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I made a face. “They’re a local gang in Dallas—a lot less powerful than my mom’s organization but a significant ally in their territory. She said ‘steel,’ so it’ll be a shipment of stolen cars we’re handing off.”
Niko studied my expression from where he was leaning on the boards. “Is this outside your usual responsibilities?”
“Not really.” I shook off my nerves as much as I could. “It’s just that the guy who usually handles the exchanges for the Hellborn hates me. I met him a few years ago on a job with my mom, and he kept taking jabs at me. So I had a few choice things to say in return… which a bunch of his colleagues overheard. He was obviously pissed off that I’d made him lose face, but he couldn’t really retaliate against me with my mom right there.”
The memories swam up through my mind of that prick Maverick and his sneering insinuations. Mocking me when I hadn’t identified the exact make of a particular car, implying that I was just tagging along like a little kid, not contributing anything useful.
When he’d gotten a little bolder and suggested a few ways I couldmakemyself useful, complete with crude gestures, I’d known I couldn’t let it stand. So I’d informed him in vivid detail of just how pathetic I imagined his skills in that department were and how small a dick he had to work with.
The image of his glowering face, flushed with humiliation but also a crapload of anger, made every muscle in my body tense up.
Jasper scowled. “It sounds like he deserved the backlash.”
I smoothed back my ponytail. “Oh, he absolutely did. And he’s probably been waiting to pay me back ever since. This time I won’t have my mom there to make him nervous about disrespecting her… She’ll want me to prove I can handle him and the rest of those goons without relying on her.”
Which meant this meeting was going to be a hell of a lot more dangerous for me than a simple exchange of merchandise. But I didn’t want to spell that out for the men around me.
My fingers hovered over the screen. I had the momentary urge to tap out a message asking Mom if she was sure this was a good idea, but I reined the impulse in.
I was supposed to be showing how strong I was to keepMom’sdesire for vengeance against me in check. This was the first big ask she’d made since I forced her into our own deal—I couldn’t chicken out already.
No doubt she remembered that incident from three years back. I’d bet she was counting on Maverick giving me a hard time.
Well, if I could stand up to her, facing this asshole should be no problem at all.
Sounds good,I wrote back, as if there was nothing I’d rather do with my Thursday night.I’ll keep everyone in line.
Then I stuffed my phone back into the duffel bag, pretending my gut hadn’t turned into a ball of queasiness. My arrangement with Mom wasn’t going anywhere near as smoothly as I’d hoped.
Even if I took care of the Hellborn no problem, what was she going to get me into next? Was she even still trying to groom me as her heir, or was she hoping someone else would take me out of commission to diffuse my threat against her?
No, she had no idea how I’d set up the evidence I’d stored. For all she knew, even me getting injured would prompt an email to her fellow Devil’s Dozen members. She wouldn’t take that chance.
But she’d tread as close to the line as she could if it meant making me regret crossing her.
Jasper gave me a tentative nudge of his elbow. “Do you want to go another round?”
I dragged in a breath, and all at once I felt more than ever how exhausted I was. I’d already gone two hours longer than I’d been able to any time since we’d reunited in Austin. My ribs, still a bit tender after getting badly bruised in Boston, were aching a little too.
Maybe I could use a break. If I pushed myself too hard all at once, I’d ruin my chances of competing that way instead.
“You know,” I said reluctantly, “I think I’d better call it a day.”
Niko’s eyes twinkled. “Let’s go grab some dinner, then. You two…” He paused and glanced toward Quentin. “Youthreecould all use some fuel after all that exercise. And I’m sure Rafael would appreciate a change of pace from standing guard over the rink entrance.”
I managed a genuine if tight smile. “Yeah. Dinner sounds good. Let’s live a little.”
And hope that I’d still be alive and well after Thursday night to live some more.
SEVENTEEN
Jasper
“Pizza?”Quentin muttered from the passenger seat beside me. “Don’t any of you count your carbs? Protein’s what’ll keep your muscle mass up.”
My hands clenched around the steering wheel, but Lou swatted him from behind, saving me the need to respond. “Last time I checked, there’s protein in cheese and pepperoni. And no one said youhadto join us for dinner.”
Quentin tensed up for a second before the playfulness of her tone must have sunk in. It was weird seeing him this on edge, eager to please someone other than himself.
