is comfortable, I call up Nicholas’s contact. I tell myself I won’t be annoyed if he doesn’t answer, but I’m fucking relieved when his gruff voice says, “This better be worth it, McIntyre.”

“It will be,” I assure him. “I got a job for you.”

“From your tone of voice and the later hour, I assume you mean Hunter.”

“Yes.”

“Interesting. For our usual fee?”

I look at Nicolette. She’s folded her legs beneath her, hands tucked in her lap, eyes looking away from me as though perfectly aware what sort of conversation this is.

A muscle tics in my jaw. “For triple.”

“When do you need this job done by?”

“As soon as Hunter can get her to take care of it,” I tell Nicholas solemnly.

“E-mail me the details by morning. For triple our fee, whatever you need done, it’ll be done by tomorrow night.”

I don’t doubt it. Just like how I don’t ask questions about Tanner’s skills, I definitely don’t doubt Hunter Reed. He’s aptly-named all right. Even if Haines goes under, assuming that Nicolette came and told me what he did to her? Hunter will find him—and no one else will ever again.

“Sounds like a plan.”

“Good. I’ll talk to you in the morning. As for now, I’m all tied up.” Over the phone, I hear a laugh. Considering it’s a woman’s laugh, I know it’s not Nicholas—thought I’m pretty sure who it is, especially when he amends his comment to, “Well. Someone’s tied up.”

He ends the call abruptly, but after dealing with Nicholas before, I’m used to it. Instead, I prepare myself for Nicolette’s curiosity. I know that, if I explain to her what my intentions are, she’ll understand. After all, she spent a decade as an enforcer’s property; me not liking that fact doesn’t change it. That’s part of the life, and if I thought she couldn’t handle it, I would never have gotten this involved with her.

But I have, and I meant it when I said I would do anything to protect her.

Only… I was right. She’s not curious.

She’s fuming .

“Nicolette?”

“I’m so stupid,” she mutters. “I should’ve known there was something wrong with him when he tried to pay me ten grand for sex.”

Oh, no. I absolutely refuse to let Nicolette blame herself. Besides, that prick had a perfectly good reason why he would do that, and I tell her so.

“It’s because you’re beautiful, baby?—”

She scoffs. “You’re just saying that because you are the one sleeping with me.”

“No. I’m saying that because I love you. Even if I didn’t, I’ve got a good eye. I know a beautiful woman when I see her. I also know a good-hearted one who has been dealt a shit hand, who bluffs when she has to, folds when she has to, and will do anything to win.”

I thought that would be enough to get her attention off of what happened and onto me like it belongs.

I was wrong .

After a heart beat where she just gapes at me, she turns away, avoiding my earnest expression.

And I realize… I’ve lost her.

Why? Is it because of the way I came blazing in here? Or how I made it clear in no uncertain terms that I was taking care of Miles Haines the way a Sinner would? Even if I didn’t grab my gun and hunt him down myself, she obviously heard enough of my conversation to guess that that would be his fate.

Is that what’s upsetting her?

She knows who I am. She knows what I am. So I’m not as in-your-face possessive as Link is when it comes to Ava. I won’t beat the shit out of a guy just for looking at Nic funny, but Miles didn’t just look. He touched… he took… and he brought her back to a place she never wanted to be again.

He deserves everything the Reed twins do to him.

“Oh, come on, Nic. I whipped up the best metaphor to gambling and all you can do is stare at me? I thought that was pretty good.”

She blinks once. Twice. Then, in a shaky voice, she says, “You said you love me.”

I did. “Haven’t I told you that before?”

She shakes her head.

Huh. “I could’ve sworn I have.”

“Saying ‘I love you’ when you’re inside of me doesn’t count, Royce.”

“It should. When you trust me with your body, that’s the time I feel closest to your heart. Why wouldn’t I feel love for you?”

Nicolette is still staring at me as though she wants to believe what I’m saying, but is struggling to. And I get it. I do. I don’t remember the last time I’ve told a woman I’ve loved her and meant it—if I ever have—so I’m not so good with the declaration thing. But I do love her, and when I thought something happened to her earlier, the realization that I’d kill anyone who hurt her made me admit that I’m only fooling myself by not telling her with words.

So I tell her with my actions. I should’ve remembered. Nicolette… she needs the words.

“I love you,” I tell her again, tilting her chin back so that she can see the honesty in my face.

I don’t need her to tell me it back. As far as she knows— because I’ve never told her —we’ve only been aware of each other for such a short amount of time.

But when her face splits wide open with the first grin she’s had since I threatened to break down her door, I hold my breath. And then she throws her arms around my middle before murmuring into my jacket, “I love you, too,” and the last bit of the knot deep in my gut finally unravels.

