Page 75 of Play The Game

Avery stares at me, and while she’s clearly handling me with kid gloves, I’m so freaking glad there’s no pity on her face. I know she’s feeling it, but she must know how badly I don’t want to see it. All I can see in her eyes is the bloodthirsty Beaumont rage.

“If you don’t want me to read it, I won’t, Lips, but I do want to start planning out the Jackal’s death for what’s in that file. The look on your face right now—I don’t need to see it to know I want that man’s head.”

Letting out a breath, I nod and sip my coffee. When I finish it and still have nothing, Avery grabs us both refills, scowling at her own sheet of notes she’s been taking like it’s an unsolvable puzzle. If there was any day I needed the caffeine to kick in and give me superpowers, this would be it. Avery doesn’t push me or ask any questions, so we sit in silence while we try to think of a way through this mess, but no matter what angle I take, it all boils down to one thing.

“The problem is Luca,” I say, frowning down at my now empty coffee cup.

“The hot guy that always kisses you in front of Harley? I thought you said he was nice.”

I blow out a breath. “Yeah, he’s nice, but he’s also loyal. I think he’s so nice to me because he thinks I’m someday going to submit to the Jackal and become his boss too. He’s always around, and I haven’t seen anyone get past him.”

Avery taps her chin delicately. “You don’t think you could get past him?”

“If they haven’t switched up his security, I could be in and out in under a minute and none of them would know the Jackal was dead until morning.”

Avery nods. “But they would have changed everything since the meeting.”

I hum under my breath and think it through. Should I go to him or draw him out? “I can’t just send Illi in; I would never risk him like that, and stealth will be our biggest asset. Plus, the other members can’t find out what we’re planning.”

I need to take the guys to the gun range and see if any of them have some skills I’m unaware of. I know Harley‘s had some training by the O’Cronins, and Diarmuid is the best sharpshooter I’ve ever seen. If Harley inherited those same family traits, then maybe I can set him up on a roof to take the Jackal out that way.

“I need to meet with the Crow and discuss how we’re going to handle the Jackal. He seems to be waiting for him to spiral and from what the Coyote said, that’s already happening.”

We both jump a mile in the air at the sound of keys in the door, Avery rolling her eyes as it swings open and all three guys walk in together. They’re all at least a little bit sweaty and delicious looking, and I’m distracted by it enough that when Avery stomps over to me and starts shoving files in the box while chewing them all out for misusing the emergency keys again, I almost miss the pointed look she gives me.

Right.

The file.

She helps me to shove it in the box along with all of the rest without any of the guys taking notice of it, and it’s only when I stand up and the small box slips off of my lap and onto the floor that I even remember it’s there.

God, the file has me all over the place today.

Ducking down to grab the box, I try not to look too awkward but they’re all watching me a little too closely, something about me changing the mood in the room. “I asked Illi to pick up something for me from the Bay. I got you guys something.”

Avery’s eyes snap to the box, scowling at the jeweler’s name stamped on top. “Jewelry?”

Harley huffs at her. “That’s the same name from the pouches her favors come in.”

Avery’s eyes turn predatory and I smirk at her, opening the box and handing over one of the small pouches. Then I give one to each of the guys and motion at them to open them up already.

Avery squeals when the pristine white diamond rolls out, caged in a delicate platinum sphere and hanging from a chain. Each of the guys have them as well, though the spheres look less pretty.

“A favor? Whose color is this?” Blaise asks with a frown, and I smile at him.

“Mine. I don’t give out favors, but if any of you need to I want you to have the diamonds ready. If something happens and I’m not there, you can use that as currency.”

Avery clears her throat and puts the necklace on, clutching at the diamond like it’s the most precious thing she’s ever held. “And how exactly did you pay for these? There’s at least three million dollars worth of diamonds here.”

I smirk at her. “I didn’t pay for them. The Vulture did. The favors he owed died with him and I had eleven diamonds from him. More than enough to cover these.”

Blaise grins at me and blows me a kiss as he kicks off his shoes, breaking the awed tension in the room. “Aw, you want to start your own gang. Do I have to start calling you boss?”

After an early training session down in the gym with Avery, I walk her over to her ballet practice as she reads out her conversation with Atticus to me. I do my best to be supportive, but it’s fucking hard because while I’m still firmly on Team Atticus-can-fucking-grovel, I already know what Avery wants, Avery gets.

And Avery wants Atticus in the worst way.

Once she ducks into the class with a smile and a wave, her necklace firmly clasped around her neck, I head back to our room to make myself some breakfast and figure out who’s studying with me today. I want French toast again, because when don’t I? Ooh and ice cream, and a giant mug of coffee. Harley was still asleep in my bed when Avery and I left, if he makes me breakfast I might lock the door and show him my, ahem, gratitude.