AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Hayes left the Academy to become William Winthrop’s right-hand man around the time I became an intelligence officer.
The old lieutenant had relied on the Butcher for everything, and because of this, Hayes paid a steep price following Winthrop’s arrest by the FBI.
General Baxter had wanted someone to pay for the fiasco. He couldn’t go after his lieutenant because the man had leverage over him, so Hayes became the patsy by proxy. He lost all his privileges as a result and was exiled soon after.
You’ll never guess who the lunatic blamed for his faith.
Few people knew I played a role in taking down Gabe’s father. But the Butcher did.
He saw me lurking around Primrose Hall when the security system began having issues and put two and two together. When he couldn’t prove I was behind the coup, he became obsessed, and his fixation followed me to Boston.
“Orion,” Hayes prodded impatiently.
“I was just wondering where you were taking me, Head Chief,” I replied after a brief silence, and used his old title to make sure I didn’t anger him.
Ranks have significance in the Guild. If you don’t believe me, put yourself behind concrete steel and call one of them by their name to see what happens.
“You’ll know soon enough,” he answered with a smile.
“Nice face, by the way.”
“You like? The surgeon did a terrific job.”
“Yes, he did,” I answered, and meant it. Hayes was in his early forties. Big, blond, and muscled. The man would be quite attractive if it weren’t for the sadistic glint in his eyes.
“But what’s with the SS captain’s imitation? Did you steal someone’s uniform?”
“Awww, how I missed that mouth,” the man chuckled. “I hear you burned your bridges with the General and are openly working for Winthrop now.”
“Did you?”
“Yes, I always knew there was something suspicious about you. But Commander Moore and Lieutenant Winthrop wouldn’t listen to me when I voiced my concerns to them.”
Of course they wouldn’t. At five feet tall and a hundred and thirty pounds of muscle, I didn’t exactly inspire fear in men twice my size.
If only they knew I cultivated this false sense of security. Being dismissed by people who didn’t see me as a threat was fine by me. I wore clothes and makeup that made me look like a teenager because you’d never expect the goth princess in front of you to slice your carotid while you slept.
Plus, the clothes rocked.
“Imagine their surprise when they discovered my darling little mouse was a traitor,” he relished with great pleasure.
Instead of confirming his suspicion, I guided the conversation toward a safer topic. “You know, it would be easier for everyone if you tell me where you’re taking me. We could avoid many unnecessary escape attempts this way.”
The man beside Hayes snickered and mumbled, “Good luck with that.”
Jacob gave him a cold, menacing glare, which again wasn’t surprising, considering his obsession came with intense bouts of rabid jealousy. Even Eric was less possessive than this clown, and he was my husband.
“I apologize, Lieutenant,” the man said, making me smirk.
“Lieutenant, huh? I see you’ve gone up the ladder. You must be happy. I’m assuming the General forgave your past transgressions?”
“No thanks to you. But yes, he was shown the error of his ways, and now appreciates my talent.”
“I bet he does.”
Holding on to a grudge wasn’t that important when your fall from grace was witnessed by millions. With the dismantlement order firmly in place, Baxter needed all the people he could get.
There was no place for a man like the Butcher in the new administration, and Hayes had known this. He had panhandled himself to keep afloat.
