Popcorn swore. “Seriously. Stop fucking around.”
“Isn’t that what I should be saying?” Flix countered. “Stop fucking around, Ezra or Eamon or whatever the hell your nameis. Trying to get revenge for Big Brother is all well and dandy, but this?” He rattled the chains as best he could. “This is too far.”
“Shut up, that’s not even his name!” Popcorn cursed again, frazzled.
Which meant this was somehow personal for him as well. He might not be Russ’s little brother—because Flix knew exactly who that was—but there was a connection there Flix was missing.
Or, maybe one he’d clocked but was trying not to think of, even though it was ridiculous of him to try and push it away. Russ may not have been popular, but his brother had friends. Real ones. Ones that had stuck with him over the years.
“You dating him then?” Flix asked, trying to stay calm even as he pictured the single bastard friend who clearly had a crush. Had he been successful finally? Convinced Ani to give them a shot? Was he Popcorn? “Little brother, I mean? You seem…invested. Afraid I’ll hurt his tiny feelings?”
“No, I’m afraid you’ll push him so far he’ll make things worse by murdering a Devil of Vitality,” Popcorn snapped.
“Worse?” Flix chuckled darkly. “Sorry to burst your delusional bubble, but that ship has sailed. The second I’m out of here I’ll find you and string you up—Better yet, how about I chain you here and force you to watch as I fuck your boyfriend until he screams my name and begs me to stop?”
If Popcorn and Aneski were actually dating, that threat might not be as hollow as he’d intended for it to be.
“What? You think you guys could screw me this many times and not have to go through it yourselves? Turnabout is fair play. You’re not very good at this, are you?” He pretended to think things over. “My guess is you’re Shepard.”
The Brumal mafia only had one “rival” on planet and…it was honestly a kindness to call them that. The Shepards were nothing but a low-level gang who wanted to play dress up andpretend they were badasses when, in reality, they were thugs at best and a mild nuisance at worst.
Vitality had an official emperor and Imperial family who ran the planet, however, it was well known throughout the universe that the Brumal had ties to everything that went on. The Void’s legally operated business brought in more than thirty percent of the planet’s wealth. The Brumal brought in just as much with their underhanded dealings. Together, they pretty much kept things running and ensured everyone here had their pockets lined with enough coin they didn’t even think of stepping out of line.
The Shepards were a fairly new gang formed only a handful of years ago by a group of college students from the poorer side of the capital city, Valeo. They’d been left to their own devices since they’d never created any sort of real threat toward the Brumal. However, just as they were about to step in, the original Shepard leader was taken out and replaced, which was why Flix had been sent to deliver a warning and a pat on the head.
“Actually, while we’re on the topic, I hope change of leadership has done something about the whole name situation. Like, is it S.H.E.P.A.R.D or is it S.H.E.P.H.E.R.D? Have you come to an agreement where that’s concerned? Having your members all spelling it differently is absolutely hilarious, don’t get me wrong, but if you want to be taken seriously, you should probably get a handle on that.”
“We aren’t Shepards,” Popcorn said.
“Wow,” Flix drawled. “At least try to sound believable, damn. So, you’re Shepards. Shocker.” He’d known that from the start, considering he’d been on his way to meet with them when his car had filled with gas. It’d taken him a minute to recall, but it’d come to him eventually. Just his luck, they’d been smart enough to knock him out from afar. If he’d stayed conscious, hewould have barbequed them on the spot, and none of this would have happened.
Well, he would have barbequed Popcorn, at least.
Probably.
“You got lucky,” he pointed out, keeping his uncertain thoughts to himself. “What are the odds you’ll stay that way?”
Popcorn didn’t reply, and a moment later, someone pounded on what had to be the closed door to the room they were in.
Flix barely resisted the urge to grin triumphantly. “Got you.”
There were two of them, and they’d just confirmed as much. Not that he’d needed it, but it was kind of fun to trip them up.
Popcorn cursed a third time and stormed off, swinging the door open hard enough it clattered against the wall. “Damn it, why the hell did you do that?! You just—” The door closed at his back, cutting off whatever else he’d been saying.
Flix sighed.
Alone yet again, all there was left for him to do was wait in silence and pray the Tiny Terror took the bait.
Chapter 3:
Aneski squeezed hard enough to leave indents of his fingers on the statue's neck, releasing only when it became apparent if he didn’t, he’d behead the damn thing.
And it was due by the end of the day.
Weeks spent working on it, only to almost destroy it at the final hour. He wasn’t usually this careless when it came to his art, but he’d been irritable and in a bad mood ever since yesterday when that fucker had claimed to have forgotten about him.
Asshole.
