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“You don’t have to win that, woman.” I mock-scowled then slid to my knees on the floor. Ignoring the way my jeans stuck to the hardwood, I held up my phone in a ridiculous fashion. “You can call him anytime. Know his number?”
Viola scoffed but snatched the phone quick enough. Her fingers trembled as she dialed and I flashed her a cheeky grin. “Need some help? I have nimble fingers.”
“I’ll just bet you do,” Addy scoffed.
“Nope,” Viola growled to keep her lip from trembling. She didn’t smell scared at the thought of calling her brother, though. She was relieved to the point of tears. “I got it.”
I nodded. “Grimm’s office is at the end of the hall, if you want some privacy.” She gave me a wan smile and slid out of the booth. “Anyone else?”
Popcorn smacked a deck of cards into my hand. I slid into Viola’s vacant seat and started to shuffle.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Benji limp into the room and a turbulent wash rushed through my new mating bond. The omega in me desperately wanted to diffuse the situation before it could come to a head, but I held my wolf back.
Some things even my mate had to do for himself.
Mongrel, our club’s Sgt. at Arms, stood frozen for a full minute as he wrestled with his complicated feelings. The load my beta bore would’ve taken a lesser man to his knees. Though my throat felt like it was in a vice, I kept shuffling and dealt the cards. My entire being, however, was focused on the altercation which was fixing to explode.
My mate pulled his weapon from the back of his jeans and stalked over to where his cousin stood. Leveling the gun at Benji’s head, Mongrel raised a brow. The room was dead silent. Nobody moved a muscle. Not even Grimm. Like me, they knew this was a matter best settled between family.
In the light of day, Benji looked like shit. Though sleep in a safe bed had done his wolf good, the lad was still far too skinny and his tats looked like someone had done them in a back alley with an old guitar string and cheap ink made of ash, shampoo and baby oil.
Though some part of Talia wanted to quake in her boots, the slight woman set her fear aside and glared at my mate. When she went to ease between her mate and the weapon, however, Benji tucked her tighter into his side.
Good thing too because Mongrel wasn’t fucking around. I sent him a gentle wash of support and clear thinking. Due to the rage flash-boiling my mate’s blood, I wasn’t sure it got through.
“What the fuck, Mongrel?” Benji growled, holding his ground.
My wolf whined, ready to step in, but Grimm sent me a flick of the fingers and a nudge to stand down through the bond.
“You look creepy as fuck with that skinhead hair cut,” Mongrel grit out, looking his cousin up and down. “What the hell you thinking, joining with shitheads like the Bone Crushers?”
“I helped you,” Benji spat back, his voice full of pain and betrayal.
“That you did. And before that, you watched these good people go through hell while you stood there with your dick in your hands.”
Benji’s shoulders slumped as Mongrel’s barb hit home. The boy shot a haunted look to his mate then his gaze caught on Addy’s blazing eyes. The girl had half-risen from her side of the booth. He shook his head at her and Addy sat down, reluctantly, but her hand was still poised over her gun.
My mate glared at his cousin down the barrel. “So what’s to say you won’t turn around and fuck us in the ass the second we ain’t looking? You’re in our house now, boy. Soul Reapers’ territory. My wolf says that’s too close to those who need protecting.”
“I was supposed to be one of yours from the start,” Benji snarled, red in the face at the accusations our Sgt. at Arms was laying down.
His wolf was scratching for the surface. Ready to lay down a challenge he couldn’t win—against his own flesh and blood—just to secure his place in the pack. The fucking Chaos was sure messing with our heads.
“And yet, here we are.” Mongrel replied calmly, his hand unwavering. “Couldn’t wait a few years, could you? Had to join with someone. And not just anyone. You chose our fucking enemy to turncoat on us, Benji. The same wolves who sold your own goddamn sister.”
“I went there looking for her, fuckface! For Cassandra. I was the Soul Reapers’ scout.”
Grimm rolled his eyes at that one, as did a few of the Executive Committee scattered about the room. If Benji fancied himself a scout, then he'd done it without the backing of the club. The young prospect had a lot to learn about how things were done in a real MC.
“Had to get them to trust me first, didn’t I?” Benji muttered. “But you needed a man on the inside. I filled that need.”
Mongrel didn’t answer. Slowly but surely, he took the safety off his weapon.
The prospect gulped and hurried to explain. “Look at what we did, cousin. I risked my neck, sure, but we broke up the slave ring. We crushed the Prez of the Bone Crushers. We got them out. And this is the fucking thanks I get?”
Benji let go of Talia’s hand, grabbed the gun and pointed it right at his chest. Kid had grown some balls while he was away, that was for damn sure. Grimm was studying the lad in a new light.
“You got the Bone Crushers ‘cause you had me. I was never one of them. I am a Soul Reaper. Born and bred. And I’ll die a Soul Reaper in my heart even if you cut me down right fucking now.”
