“I think Abby Boy is pissed about the attack, and you’re both on daylight duty out of the selfishness of your undeadand demonic hearts. Neither of you have ever passed up the opportunity to claim territory that isn’t yours.”
“The Manhattan Night Court always belonged to me,” Lucien said, voice muffled a little through the motorcycle helmet. Unlike Carmen, he didn’t raise his visor.
Wade opened his mouth to argue, but considering how that fight played out and ended with his freedom, he’d give Lucien that point. “Fine. I won’t argue that, but I will argue everything else.”
“You don’t know what my Night Court owns.”
“I know it’s not going to own Boston. Something tells me Abby Boy won’t like it if you try.”
Carmen rested one elbow on Lucien’s shoulder, propping up her helmeted head in one hand. “Niall went to ground last night. Biyu pulled background information on all the properties he owns in Boston, and we went hunting. We’re willing to share if you’re interested.”
Wade was well aware of the skills of Lucien’s best hacker. “How much is it going to cost me?”
“How much is your selkie’s skin worth?” Lucien asked.
Wade worked his jaw, angry that they’d figured out his current weakness so quickly. “Not enough to bargain for things I don’t own, but I’d be willing to pay for it.”
It wasn’t something he doubted Riordan would be happy about if he tried—him bargaining off territory that wasn’t his to save the selkies. Every fight was always about territory when it came down to it. While Wade wouldn’t act on behalf of the selkies or the Boston god pack, he’d certainly be willing to tear apart Niall’s territory to find those things that didn’t belong to the wannabe god.
“We’ll never say no to money.”
Wade sighed heavily. “Marek is going to be so pissed I’m funding terrorism, but sure, I’ll bite. What exactly do I get in return?”
“The location where Niall keeps his hostages.”
Wade took a step forward, letting his arms drop down to his sides. “You know where he’s keeping Casey and Harper?”
“Yes.”
“Do I want to know how you found out so quickly?” Wade narrowed his eyes. “You’ve been here longer than a few days, haven’t you?”
“What I do isn’t your business.”
“Yeah, yeah, you’re only in it for the money. Fine. How much for Casey and Harper’s location? And by that, I mean where they’re currently located, right now, for me to go rescue. None of this ‘you saw them last night, and they’ve been moved’ business.”
Carmen laughed. “Oh, you’re learning to pick apart the details.”
“Sage is a lawyer who works for the fae. Who do you think I learned it from?”
“A pity you learned it at all. The information will cost you one million dollars for each werewolf.”
Wade winced but pulled out his phone. “You’re that hard up for money?”
“No. We just like annoying your pack.”
“Clearly.”
Wade sent off another group text about the financial transaction he was about to do and then a separate one to Sage and Marek promising he’d babysit Lillian anytime they wanted to go out on a date as an apology for giving their accountant a headache. “Give me the routing number.”
Doing business with Lucien always made Wade want a shower, and he resolved not to tell Ella what he was doing. Still, he got the information he needed once the money wastransferred. Carmen’s riding glove had a fingertip made with fabric that could track on a touchscreen. When she confirmed the money had been sent, she finally gave him something useful. “Niall owns a hotel downtown. One of those rebranded modern ones that he’s putting the finishing touches on. It’s slated to open in a few weeks for the height of summer season. Some of our vampires have seen him transporting one of the werecreatures there off and on.”
“Casey, I’m guessing? You haven’t seen Harper?”
“No, we haven’t seen her.”
“So you don’t know she’s there.”
“You’ll find out when you get there, won’t you? But if Niall is keeping hostages, he’d do well to keep one under guard and under threat to keep the other in line. It’s what we would do.”