For now, at least.

As late as it is, I stay with Nic at her place. The next morning, I’m done with pretending she doesn’t live with me. I help her pack up even more of her shit, set the alarm to protect her mom’s place, and drive her home.

I verified that Nicholas got all the information I sent him. I stayed up long after Nic finally relaxed against me, sleeping on my chest. I composed that e-mail to Nicholas, then let Link know what happened so that he was in the loop.

He offered to hunt Haines down and make an example of him. All he had to do was claim that a wallet hurt one of Devil’s girls and there isn’t a person in Springfield who would care that Link shot his cock off before putting a bullet through his brain.

But then Nicolette would be considered one of Devil’s girls. And maybe I’m being even more irrationally jealous, but she’s mine and I want to handle the situation the way I best see fit.

Link agreed with me, and that was that.

Nicolette doesn’t ask for details. If she did? I’d offer them, but one she reads between the lines and asks if she won’t have to worry about Haines coming after her again come tomorrow and I promise her that she won’t, she—like Link—lets it go.

That day, we go to the Playground after dinner. A few of the waitresses stop by, waving at Nic, and I encourage her to let them know she’s survived her stomach flu. She even apologizes to Jessie, promising she won’t do that again before we sit in my favored booth.

It’s imperative that we’re seen. When Miles Haines goes missing, someone will notice. Someone will care.

I won’t, but just in case? I cover all bases, and enjoy an evening with Nicolette as—somewhere in Springfield—Haines is getting what’s coming to him.

Around eleven o’clock that night, a shadow falls over our table. A good-looking guy with eyes even bluer than mine, a stubbled jaw, and knowing smirk appears silhouetted against the teal neon that decorates this part of the club.

Hunter Reed, in the flesh.

Hunter and Nicholas are identical twins. At first glimpse, it’s impossible to tell them apart. Luckily, their clothes give them away. Like most Sinners, Nicholas Reed prefers expensively tailored suits. His brother? He has a leather jacket, dark jeans, heavy boots, and a cocky look that says he knows he’s caught the eye of most of the clubbers.

Not that he’ll care. He has a dainty little blonde wife of his own, and she’s all he cares about.

Well, that and Nicholas, but considering how twisted these twins are, that’s a given.

With a clunk , I see the second thing that tells me I’m dealing with Hunter. Though I know he’s armed—his weapon of choice being a switchblade—all I can see is the motorcycle helmet that he just dropped on top of our table. It has a skeleton emblazoned on the front of it.

I asked him why once. He told me he likes the idea of being death chasing after whoever is in his sight.

Yeah. He’s a disturbing fucker, but he does good work.

I raise my eyebrows at him. I’ve been expecting him. I told Nicholas where I’d be if his brother needed to find me, knowing that Hunter has a tendency to show off in front of anyone who knows his serial-killing secret.

“How’s it going, Royce?”

My gaze slants toward Nicolette. “Good. You?”

“I’ve had a most… thrilling night, you could say. Chase didn’t last as long as I like, but the hunt was highly satisfying. Thanks for that. Nicholas hasn’t let me have any fun since Halloween so this was worth the drive. Speaking of… if you want to lend me your van again, I got a spot where no one will find your guy.”

I know exactly where that is, too. The Reed twins have their own private cemetery behind their big house in Shadowvale for the rapists, abusers, and molesters that they target to get out their own bloodlust.

It’s a perfect resting place for Miles Haines.

Dipping my hand in my front pocket, I avoid my rigged coin, reaching for a set of keys instead. With a smirk, I toss them at Hunter.

He catches them one-handed. “Thanks.”

“Just make sure you get it back to me this time. After Christmas, we were down a van for three whole weeks.”

“Sorry about that,” Hunter says, not sounding sorry at all. “We had a lot of snow this year. But Nick said ‘thanks’, too.” He chuckles to himself. “He sure appreciated your help in delivering his Christmas present.”

Considering I agreed to help Hunter Reed bring Tamryn Carlisle to visit with Nicolas for the first time since she left Shadowvale years ago, I’m sure he did.

Huh. Tied up, indeed.

Lifting his helmet, Hunter gives me a mock salute. “Pleasure doing business with you, Sinner. Until next time.”

Nicolette waits until Hunter has vanished among the throng of dancers before she takes a sip of her cocktail, then asks, “So… do I want to know what any of that was about?”

Probably not. I lift my own drink up, tipping the shot glass in her direction. “Just know that I upheld my promise, yeah? You won’t have to worry about Haines bothering you ever again.”

Now, if only I could get rid of Alfieri as easily…