Page 62 of Vengeance and Vipers

‘What if she wants to go?’ Iron asks.

Krase’s eyes turn back to their normal blue. ‘She doesn’t,’ he says, taking his shot. ‘She only thinks she does. We need her to realize that she wants to be here with us.’

‘How do you propose we do that?’ Axel asks. ‘She’s stubborn … and afraid of letting her guard down.’

‘The Iron I’s will be here by tomorrow. Maddox wants to meet with Alex and have Paris set up the security cameras to keep an eye on Jules at the same time. They’ll be here for a few days.’

‘So?’ Jayce says.

Krase lands another ball in the corner pocket. ‘So, they’re bringing their female with them. Jane. Remember Jane?’

‘Aye, I remember Jane.’ Jayce gives him a knowing grin. ‘You want us to use her to make Jules jealous?’

Krase laughs a little. ‘No, I doubt we’ll have to do anything at all. I just think it will be obvious to Jules that Maddox wanted Jane, and it will make her view the clandifferently.’

‘You think she’ll care?’ Jayce tuts. ‘She’d never give Maddox the satisfaction of envying a female he was interested in, even if she did notice. Besides, Alex and the others won’t let Jane out of their sights after what happened.’

‘Do you mean when I tried to fuck her, and she beat the shit out of me, or when Maddox made her feed me for his help?’

Jayce puts his head in his hands and groans. ‘You pick, but I was actually talking about when Maddox was this close,’ he demonstrates with his thumb and forefinger, ‘to slitting Korban’s throat when we thought the rest of the Iron I’s were dead so we could steal Jane out from under them.’ He sits back in his chair. ‘That’s not something even Vicious will easily forget.’

I grit my teeth at the mention of my brother. Alex and I haven’t been on the best of terms in a long time. Even less so now since I made him get me back into the clan before I’d help him get his girl back from our psycho father and his equally messed up clan, who were trying to brainwash her into being theirs.

I’d heard she wasn’t in great shape by the time they killed those pieces of shit and got her out of there. Alex blames me for the extra time she was with them, and he’s right to. I refused to help until I’d got what I wanted. But I needed to be back in Maddox’s clan. I don’t feel bad about it. If I hadn’t made Alex help me, I’d be in a shallow grave somewhere, or worse by now.

I keep listening, wondering what I’m going to do, if anything, about this idea they have that Jules, a woman devoid of real feelings, could actually fall for them the way they all seem to have for her. It’s sad.

Is Iron really on board with this? I stare at him, watching his expressions, the way he’s standing slightly away from the others. He doesn’t look like he’s on board from where I’m standing. Helookslike he’s making sure he’s in the loop, and that’s it.

I can work with that.

I make my way back down the passage and let myself out via the main hallway panel right in front of a very surprised Tabitha.

Her gasp as I appear out of the passage is quickly replaced by a stern look.

I frown. ‘What?’

‘You don’t remember me, do you, boy?’

‘Should I?’

I smirk at her, wondering if we slept together. I mean, she’s in her sixties and definitely not my type, but there were times over the past couple of years when I’d been hungry and desperate enough for feed from just about anyone.

Inwardly, I groan. I hope she doesn’t know me from then. It’s a time I’d rather forget.

She tilts her head. ‘Maybe not. You were only a boy, maybe five.’

I take a step back. ‘You knew me when I was a kid?’

She nods. ‘Your mother and I were friends. You used to love sitting on my lap.’

I regard her, sifting through old memories, wondering if she’s lying. ‘Did I call you Tabby?’ I ask finally, and she smiles.

‘Yes, you did! I’d forgotten that. Your brothers were older, weren’t they?’

I nod. ‘Alex was fourteen. Andy was ten.’

She puts a hand on my arm. ‘I’m sorry about your mom. It was terrible what happened. Your father was never the same.’