Page 141

My Silent Demon

W hen we reach the other room, Thorn is already opening the door.

I palm a knife and keep it hidden behind my thigh just in case, and then wait next to Drax and Maxen who have spread across the living room entrance with enough room to fight between us.

One of the guards who was stationed outside of the door comes in, and brings in an armful of clothing, then places it on the sofa as we put our backs to the door.

He takes that moment to sweep the room, an angry spark in his eyes, probably from the fact they can’t spy on us anymore, so I step forward.

“You can leave now, oh, and please tell Regina to send some food up if she plans on dicking us around much longer.” Then with that, I turn my back on him and head into the bedroom.

I hear my men escorting him out before the door is shut and locked again, then a disgusted snarl comes from the living room, so after plaiting my hair, I head back out and lean against the doorway, seeing my men hold up the clothing they brought for us.

Drax is holding up what looks like suit trousers and a shirt, his mouth twisted in horror and he looks at me. “I’m not fucking wearing that.”

I laugh, I can’t help it, until I take in the dress Thorn is dangling from his finger and then it snaps my mouth shut as I stand up and step towards it.

“What the fuck is that?” I ask, eyeing the skimpy bit of clothing they provided.

It looks like something a common whore would wear.

Gold material—okay, so maybe more like a high-class whore—low cut, and skin-tight.

“How the fuck do you fight or hide weapons in that?”

“I think that’s the point, Mi Alma.” Maxen smirks and I shake my head.

“Still, I’m not wearing that.” An evil idea comes to mind then and I grin, holding out my hands. “Give it to me though.”

Thorn laughs, throwing the material to me. “Oh, and search the pile and where he went to make sure he didn’t plant any more listening devices,” I murmur as I turn and head to the bed.

“Shit, I didn’t even think of that,” Drax groans.

Laying the dress down on the bed, I grab my knife and start cutting, almost laughing as I imagine Regina’s face when she sees what I did to her fancy fuck you dress, one clearly meant as an insult to me.

She doesn’t know who she is playing with.

Once I’m finished, I look down and almost smirk as I twine the edges together, making an impromptu weapons holster and also a strong bit of doubled up fabric into a choker—just another handy weapon.

I should be thanking her really. I strap on the holster and slip one of my knives in it, openly wearing it as I head back to see the other clothes tossed in a pile on the floor and my guys sat around waiting for me.

When they spot me, they start laughing, their eyes lighting up. “Oh, she is going to lose her shit,” Thorn comments, and I nod.

“I can’t wait. Now, what do we do while we wait for her reply?” I inquire, tilting my head and looking around.

“I can think of something,” Drax purrs, wiggling his eyebrows at me.

“This was not what I had in mind when you said you thought of something.” I laugh, he’s like an excited kid, and yes, I guess so am I.

His enthusiasm is contagious, and although my mind had gone to dirty places, I have to admit this is better.

My body is still sore and I could do with a bit of a laugh, which he knew, like always, and took it upon himself to help us all lighten up despite the looming war.

I might be a queen now, but here, with my men, I’m still Worth and apparently…a child right now. Sands below, if my armies could see me now.

We are having a fashion show. My men readily dress up and parade in front of me.

Every time I laugh or smile their eyes light up, and they seem to try extra hard, competing to see who can make me laugh the most. I have to admit, they look good in the suits, but then the outfits get more and more ridiculous.

Drax makes one of the shirts into a crop top and walks around with his hand bent out and his head thrown back.

Maxen cuts his into shorts and pulls the socks up to his knees, looking like a bloody schoolboy, but Thorn.

Oh God, when he steps out of the bedroom, I swear I pee a little.

He has the rest of the gold material that I had cut up and fashioned it into a top and what looks like a skirt.

He winks at me, sashaying across the room and striking a pose in the middle of the living room.

I can’t take my eyes off him, even as I laugh so hard tears track down my face.

