Page 45 of Beastly Armory
The boss shrugs. “No idea.”
“Alright, I-I’ll figure it out.” When Max finally looks at me, I raise my eyebrows, not wanting to disagree with him in front of Lavinio. This all seems like a bad idea. If Ace ever finds out…
Lavinio offers us some drinks, but we decline. Sensing a need to discuss this in private, Max makes an excuse for us to leave quickly and snags my hand in his again. My mouth is ready to burst with concern over our agreement.
Once we get back to the car, Max’s large handpushing into my lower back the entire way, I relax some. Rubbing my shoulder gently, he opens my door. Before I slide in, I turn to meet his darkened gaze, my lips pursed.
“We could be starting a war, Max.”
He looks up and down the street and lowers his voice. “I have to have those guns. It’s our only protection.”
Taking a deep breath, I tell him, “I know.” And I do understand the urgency. It’s only a matter of time before Strauss takes us all out.
Brushing a warm thumb over my cheek, the touch sending sparks through my face, Max pleads with a soft gaze, “You can help us do this sneaky like. Come up with a plan, okay? I’m relying on you, foxy.”
I nod.
His throat tightens on a swallow as fear radiates off his skin. Staring intensely into my eyes for a long moment, he presses his lips to my forehead lightly before I can pull back. “Looks like we’re heading into Ace’s territory.”
Twelve
MAXIMILLIAN
“Where do you think he is?” Brushing off my suit arms, I sneak a glance at my pants to make sure the creases are straight. It’s the only one I own. Dry cleaning bill was a bitch in between leaving Appleton and coming here, the White Wolf Lodge back in Gnarled Pine Hollow. Livia looks as hot as the sun in her tight black leather dress. Probably would burn me just the same. Her curves are certainly baking up my boner.
“Lavinio said the basement, probably. I have a map my hacker gave me.” Pulling it up on her phone, she studies the directions we’ve been over forty times already. We had to go through the metal detectors, so couldn’t bring weapons, but I managed to sneak in a thin wire disguised as a bracelet to wrap around the necro’s neck.Ifwe find him. My hackers were somewhat helpful. At least they said the building was correct. If I rely on Livia’s intel, then Ken should be in the basement of this stuffycasino. She wants these guns as much as I do, so I have to trust that the information is honest.
Transported back to a minimalist 80s decade, we stand in the entrance of the posh casino where everything on the floor of the club is white, puffy, and round. Like a bad art deco replication. The place is packed with gamblers and old ladies at the slots, but we wanted that for our plan to work. Well… my little fox’s plan.
Livia nods in the direction of the nearest bar. Before we arrive, a group of expensively suited men, all looking like the fighters I’ve been around over the last eight years, comes strolling out of the bank of elevators. Outfitted in creams and grays, they look every bit the seething pack blasted on every sigil in this place.
“Right on cue,” Livia says quietly, flipping the tail of her hair over her shoulder. I move closer to her body protectively.
The one in front, built like a boxer and looking like he’s ready to swing, is aiming straight for us. Crystal blue eyes penetrate my skin like daggers. His short, blonde mohawk stands straight up, perfectly styled. There’s not an inch of exposed skin without a tattoo, other than his face and head. He’s grown a short beard and mustache to look like he’s rugged, but it, too, is perfectly manicured, as are his suit, nails, and shoes. The only thing rough about him is his attitude. I’d recognize him anywhere.
“Ace. Good to see you again.” Bracing myself for a hit from any direction, I steady my stance.
“What the fuck are you doing here, Freidenberg?” His entire posse surrounds us, shoulders bulked up, readyto spar. One huge guy even pounds a fist into his other hand, his wolf tattoo looking more like a walrus, given the thickness of his neck.
Disappointment. That’s what I’m feeling. If there was any hope he would’ve welcomed me home like an old friend, it’s dashed immediately with the scene in front of us. “Come on, man. I haven’t seen you since we were eight.”
As Ace nears my face, wafts of beer stench roll off him like he’s bathed in the suds. Lowering his voice, he snarls at me. “You killed my sister. You’re dead to me. You can leave.”
My body stills. He’s looking for a fight. To start one, I could accuse him of killing my parents, but I don’t think he did it. “Did you kill my parents, Asa?” I call him by his given name.
His brow furrows with confusion. “No.”
“We didn’t kill Ashley,” I say flatly, hopeful he’ll actually believe me.
“Don’t fucking say her name.” Clutching the edge of my pressed black dress shirt tightly, he pulls me into his body. There’s only about two inches I have on him. I’m bulkier, but I know Ace fights just like he plays. Dirty.
“We didn’t. I didn’t. No one from our clan did.” My collar vibrates in Ace’s grasp as his hands twitch with fury. The whites of his eyes are latticed with broken veins like he hasn’t slept in days. Probably hasn’t. Softly, I say, “We didn’t do it, Ace. But I’ll kill the man who did. I’ll kill him with you.”
The grip loosens on my clothes before his palm gives my chest a warning shove. “You’re not welcome here.”
“I come here to keep the peace. I just got into town, man. Wanted to catch up with you, my old friend.” Opening my palms at my sides, I show him I’ve got nothing to hide. His wolves retreat as he does with a calculated step backwards.
“You want peace? Bring me back my father! Bring me back my mother! Bring me back my sister… Fuck the world, Maxi! There’sno such thing as peace.” Snatching a pint of Guinness the bartender set on the counter for him, he chugs while narrowing his gaze at me. “And I’ll make damn sure no one keeps it.”