Page 86 of Poisoned Pawn

“But you’re not a Shadow?” Roxy questions curiously.

“No, I’m not. I took another path to Harrison and joined the military. I’m still a killer just a legal one in the eyes of the public,” he snorts derisively.

“Let me guess, the Shadow Pavel hired was you?” Maddox asks.

Carter nods, and his fingers tighten on my hip.

“So not only did you shoot his girl, you also tried to kill him.”

“Luna wasn’t the fucking target. And none of us even knew he was with her. But it wouldn’t have changed anything. Why do you think Lennox doesn’t like his Shadows to get involved with women.”

“Speaking of Lennox…” Roxy says, drawing the conversation back around to a topic that is now even more important.

“Don’t worry. He’s top of my fucking agenda tomorrow. Someone helped Rook after I shot him, and it could only have been a Shadow. Lennox also gave the green light for the hit on Star originally.”

“Will he be able to tell you who hired them?” I say, asking the question everyone is thinking about.

“Maybe?”

“What the fuck do you mean maybe?” Maddox challenges.

“Some clients”—Maddox snorts—“prefer to be anonymous,” Carter finishes, ignoring Maddox. “It allows the Shadow Guard to remain impartial to a degree. Nobody wants to hire someone who has an allegiance to a rival only for them to fucking out you when you want someone taken out.”

“And you expect me to believe that Lennox Fortune isn’t playing his own game of chess and knocking pawns off the board to suit him? ‘Cause I call bull-fucking-shit at that.”

Carter shakes his head, a smile tugging at his mouth. “I don’t expect you to believe anything, Maddox. I’m telling you how the Shadow Guard fucking works. Something that if I were still a Shadow would end in me being fucking terminated just like Rook.”

I’ve never heard Carter so open and candid about the Shadow Guard or anything. My curiosity is certainly pique as to how the hell Carter got into the Shadows, but now is not the time. And I doubt very much he’d be up for sharing something I sense is so personal.

Zak changes the subject and asks about tomorrow night and what the plan is. Carter tenses and shifts beneath me before answering.

“There is no plan until I’ve spoken to Lennox.”

Everyone except Frankie is taken back with his answer even me, and I turn to look at him.

“I wouldn’t risk anything on a fucking tip even if Shep is reliable, so I ain’t fucking risking going off and leaving you without making sure it’s not a trap first. If Lennox knows anything, he will fucking tell me,” he states firmly.

After hearing his conversation with Lennox in the car on our way back to Manchester I believe him.

“Rook is smart and tactical. Every move he makes will be for a purpose. Zak was right when he said Rook has had years to plan this. That kind of time for a man like Rook is fucking dangerous. But he’s a showman too. He’ll want to make a big fucking song and dance about the whole thing. Whatever he has planned will be for maximum fucking effect.”

“I’d have just fucking shot you and be done with it,” Maddox says casually.

Carter laughs as I spin my head to glare at Maddox.

“The fuck you would. You’d have made it as painful as possible,” Carter says and there’s no malice in his words.

“Yeah, you’re right. I’d have taken everything you care about and made you watch as your pathetic little empire was destroyed right under your fucking nose.” He points his finger at Carter, then twirls it indicating everything around us. “But Rook isn’t after just you, is he? He’s gonna want revenge on everyone that was involved in the death of Luna. That means you, Lennox and Pavel. In a game of chess that makes you the queen, Carter, and we’re all pawns.”

Something in what Maddox said causes Carter to tense again, and I can practically feel the anxiety in him. It’s not because he thinks Maddox is threatening him. No, it’s something much more than that.

“Hey, what is it?” I ask, laying a hand on his chest. I can feel his heart thumping beneath his t-shirt.

His eyes pierce mine before taking in my whole face. It’s a hesitation I’m not used to seeing from him. Then his eyes soften, and he wraps his fingers around my hand, squeezing tightly.

“Nothing.” His gazes shifts from me to everyone else. “I’m done. I’ll call Lennox in the morning.” With both hands on my hips, he gives me a tap for me to get up.

As soon as I’m up out of his lap, he’s taking our empty bottles and tossing them in the bin before heading for the stairs.