Page 21 of Beastly Armory
“No, we didn’t. We gave them out?—”
“For the right price.”
Freezing, he stays silent, because he knows I’m right. Eventually, he gives in and speaks. “So, what are you saying?”
“I’m saying we work together. I’ll help you get your licenses, some gun contacts from outside the city… and you give me a third of the ones you run.”
Spit flies from his mouth as he snaps out, “A fuckingthird?”
“I’m being generous. I should ask for fifty percent.”
One of his dark eyes narrows at me. “You’re ridiculous. Von Dovish, through and through.”
“Don’t fucking say that.” I go to shove him out of the way, but he grabs my wrists, his touch smoldering my skin. If he feels any more of me, I’ll ignite into flames.
“I’m a big boy now. You can’t kick my shins in anymore, little fox. I’m a lion, remember?”
I swallow. “I changed my mind. I don’t want to work with you.”
Lowering my arms, but still holding my wrists, he leans forward as if to match his lips to mine. I draw back a boot, then wail on his leg. “Fucking hell, Livia!” He drops his grasp on me and bends forward to soothe his bones as I rush out the door and sneak off into the night without being seen.
Seven
MAXIMILLIAN
“Fucking bitch!” My rumbling yell meets a shield of silence as she’s already escaped. That fucking hurt. Just like when we were kids.
Jumping in my Barracuda, I head toward the manor with the headlights off the whole way. Once we arrive at the gates, Derichs stirs in the seat next to me and eyes the gatekeeper, who’s strapped with a rifle. Leaning into the driver’s window, John’s eyes dart around the area before landing on me. He’s on high alert, as he should be, given that I just killed several of Strauss’s men.
“Hey, John. Any trouble?”
John shakes his head and waves me inside, shutting the gates behind us.
“I should get home,” Derichs says with a strained voice, trying to sit up.
“Nonsense. You’re staying here for a while. That girl of yours, would she want to stay with us, too?”
His body slumps back into the leather seat, an armsplayed across the ridge of the window. “N-no. She’s from out of town. I don’t want her here.”
It’s completely understandable. Moving to Gnarled Pines is a death wish. One I was willing to make when I came back, but I certainly don’t wish it on Arianna, which is why I plan to keep her locked in the house with Jakob until I can get our properties back. And kill Strauss.
Markus and Jakob come out of the front door when I turn off the engine. Jakob’s huge body lumbers at a speed I wouldn’t think possible, his bald head gleaming in the moonlight.
“What did you do?” Markus looks as if he hasn’t slept in days, and he probably hasn’t. He rubs his hands through his white hair, then stuffs one in his pants, attempting to tuck in his flannel shirt underneath his pooch.
Jakob, ever the stoic soldier, calmly pulls Derichs from the car with an arm under his good shoulder. As he nears the front door, he spots me and nods once before heading inside with his man.
“What had to be done. It was us or them, Markus.” Adrenaline still pumps through my veins. There’s no way I could sleep now. I should clean our guns and reload, prepare for the next fight, which may be sooner than I anticipate. My muscles start to feel every tear in their fibers from the evening’s activities now that I’m on my home territory. From experience, I know it won’t be long before I’ll crash. Markus follows me inside, a few paces behind.
Mrs. Kroft bustles out of her bedroom down the first-floor hall, a flowery robe flowing behind her with spongy pink curlers all over her grayed head of hair. “Mr. Freidenberg, I heated up dinner for you, but it’s gone cold now. There’s warm milk and cookies set out by your bed. But if you want cold cuts, I can place them on the buffet in the dining room.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Kroft. I think the cookies will be fine.”
Trailing me close behind, Markus clears his throat, waiting until we enter the study until he says what he’s obviously desperate to unleash on me.
“Well?” he asks as I empty my pockets onto the desk, then pull out my gun cleaning kit from the bottom drawer. The leather seat creaks loudly as I relax into it, scooting it close to the forest green suede pad laid across the surface.
“Well, what? Things went south. I had to shoot, or… explode our way out. We’re alive.”