Page 96 of Play The Game

Or his life, because Ash is fucking teetering.

“I told you, I’ll—” he starts, but I cut him off.

“She’s not for sale. Not to you, not to Matteo, not to anyone. Either admit you’re here because you have real, genuine feelings for her or leave. And to be perfectly clear, there is nothing I wouldn’t do to keep her safe. I’ll risk the Twelve if I have to.”

His eyes finally leave mine and swing down to land on Avery. I see it then, the feeling in my gut is right, he looks at her like she’s the center of his world. He looks at her with longing and sweetness and worship. He’s here to save her from me.

His eyes only get more vicious when they cut back in my direction, but he softens at the sound of Avery’s voice, “The Wolf is my family, Atticus. I’m not leaving with you.”

Some of the tension in Ash eases a little like he was afraid Avery would skip off into the sunset with this guy and he’d lose her forever. I make a note to talk to him again about letting her make her own fucking choices.

The Crow slips away, something I’ve never seen another member of the Twelve do, and it’s Atticus standing there with us again.

“You can’t let Matteo know about her, or what she means to me. He’ll fucking destroy her. It’s bad enough she’s with you.” He sinks down in the armchair and rubs his hands over his face. The room seems to take a deep breath.

“You don’t need to explain to me what that man does to innocent girls when he has an agenda,” I whisper, and regret flashes on his face so quickly I think I might have imagined it.

He chuckles darkly. “I guess I should remember that better than anyone. I was there when he snapped your leg with his bare hands. What were you, twelve years old?”

Blaise’s hand runs down the inside of my arm until he threads his fingers through mine, tugging me back until I’m at his side. I don’t want to look at any of them while we talk about the damage done to me. “Thirteen. I was thirteen and I had just won the Game. He told me he wanted to teach me how to deal with pain but really he was trying to break me in. Nothing he hates more than a female he can’t break.”

“Well, he didn’t break you, did he? Here you stand with two Beaumonts and the richest kid in the country. You’ve inducted the heir to the O’Cronin family into your fold, and let’s not forget the Butcher. I’d wager this wasn’t Matteo’s plan.”

I chuckle, a little shocked that I have it in me to do so, and then I sit on the couch, tugging Blaise down with me. Avery moves to sit with us, perching on the arm of the couch stiffly, and then, slowly, Ash joins us. When he slips his hand to rest on my thigh, my shoulders finally relax. Atticus watches us all carefully.

“I was under the impression you were with the O’Cronin kid? That’s what Matteo thinks anyway. I heard a rumor of… more but I thought that was just his delusions.”

I feel a blush start and Avery scoffs at me. “Seriously? We’re in a life-threatening situation and you’re getting all shy about your harem of obsessed boys?”

Blaise nudges Avery’s leg with his shoulder and cackles at her. “Leave her alone, she’s used to being a badass under pressure.”

Atticus watches her the exact way that Harley watched me during our junior year, back when I was oblivious to what it meant. God, I was so fucking blind. “This isn’t a life-threatening situation, Avery. As long as you are safe, I’m not going to do anything. The last time I saw the Wolf, I knew things had changed between her and the Jackal but I couldn’t risk being wrong. I couldn’t leave your fate up to chance because the Jackal would do things to you that I’ve spent years making sure your father didn’t fucking do.”

Atticus’s voice is kind and gentle. It’s fucking weird. I’ve only been around him a handful of times and he’s always a cold, ruthless dick. Probably because I was always with Matteo.

Avery stares over at him like he’s a stranger to her and if I didn’t hate his guts for lying to her, I’d feel sorry for him.

She is ride or die, and I think Atticus is now firmly on her shit list.

“It’s Lips, and I’m not Matteo’s protégé or girlfriend or whatever it is that the Twelve think. He sponsored me for the Game and he’s helped me out, but he’s also done things to me that I can’t ever forgive or forget. I went to Hannaford to figure a way out. That’s what we’re doing; we’re finding a way out of all of this.”

Atticus nods and rubs his chin. He looks older than twenty-two but then he’s the leader of one of the largest criminal organizations in the state, possibly the country. Rivaled only by the Jackal’s numbers. I had never thought to approach him for help in getting away from Matteo, his cold manner making me wary. I’m starting to see that was a mistake.

Avery hesitates for a moment and then asks with a surprisingly strong voice, “You were at the meeting with Lips and Harley, do you think the Jackal is going to continue to send people to kill him?”

Classic Avery; she’s just found out the guy she’s been in love with for half her life has been lying to her and she’s instantly thinking about what information she can mine for the protection of her family. I both love her and want to shake her. She should be chewing this fucker out.

“He’s in less danger now he’s under her protection. He was on very limited time with his grandfather before then, despite my efforts. Matteo can’t just kill him, he has to find some sort of betrayal or dishonesty to be able to take him out. He doesn’t just answer to the Wolf if he does, he answers to the Twelve. He’s a big player but he’s not the biggest, and definitely not bigger than us all.”

“And what if he continues to try to kill him stealthily?” Avery continues. “I’m sure you’re aware he’s spiraling and recruiting.”

Atticus grins and cocks an eyebrow at me. Again, I blush which is fucking ridiculous.

“Oh, after the Wolf’s declaration at the meeting, the Jackal has been served a severe warning about touching her toys. The rest of the Twelve are much more aware of his… instability now. Those who have chosen his side are in as much danger as he is.”

I ignore the look Atticus is giving me, and lean forward in my chair. “If I induct these three as well, would you be willing to back me up in the meetings if Matteo starts with his shit?”

Ash’s leg tenses against mine. I haven’t spoken to him about this but I know how badly Avery wants it. It’s a move on the board against their father. He could no longer threaten them without risking the wrath of the lower criminal organizations. Lower in social standing but certainly dangerous to him and his business.