Drax actually falls to the floor laughing and Maxen is holding his stomach, all the while Thorn winks and shimmies between us in the golden number.

“Stop, make it stop,” Drax cries, and rolls over and looks up before cringing when he looks up Thorn’s skirt.

“Shit, I didn’t need to see that,” he grumbles, setting us off again.

When we finally catch our breath, Thorn comes and sits next to me, smirking at his obvious win of making us laugh the most.

“Your turn!” Drax calls, still spread on the floor from where he fell laughing. All eyes go to me then, ready and waiting, so I stand up, make sure they can all see me, and strip. When I’m in nothing but my boots and knives, I wink at them and head into the bedroom, hearing them groan.

“Oh, she fucking wins!” Drax calls as he races after me, making me laugh once again as I hear Maxen and Thorn fighting each other to be the second to reach me.

Food gets delivered not much later, and we all sit on the floor around the coffee table in the middle of the sofas and eat while they fill me in on what happened.

They don’t gloss over what happened to them, and for that I’m grateful.

They know I am strong enough to handle it.

They were tortured for at least three days, while I was out there.

I make them tell me exactly how and afterwards, I am filled with rage, but I keep it in check until they have finished telling me.

After the government realised they couldn’t torture the information out of them, they left them alone to look for a different approach, and then when Jax escaped they turned their attention to him, sending patrols to the North to check if we were advancing on them.

Apparently, they sent patrols near where Piper is as well, but I know she can handle it, so I don’t stress.

Once I’m full and know what happened, I sit back and look over each and every one of them .

“They will pay for hurting you,” I declare, and Maxen reaches across and twines our hands.

“Let it go, Worth, we are together again. That’s all that matters.

Now, how about we talk about this plan? You getting revenge will have to wait, I think,” he says softly, and as pissed as I am, I know he’s right.

I can’t go up there and kill them all, no matter how much I want to, so instead I focus on the plan we have in place.

Too many people are depending on this plan for it to go wrong.

Then, while they are cleaning up, I head to the door.

I have to knock and when the light turns green I stick my head out, glaring at the guards there.

“I need to speak with Regina,” I snap, and they share a look.

“She is indisposed. She will be meeting you in the morning. You are not to leave your suite,” he orders, and I step out to face him.

“I just left it, what are you going to do?” I ask, tilting my head at him.

He freezes and I laugh. “Just what I thought. Don’t make idle threats, boy. I will gut you for breakfast.” Then I slam the door in their incredulous faces.

Morning, we have to wait until morning. I know my armies will be moving into place soon, so let’s hope I can pull off my end of the plan.

Staring out of the living room window on the city below, I am lost in my own thoughts when arms wrap around me and pull me back into a hard chest. I inhale deeply and smell Thorn, even as he lays a gentle kiss on my shoulder, not talking, just holding me as I stare.

I’ve spotted at least two more explosions, so it seems Strand and Dray are doing their jobs, keeping them distracted and running around the city.

One was even close to this building—Dray’s idea, I am betting. A way of telling me he is close.

“Do you think it will work? What if they just decide to kill us?” Thorn asks.

“Then they face the army I told them was waiting outside their walls, and when I don’t come back, they attack.

I’ve looked at this from every direction, and I don’t see how they could refuse, not to my face anyway, and now that I have met them, I’m only more certain.

They prefer to work in the shadows, make sly moves, so they won’t turn down a peace, but they won’t uphold it either,” I explain, turning in his arms to face him.

“We will stand with you, no matter what,” he replies, cupping my face. I lean into his touch, resting my cheek in his huge palm.

“I know. Whatever happens, we face it together,” I say, closing my eyes and just soaking in his warmth.

I hate this waiting around and political manoeuvres, I would rather just fight and get it over with, but I rein myself in, knowing this is the best way.

Patience, that’s what I need, something that has never been my strong suit.

I turn back to the window and we silently watch the sun setting over the sands in the distance. Somewhere out there my armies are mobilizing, waiting for me to lead them to war.