Page 45 of Mischief Mayhem
“It’s a long story,” Saint explained. “A few years back, I met her during one of my Christmas visits to the orphanage. I didn’t know who she was at first, and she didn’t use her real name, but we got to talking. She’s a nice girl, even if she is a firecracker. If she didn’t have such a shitty last name, we’d have no problem with her. Six months after that, I found her beamer in a ditch outside Fairfax. She was almost dead. Her boyfriend in the passenger seat had a bullet wound in his head. If it wasn’t for me taking her to the hospital, she woulda died right then and there.”
Leo’s words went through my head.
“She hates the Roses for killing our brother, but she hates Gabriella even more.”
I wondered if Gabriella had anything to do with her boyfriend’s death.
“A couple months later,” Saint continued, “it was me almost getting shot on Caputi territory when I was trying to get intel.”
Fuck, I remember that.
“I was caught, trapped in a room, waiting for the fuckers to smoke me out. I shoulda died. She found me and made sure I got free.” He ran a finger over his brow and blew out a disbelieving breath. “I can’t say why fate put us in each other’s paths so many times, but when the universe speaks, I listen.” Saint waited for the murmurs from the crowd to die down before continuing. “Trust me on this, she wants Gabriella gone as much as us.”
“Let’s play this low-key,” Crow said. “Take it slow, and keep me updated on anything new.”
Saint nodded and retreated back to his corner.
“There’s one more thing,” Coins said, rubbing at his gray beard. “Detective Jordan has been poking around. I think I had a tail the other day.”
“Yeah, me, too,” Aris said. “I’m stepping in pig shit everywhere I go.”
“Do we think she has anything?” Crow looked at Castor and Switch, our IT geniuses. They had the inside track to anything the Feds might secure. I didn’t understand how they did it, and I never asked because I didn’t want to understand it, but Castor and Switch usually knew what the pigs had before they did.
“I haven’t seen anything new,” Castor said. “But that doesn’t mean they aren’t searching.”
“Keep an eye on them,” Crow ordered before nodding at Aris.
“All right,” Aris said, pushing to his feet. “That’s all for tonight.”
“Pollux is getting out in a few weeks,” Castor said, holding up his hands. “When he does, we’re heading to the Viper to celebrate. Everyone’s invited. I’m letting you know now so you can clear your fucking schedules. You all better be there!”
“First round’s on Castor!” I shouted over his voice, and everyone whooped in response.
“What the fuck, man?” Castor pretended to punch me in the gut, but I laughed and threw my arm over his shoulders, tugging him in for a playful hug. “Fuck off.”
He shoved me away with a chuckle as we walked into the front room. I immediately caught V’s gaze at the bar, where she talked with Ru, Alba, and Selene. She smiled and waved before returning to her conversation. Like a moth to a flame, I saddled up beside her and reached across the bar for a shot glass and the bottle of whiskey, pouring myself a drink.
“Hiya, Hollywood,” she said and pursed her lips with a hint of mischief playing in her eyes.
“Hi, V.” I mocked her teasing tone, hoping she got the message. I didn’t want to stay at the clubhouse, especially with the way Chelsea burned holes into my back with her gaze. “Are you ready to get out of here?”
“Hmm,” she said, looking at her friends. Alba, Ru, and Selene huddled together and giggled at a video on a phone, completely unaware of V’s sudden shift in interest. “Do you think you’ve behaved enough to leave so soon?”
“Nope,” I said, leaning into the role-play and bending down so I could whisper the next part next to her ear. “I’ve been so bad. I deserve to be punished.”
She made a deep, wicked sound that sent chills down my spine and back up again.
“I want you to break my streak,” I murmured low enough no one else would hear it. “I want you to break my streak tonight, and then I want to tell everyone about it tomorrow.”
V met my gaze with a soft violet one of her own, seeming to verify I meant what I said.
“I don’t . . .” She cleared her throat, and a sinking feeling ran through my gut. “I don’t think we should say anything to anyone . . . not yet.”
I furrowed my brows. “Why not?”
Did she not trust me?
“It’s just so new,” she said, giving me a small smile. “Can we keep it a secret a little longer?”