Greyson takes me back upstairs and settles me on the couch in his office. He covers me in blankets, drops Luci on my lap, and tells me to stay put.
Then, he sits down at his computer and gets to work. I pet Luci and do my best not to fidget, even as my thoughts devolve into a mess of fear and chaos.
Today, my father dies. Or, heshoulddie… but I can’t help thinking about the many assassination attempts there have been on him. Assassination attempts that never succeeded, because he’s clever.
Hehasto know that people are after him specifically. I’m certain he knows that the Nighthawks are coming for him—otherwise, he wouldn’t run—so he must be prepared.
“Thank fuckingGod,” Greyson sighs from the desk. I glance over my shoulder in time to see him rub his temples.
“What?” I ask quietly.
He shakes his head. “Luther moving out now made me think there was a leak somewhere—a rat, either in the Nighthawks or in Eric’s crew. Turns out it wasn’t a rat but dissent in Luther’s ranks that pushed him out. Looks like the Widowers aren’t happy with their leader’s recent moves… and it sounds like a lot of that has to do with you.”
I blink. “Me?”
Greyson nods, sucking his lower lip into his mouth. “Yeah, Flower. The first time I captured you, after I’d realized your innocence…” he trails off with a swallow. “Boyce taunted the Widowers with the fact that we had you. He sent them videos of you down in the cell, bloodied and beaten, and made sure that as many Widowers as possible saw it—not just Luther.”
My brows furrow. “Why would they care about you having me? How would that cause any dissent?”
“They care because we’re a rival organization,” Greyson explains. “Because, on the outs or not, dead or not, you’re Luther’s daughter… and old organizations like the Widowers have twisted codes of honor.”
My jaw clenches. “Those men have no honor. If they did, they wouldn’t have let my father’s reign continue after he beat me. After he killed mymother.” My gut twists with pain. “He abused his children and killed his wife. There’s no honor in that.”
Greyson’s brows furrow. “Flower, to men like the Widowers, there’s nothing more dishonorable than allowing an enemy to have their kin. I don’t know what Luther’s men knew about the way he treated his family, if anything—I imagine he kept much tohimself. But they won’t tolerate a rival organization having and abusing a daughter of their own.”
I shake my head, curling my fingers into Luci’s fur. He blinks up at me, as if to ask what my problem is, and I force myself to relax with a sigh.
“So, the dissent in his ranks,” I prompt, gazing at Greyson.
He nods. “I don’t know details. Your brother got reports from one of his moles that the Widowers have been increasingly rowdy and displeased with Luther’s leadership over the last year. It sounds like there are a few guys who think they’ll be better off as leaders. My guess is that Luther knew a coup was incoming, so he moved shop to regroup.” A slow smile spreads on Greyson’s lips. “Now’s the time, Flower. Now is the fucking time to hit ‘em hard and get rid of them while they’re fighting.”
I swallow, ignoring the prickle in my eyes. “Be careful, Monster.”
He blinks slowly. “Careful?”
I nod. “Don’t give me too much hope.” My voice cracks. “There’s nothing more dangerous than hope.”
I’ve been hoping, praying that my father would meet a brutal, bloody death for most of my life… and now that it might actually happen, I don’t know how to feel. If this mission fails…
This missioncan’tfail.
“Flower,” Greyson says gently, standing from his desk and approaching me. “I told you I’ll give you anything you want in this world, and I meant it. I intend to start with your father’s head on a platter.”
My lower lip wobbles, and the sting in my eyes redoubles at his words, at his sincerity. Had someone told me months ago that my Monster and I would come to this moment—me willingly sitting in the same room as him, me submitting to his delicious depravities andnot justacceptinghis touch butenjoyingit—I’d have called the nearest insane asylum.
Now, though, Greyson has become my support system. He’s become someone who matters to me, deeply. I’m realizing that I’ve grown to care about him deeply.
Maybe even…
No. I can’t think like that.
Instead of giving my thoughts any more room to wander, I abandon my seat on the couch—much to Luci’s consternation—and make my way over to Greyson. He watches me approach with a tilted head, curiosity and worry glimmering in his eyes.
“He’ll die today, Scarlett,” he says, clutching my hips as I stop in front of him. “And if not today… then I promise you, I will not rest until he’s been destroyed.”
“I trust you,” I whisper. After all this time, all the horror that’s gone on between us and around us, I reallydotrust him.
I climb onto Monster’s lap, wrap my arms around his shoulders, and lean in to kiss him. He doesn’t waste a second; he responds to me immediately and eagerly. His hands wrap around my waist, clutching me close to him. His lips devour mine, taking over the kiss. His tongue pushes into my mouth, searching, exploring, tasting.
