Page 7 of One for the Money

“Do you know where the missiles are being stored?” Bear asked.

“Yup,” I said dramatically, popping the P. “They are being kept in the nuclear missile facility that no one wants to admit they have. Of course, the Trianian’s would be the last people to ever use something like that against an enemy but back a mouse into a corner…”

“You leave it no choice but to bite,” Bear finished.

“All that to say these missiles are being held in a place Trian wants to keep secret. So if anyone gets caught, I don’t think prison is where they’ll end up,” I reasoned. “While I’m not opposed to such a challenge, I just don’t see how this will benefit me. Yeah, it will be a hefty price tag, but the cost overall isn’t worth it.”

Bear’s hands grasped my hips, lifting me off his legs so he could slide them out, freeing him to stand, then placed me back down. “What would someone need with a weapon like that? There haven’t been any murmurs of war breaking out or someone gunning to fill the void left by the founding families being destroyed. Even if they didn’t want the missiles, the tracking technology used is almost useless. Fighter jets can now scramble the fucking code before it locks on.”

“Whoa,” I called, lifting both hands to stop the word vomit. “Why are you questioning what they want the shit for? We don’t do that here, remember? All I give a rat’s ass about is that I’m getting paid for the goods and if I can secure said goods without it coming back to bite my ass. Right now, this job checks the nope box on being a sound move for the business.”

This was something Bear and I butted up against on occasion. It wasn’t that he was morally opposed to giving the buyer what they wanted. Instead, he considered it a smarter move to have the why so we could use that information to drum up new customers. Like if we knew this buyer was gearing up to have a turf war with one of the other big gangs in Eprium, where this buy was located, then we could go to the competition and offer our services for a higher price. While I saw the merit in this way of thinking, it broke trust with the original buyer. Personally, I’d rather work with the same people over and over, knowing they would pay, keep their fucking mouths shut, and give me solid references.

As The Wolf, I was known to be fucking feral, but I also had the best reputation in the business. A good reputation means when I’m looking for something I didn’t have a lead on, my friends who worked in the shadows and dark places slipped me intel like where the missiles I needed were located.

“Things are different now, Von,” Bear stated, his expression telling me this wasn’t the same old argument. “You picked a side and made a blood pact with Astin. What if these missiles are being used against her?”

Shit, the man had a point.

Running my fingers through my damp hair, I growled in frustration. “Fine, so we dig deeper. We need to make sure Norbie’s claims about this guy are legit before I make the trip out there. The last thing I want to have happen is back up the rumors we’re looking for the pair of sparesie Accardi kids.”

“You know they are older than you, right?” Bear questioned, then dodged the pillow I hurled at him.

“Like I fucking care, Bear,” I shot back. “I’m not charting out their star signs or anything. Once I find them, the only thing I have to worry about is killing them. Then we can focus our attention on Serena, the psycho bitch from hell.”

Bear fought back a smile, but I knew he was laughing at me. He enjoyed it far too much when I got all riled up. He was probably the only person who found me being pissed off as endearing and sexy. Seriously, that hard-on he had after my little cage fight today was no joke. If he hadn’t been wearing leather pants, I bet you money I would have felt the piercings that covered his dick. If his size didn’t make you scream, those things sure would, hitting all the right places.

Fuck, fuck, fuck. Snap out of it, woman.

Yanking my gaze away from him and back to the tablet, I tried to forget all about the pulse that was now throbbing between my legs, begging to be ravaged again. What the hell was I supposed to do now? That fight barely gave me an hour of focus. Maybe I need to sneak into town and take care of this problem another way.

Setting that worry aside, I attempted to focus on the matter at hand. Was Norbert trying to set me up and get even for all that I’d done to him, or was he doing whatever it took to save his life? A person could never be too sure in this line of work.

After a solid three hours of digging, we found that the parent company behind it all was owned by none other than the Accardi Family. Well, the people formerly known as the Accardis since all the members of the family who carried any weight were dead. However, this led me to believe our dear friend, Norbie, was telling the truth. To me, it made sense they’d want to own someone skilled at making people disappear and create a new identity for them to live under. Part of me wondered if I might be able to convince the man to come work for me. I’d have so much work for him he’d be swimming in money.

While glancing at my watch, I tried to determine if it was early enough to make the drive out there now. Four hours would put us getting there around ten, and they were open until one in the morning, so it might be worth it. I wasn’t known for being patient when I decided on something, and I didn’t see the point in waiting around. Why wait to act on this information when we could make it happen now? My phone buzzed, alerting me to a text message.

Ballio:

Turns out they were easier to find than I expected. Your guests are wrapped up and waiting for you in the cells.

It looked like our trip to Bootlegger was going to have to wait. I had people to entertain and questions that should probably be answered before I showed up at the bar. Namely, who the fuck told Norbert, of all people, I was looking for the sneaky fuckers?

“Yo, Bear, Ballio is back with the two idiots,” I called over to him.

He’d refused to sit with me on the couch and instead took the armchair that had clearly been made for a giant. Even Bear looked normal size in the damn thing with one leg tossed over the armrest. While I’d been looking into the business, he’d been trying to figure out what they’d use the missiles for if they got their hands on them. Just because I turned them down didn’t stop them from going to someone else who was willing to risk it all for that kind of payday. Tossing aside his tablet, Bear stood and followed me.

For a split second, I wondered what I would do if Bear ever decided he was sick of me or felt he’d repaid his debt. The mere thought of him not being the ever-present shadow who knew my needs and wants before I even did had me sick to my stomach. Bear truly was like my right hand. I didn’t know if I’d be able to do all this without him, and that thought terrified the fuck out of me. Pausing for a second, I clutched my stomach as I felt panic trying to claw its way out of me.

There was no one in the world besides Bear who knew what it took for me to become The Wolf. When I ran away from home, I didn’t know jack shit about the world or the monsters who lurked in the dark waiting for someone like me to come along. Moments like this didn’t happen as often as they used to when I was younger. Yet when they snuck up on me, I was never prepared. Everything in me hated that I’d ever felt this kind of crippling fear, but one thing I knew I could latch onto was the fact I survived. No one could ever make me feel that kind of terror ever again, and if they tried, I’d shoot or stab the fucker.

Fingers brushed my hair over one shoulder, allowing Bear to gently wrap his finger around the back of my neck. Normally, his touch always grounded and pulled me from the overwhelming emotion, but right now, it was the last thing I wanted. The whole reason I was in this state of mind was because of my dependency on him.

“I’m fine,” I snapped, knocking his hand away and charging forward without bothering to turn back.

More and more, I craved to be closer to Bear when what I really needed was to distance myself from him. The only way to stay safe was to never depend on anyone but yourself. No one cared or looked out for you more than you did. It was the reality of our world and something I needed never to forget.

Back down in the tunnels that led to the cells, I paused to look in one, where a man was tied up with a bag over his head. His leg had no wound, so I knew it was Risto. I’d come back to him, but right now, I wanted to have another heart-to-heart with my best bud, Norbie. He’d been placed in the cell opposite, so I didn’t have to go far. Yanking the cell door open, I wandered over to the body sprawled out on the cement floor. Squatting, I reached out two fingers and felt a faint pulse, but it was clear this man wouldn’t live long.