There was nothing to do about her calls, or Gabe’s conspiring. All I could hope was that ignoring them would make Gabe lose interest and realize that I was serious this time. His tricks to get me back weren’t going to work, and my mother’s dream that she could leech off of my rich future husband were dashed. Everyone could leave me the fuck alone now.
I just needed to lay low in this mansion for a while — it was the one place they couldn’t find me and sink their claws back into my life. I’d figure out the rest later. For now, I just needed to survive another day with my grumpy new roommate.
18
SPENCER
My feetthunkedagainst the metal of the truck’s cargo box, my hands gripping the heavy box in my hands. The black case was locked securely but that didn’t change how dangerous the contents inside were.
As I stepped out of the truck, walking down the loading ramp and onto the asphalt of an abandoned parking lot, I looked up at the now-dark sky.
Poor Bunny.Shaking my head, I groaned at myself. I hated that Kiera was still locked away in that fucking room. I’d promised her I wouldn’t be long. But this goddamn mission was taking way longer than it should have.Dom’s stupid fucking rules.
I still had no idea why she was insistent on keeping this girl away from her stupid mansion.
Hauling the box across the lot, I pressed open the cold metal door of the old bank. The abandoned brick building had become property of Valemont Violence years ago, long before my time. We kept it looking rundown, not wanting to draw any interested investors.
Once I was inside, I followed my fellow bikers down the steps to the basement of the bank. Looking down at the case in my arms, I studied the crudely etched sword and scales on the box.
Xander probably did it when she was bored. She didn’t care how expensive the case was; she’d take any excuse to put that dagger of hers to use.
At the base of the stairs, I waited for one of my fellow bikers to leave the vault. It was huge, straight out of an Ocean’s movie — gleaming silver door with massive locks and turning wheels.
Amongst the rubble of the abandoned bank, it looked especially clean. If anyone ever found their way down here, they’d know someone had been using it.
Good thing we were decent at covering our tracks.
Once Abby walked past me, I slipped past the hulking door and into the brightly lit, fluorescent space. Inside, towers of boxes were neatly laid out in the room. Each one had the same sword and scales marking, facing out for easy identification.
Weapons cases, like the one in my hand, were stacked on their own wall. I placed the case down with the others.
Despite having lived in LD’s Victorian mansion for four years, it was still pretty weird to remember that all of these pistols and semi-automatics were just lurking in the basement of a sorority house. I felt the ink of my tattoo burning on my skin, the same sword and scales I’d gotten back then — just with wings on it now.
I still remembered getting it, the anxiety after the Hunt.
Shaking my head, I scoffed at just how chaotic Laniidae was.
And they’d been a complete shitshow this semester, asking for favors more often than usual. Of course, that’s why Valemont Violence existed. But it wasn’t a good sign for their coverups.
With any luck, this evidence evacuation would save their asses enough to put them at ease. But every passing mission seemed to drag Laniidae and Cathartidae closer to a turf war.
Turning back toward the vault’s exit, I watched as my VV sisters piled more boxes inside.
Surely we’re almost done.
I rubbed the back of my neck, feeling horribly guilty that my little prisoner was still locked up back at Chateau de Dom. I’d run out of the house pretty early in the day, and the sun had more than set by now.
As far as I knew, she hadn’t even eaten anything after our French toast breakfast.
Climbing up the steps and zipping through the abandoned building, I stopped in the doorway that led back to the box truck.
My shoulders dropped as I looked into the back.
Not empty yet.
With a groan, I knew that I was a ways away from seeing my toy again. So I pulled out my phone, checking for any new messages.
There on the home screen were a slew of messages from the kids.
