She eats and drinks her coffee, then grabs some sweats out before going to shower. She's only in there for about ten minutes before she comes out announcing she’s ready.
She looks adorable in her sweats, hair pulled back into a ponytail, face scrubbed clean from makeup. I take her hand, leading her down to the place Maxim is being held.
When we walk in, Maxim looks up and smiles. “Little Bird, you came back for me.”
“Nope. Hell to the fucking no I didn’t. I'm here to squeeze the rest of the info you’re hanging onto out of your worthless body,” Malishka spits at him.
“You die today,” I say matter-of-factly, crossing my fingers that we get the green light from Jax if our answers are successfully given.
I grab a blowtorch, slowly stalking toward my prey.
“Wait, wait, hang on—” Maxim struggles in his binds, frantic. “I have a deal to propose. Give me one day with my wife, and I’ll tell you everything you want to know.”
I see red and charge for the fucker. Grabbing him by the hair, I wrench his head back, baring my teeth. I move to rip his throat out when Malishka yells, “Stop!”
I rear back. “What? Why?”
“I think we should consider this. There's more we need to know, like info on
The Camp, and any other relevant information on The Retreat and possibly Purge’s father. Glancing at Maxim she asks him, “What, exactly, do you want from me?”
“Just time with you, Little Bird, before I die. That's all I ask.
“No way, motherfucker!” I say, my jaw rigid with anger.
“One hour, Maxim. Take it or leave it.” Malishka crosses her arms, tapping her foot.
“I want out of these chains too,” Maxim has the audacity to demand.
My face heats with blood as I shout, “This is not happening, Malishka! Like fuck we’ll give him what he wants!”
She glares hard at me. “Ghost— it’s worth it for anything he can tell us we don’t already know. I'm not asking. This is my decision.”
I take a few deep breaths to center myself. “We are talking to everyone else first.”
I grab Malishka’s hand, and we leave, and I flip Maxim the bird on the way out.
We walk together in silence, feet carrying us to the kitchen. It's the most likely place everyone will be first thing in the morning.
Conversation fills my ears when we enter. The table is full of the others, including Jax. All our people are here, so I whistle to get their attention.
“Excuse me, sorry to interrupt,” I start. I explain Malishka’s plan, and as predicted, shit erupts.
Synn, Razor, Purge, and Harris all jump up, rage on their faces.
“Fuck that, I don’t think so,” Synn snarls.
“No fucking way! That waste of space isn’t going to get another chance to hurt Iskra,” Purge adds.
“Over my dead fucking body,” Razor says firmly.
“Hold on,” Jax attempts to calm the room. “If Ghost will be in there with her, and we station several guys right outside, Phoenyxx should be safe. We’ll remove everything in the room that can be used a weapon, and keep the prisoner restrained.”
Harris holds up a hand. “This makes me very nervous. Pretty Girl, are you sure you can handle this?”
“Yes,” Malishka says confidently. “Ghost and I can handle that piece of shit. I’m not afraid of him anymore.”
“Alright, here’s the plan: Synn, Purge, and Razor go—with Maverick, Trav, and Tyler, as well,” Jax says.
