“Fine.” Declan makes the call. “You two happy now?”
“Hey, don’t get mad at me,” Connor says. “I’m with you on burning it.”
“This is the last time you pull this kind of shit, Connor.” Declan pokes his brother’s chest.
“I don’t plan on dying today, so it can’t be the last time.”
“Promise me!” Declan shouts.
“Nope, can’t do.” Connor shakes his head.
I push past the brothers and swing open the door. An army of men in tactical gear stand at the other end of the long hallway we came through. They look like riot police with their helmets and their long body shields. Except, instead of batons, they hold rifles.
Behind me, Connor whistles, “All the bodies hit the floor, huh, Dec?” He walks around me and kicks a few of Ivan’s men who Declan took down on the way to Connor’s room.
“Not a single one left for me?” Connor puts a hand on his hip. “This looks like Ivan. Is it Ivan?” He bends over the body, and his gown opens, flashing me his bottom. I look away.
“Who are those people at the end of the corridor? And why aren’t they trying to kill us?” I ask.
“They’re with us,” Declan says.
“That’s not Ivan,” a man with broad shoulders answers Connor.
Connor walks up to him and puts a pistol against his temple. “And who might you be?”
“I’m Nason. We’re cousins from your mother’s side. This is my brother Menas, and my other brother Theodore. We’re from the Tavala district.”
Connor looks back at Declan, who removes his mask. He throws an arm around my shoulders and squeezes. “So,” he asks me casually, “are we going back to your place?”
Chapter 38
I’ll meet you in bed
Dina
We could’ve used more medical care than the quick patch-up job that my poor, stressed-out nurse gave us as we made our way out of the hospital, but we couldn’t stay any longer. Besides the new reporters, the cops, and the public crowding around the place, the medical staff couldn’t get in or out of the hospital, and that was a problem nobody wanted.
Today, Declan and Connor wiped out Selnoa’s underworld. Ivan fled, the chief of police is dead, people from the Tavala district are back, and, judging by the conversation Declan had with one of his uncles, the bosses who wanted to take advantage of Massio’s death have backed off.
The Crossbow throne has been secured.
Now the people involved in corruption might get exposed. We’re already getting news of leaks and families fleeing persecution. This is a mess that’ll take months, if not years, to sort out.
In my apartment, Declan sits at the bar watching the news, nursing the second beer. The first one, he opened the moment he walked into my apartment and drank in a few gulps. I grabbed a vodka with some orange juice. I mean…beer just won’t do.
Connor walks out of my bedroom. “This whole apartment is the size of my bathroom.” He snatches the drink from my hand, sips it, likes it, and downs the entire thing. When I open my mouth to protest, he moves to the kitchen and grabs the juice. “What did you put in the juice?”
“Vodka. You’re welcome, by the way.”
“Thank you.” Connor makes us two drinks. At least he made me a fresh one.
“There’s a room on the other side of the wall. Has two exits. One on the terrace, one in the bathroom. That’s where you’re sleeping, Con.” Declan hands the empty bottle to his brother, who tosses it into the trash.
Declan stands and looks at me. “I’ll see you in bed.” With that, he walks down the hallway into my bedroom and closes the door.
I stare after him, hear the shower turn on, then look down my body, noting the dirt and blood smeared all over me. I hook a thumb over my shoulder, “I’m going to use the spare shower, if you don’t mind.”
Con shakes his head. “I’m going to drink all the alcohol and pass out.” He walks to the wall and knocks on it. “Good insulation. Old buildings out here have thick walls. Don’t scream too much.”
