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Especially when I note the fucker eyeing our girl with a lecherous gaze that makes me want to pull out both his eyeballs and piss on their crushed remains.
I subtly shift my position, blocking his view of her as Maddoc gives The Six a clipped, succinct description of what went down with those fucking mercenaries yesterday. Not that he comes right out and says McKenna hired trained operatives, but he makes the details clear for anyone who knows how the dark underbelly of this city operates as well as The Six do.
Like we told Riley earlier though, they ain’t here to help us, so it’s no surprise that they take it in without much of an outward reaction.
On the plus side, I can tell they’re skeptical of McKenna’s version of events. They’re too fucking smart not to be.
“Is that it?” Ayla asks once Maddoc’s done.
“No,” McKenna snaps. “He’s lying. They lured our men there. Took some of them out. We demand retribution.”
The look she gives him is so cold she could give Logan’s heart-of-ice impression a run for its money. “You’re not in a position to make any demands here, Mr. McKenna. And while we won’t tolerate either of your organizations continuing to put what we’ve built at risk by drawing unnecessary attention to areas we’d prefer to keep law enforcement out of, at the end of the day, our job isn’t to be arbiter in your disputes, or to dole out consequences relating to an individual gang’s grudges. Our role is to maintain order in the Halston underground, and make no mistake, wewilldo that.”
A vein starts to throb in McKenna’s temple, but much to my disappointment, the fucker holds his tongue.
I would love to see what would happen to him if he actually forgot who we’re speaking to. Especially when his body language draws a sharp look from Marcus Constantine, another member of The Six whose uniquely colored eyes make him unmistakable. Despite that, the grumbling agreement McKenna finally gives them has a lot in common with a middle finger when delivered the way he offers it, but Maddoc confirms our understanding on behalf of the Reapers without further incident, and they dismiss us shortly thereafter.
It ain’t good, but it’s not as bad as it could have been. Although I’d be lying if I said their final words, delivered by Marcus, aren’t ringing in my ears as we leave.
“This will be your last warning,” he says, no inflection in his voice.
He didn’t need any. The aftermath of their rise to power here in Halston makes it clear what will happen to anyone who crosses The Six, and the look I share with my brothers just drives home the fact that staying off their radar while we do whatever we have to is gonna make it that much harder.
20
RILEY
I barely takenote of the ornate surroundings we pass through as one of The Six’s attendants leads us out of Saraven. Earlier in the day, a small part of me had almost looked forward to coming before The Six again, if only because I wanted another chance to see that the connection I’m sure is there between Ayla and a few of the men—the one that gave me hope for the relationship I’m in now with the Reapers—is as solid as it seemed the first time they called us down here.
The minute Austin walked in the room, though, I forgot all about that, overcome with a sick shakiness that it took everything in me to hide from him.
Now, on our way out, all three of my men close ranks around me, and it helps. The minute we get outside though, with Austin and his entourage hot on our heels, I’m on edge again.
The club is neutral territory, but that doesn’t apply to the street in front of it.
“Easy, princess,” Dante murmurs, taking my arm and crowding even closer to me. “McKenna’s not that stupid.”
I give him a shaky smile, comforted by how easily Dante reads me even if I’m not sure I agree with him about Austin.
It’s true that no violence flared up between the two gangs once we left Saraven last time, but Austin’s cockier now. He’s gained power along with the money he stole from me, and he knows it. Hell, he practically flung it in The Six’s faces back there, the wins he’s got under his belt now obviously going to his head.
So it’s really not a surprise when he stops and blocks our way as soon as Saraven’s doors close behind us.
He smirks, his eyes seeking me out even as my men use their bulk to try to block his view.
“I’ve missed you, wifey,” he calls out, the faux endearment making bile rise in my throat. “But I’m glad to see you’ve still got a few mementos of our time together. I should’ve hit you harder, but don’t worry—I’ll have to be sure to give you a few more signs of my affection before those bruises fade completely.”
I lift my chin, refusing to let his taunting words get to me. It’s true that he did some damage with that beating, but Logan doctored every single markthe bastard left on me. They’re healing well, and none of them will be permanent—unlike the marks Logan has given me, the ones I bear proudly.
“You ever lay another hand on her, and I’ll cut it off,” Maddoc promises Austin grimly as all three of my men bristle around me, their bodies going tense and their hands twitching toward the weapons that it would be suicide to draw here.
Austin laughs, then lunges toward Maddoc only to stop short, a hairsbreadth in front of his face. “She’s my lawfully wedded wife. And after I pick apart your territory, piece by piece, I’ll do the same to her. It’s my right.”
“It’s your fucking death sentence,” Dante says as Maddoc stares Austin down, his hulking body poised for violence.
On my other side, Logan’s utter stillness promises the same thing, and I honestly don’t know if we’re going to walk away from this without any bloodshed, no matter how suicidal starting something right in front of The Six’s base of operations would be.
I also don’t know if I care.
