Page 41 of Hell on Wheels

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Page 41 of Hell on Wheels

Walking up to the package, I pull the purple ribbon and it falls to the ground. The sides of the box fall apart to reveal a fluffy ball gown with various accessories stacked on top of it. When I lift the sparkling flower crown off of the pile, glitter shoots into the air and a magical script appears in front of me like skywriting.

Rogue Olive Kelly, you and your mates are cordially invited to a formal summit.

Accept this gift of appropriate attire as a token of our respect.

Be at the infamous prison at moonrise on the next day that Saturn transits to Neptune.

Attendance is mandatory.

I stare at the words sparkling in the air for a moment, unable to even form a coherent thought. Graciella is right—I really was born under a bad sign. I look at all of them and shrug. “Looks like I’m meeting up with the heads of Bay City’s crime syndicates, boys. We might have to up our training game.”

Angelo and Damon share a worried look, Javi sighs, and Archie shrugs as he nods at the knife flying over my palm as I spin it. “Wheels, I think they just made the dumbest mistake possible—they underestimated you.”

“Now I’m coming for them,” I smirk. “And they even invited me to do so.”

Suddenly Reb turns to glare at all of us. “Who thehelldoes it mean bymates?!!”

That’s how the mob tattled about my sex life to my stepbrother.

Danger Zone

Damon was kind enough to transport the clothes and shit inside, but Reb hasn’t stopped pacing or glaring since the magical message faded into the air. It was replaced by a simple card with the writing in shiny foil, but he’s holding in one fist like he’d rather be strangling someone. Every once in a while, he pauses briefly, giving me a look of rage and puzzlement, then continues wearing a hole in the patio's pavement.

The actual issue is he hadn’t spoken since I refused to answer his shouted question.

“Man, you gotta chill,” Archie ventures as he runs his hand through his golden locks. “Rogue is allowed to have privacy.”

I’d like to shoot him a thankful look, but Reb is so hyped up it would only make things worse. My stepbrother is in full-on tantrum mode, and logic has flown completely out the goddamn window. Leaning back in the big armchair, I watch him silently because I refuse to indulge his childish behavior. I’m a grown woman and despite what he thinks, I can make decisions without running them past him.

“Privacy?!” His eyes flash brilliant rainbows as the traits of our kind escape his control. “Some motherfuckers had thegallto not only mate with my sister without speaking to me, but they’ve clearly convinced her to hide it. When I find them, they’redead.”

Angelo snorts, elbowing Damon in the ribs. “Who knew we were transported back to King Arthur’s Court, man? Rebel thinks guys have to ask his permission for Rogue’s hand like he’s herdad.”

That gets Reb’s attention and he sputters, “I amnother father! I know that!”

“Then why are you invoking ancient tradition garbage? Even with your people, only royals do that crap in this day and age. Hell, my parents are old school as fuck and they don’t expect anyone to ask for my sister’s hand for mating.” Javi winks at me and I studiously ignore it, not wanting to enrage my stepbrother further.

Good to know, but that might not extend to their sole heir mating with a half-breed.

“None of you dicks are helping!” Rebel growls as he stops in front of the group. “Where did all your protective feelings from the past week go? Why are you suddenly okay with her doing dangerous shit while she’s got a target on her back?”

Damon arches a brow. “Why do you think this is recent? Maybe she’s been hiding her light under a bushel for a while. You know she has enough magic to hide anything she damn well pleases and mate marks aren’t always visible when clothed.”

Also good to know—my magic must be hiding them for me. Mab knows I didn’t think about them at all when Rebel burst into my room.

“And why is it dangerous?” Angelo adds. “Maybe she found hot as fuck dudes who would happily torture anyone who threatened her.”

I can’t help it; my face flushes bright pink and I have to look at the ground because I can feel their eyes on me. The girly thing pisses me off after a moment, though. This isn’t me and I don’t get all squishy. Raising my eyes, I look at each of them one by one. “Maybe she can take care of her damn self and doesn’t need rescuing. Maybe her stepbrotherneeds to back the fuck out of her sex life.”

“I agree with her,” Archie says as he leans back. “You know, lionesses are the true heads of our families. I’ve got no issues with Rogue being an in-charge badass.”

He’s my favorite today.

Reb snorts and rolls his eyes. “You just like when chicks do all the work while you lie back and do nothing.”

My lips curve. That wasn’t my experience, and I shoot Archie a wink before I finally stand up. Turning to Rebel, I tilt my head. “This has been super fun and all, but we have bigger problems than who’s plugging my holes. We haven’t discussed how we’re going to handle attending a mafia meeting or who is behind Mina and her crew trying to kill me. You’re focused on the wrong damn thing!”

The ripple of power that runs over the porch doesn’t intimidate me, but the other guys glare at their friend. Suddenly, Archie is standing, then the twins, and finally, Javi—and there're more wings and fangs than I’ve seen in this group at one time ever before. The twins are flexing their wings while Javi’s eyes blaze and Archie licks his chops and Reb is looking at them in complete puzzlement. Sighing, I let my own wings out with a menacing glare of irritation and they all stop.




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