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How had that happened? An acrid cocktail of panic and anger clawed at her throat, threatening to spill out. Devin edged closer to Rey, fingers skimming the smooth wool of his sleeve as an anchor before her thoughts could carry her away any further.
“Let’s get this started,” Rey said.
Chapter Seventeen
“Given the circumstances, we’re not comfortable with that.”
Devin wrestled with the urge to snort. It felt like hours had passed since Rey and Beau began the meeting, though she imagined it hadn’t been as long as all that. Listening to men refer to helpless women in the same breath as tech and guns, drugs and various other illegal enterprises, made time sticky. A tangible thing she could grasp in her hands and stretch on into the infinite abyss.
This one, though, Bosco, was an idiot. Even Devin could understand the profits and expanded reach Rey’s boss proposed. They only referred to the man as Kahler, but he seemed to be in charge of every dealing within Alderbrook and a few outlying towns. Gleaning that he controlled the bay, and from that position of power, far beyond the reach of a single city, she grasped what this Kahler was doing.
If he funneled everything through Alderbrook, his power and profits would soar. He never had to step foot outside of the city to rake in a ridiculous amount of money.
He was offering the same thing to these men. A chance to expand, though at a much less significant rate, and all with minimal upfront risk and cost. All the steps were in place. They just had to get their goods from one point to another. Kahler would take care of the rest. For a percentage, of course.
Rey and Beau handled the docks, the shipments like the one she’d seen that horrible night. They were reassuring these Alphas who controlled their own far smaller territories that working with them would be to their ultimate benefit. Most had agreed, a few wanted conditions that would need further consultation, but this guy Bosco was the only one to say no outright.
“And what circumstances are those,” Rey asked in a voice gone cold and quiet. He’d been in his element moments before, the powerful breadth of his body relaxed and calm as he laid it all out for them with as few details as possible.
No sense telling them how they did it and have anyone trying to usurp Kahler’s power, Devin guessed.
“We all know what’s been going on,” Bosco snarled, slapping a beefy palm against his chair arm. “He’s lost his shit over that bitch of his. How many territory Alphas has he pissed off, paid off, or made promises to? Seems to me like he’s grasping at straws to make good on his word.”
A preternatural stillness crashed through the room. Even the thumping bass from downstairs seemed to quiet itself under the heavy weight of it. Devin was afraid to even take a breath as Rey shifted forward, elbows to knees, with his hands clasped loosely before him.
“That’s his private business.”
“Not if he’s wanting us to get in bed with him. What happens when they come to collect? They’re going to take our goods for his fuck up.”
Now the group of Alphas moved, their uneasy shifting building to a muffled roar, before silence settled over them once more.
“And that’s another thing. Why isn’t he here for this?” Bosco stood with fists bunched at his hips. “You low life shits aren’t the ones we should be dealing with. You okay with that, Volkov? How about you Santini? I’m sure Tyrell’s happy to keep his head up Caivano’s ass, but I know you can’t think this is right, Castillo.”
The Russian, Volkov, lifted his lip in a silent snarl when Bosco called him out, the far smaller Tyrell voicing a growl though he squirmed in his seat. The rest showed no outward sign as Bosco listed off their names.
Volkov glanced at the other Russian, Morozov, before leaning back in his seat. Massive compared to the others, the chair groaned under his weight as he steepled his fingers before his thick accent rolled through space, aimed straight for Bosco. “Sit down, you pathetic piece of shit.”
The force of his command was enough to have Devin’s spine curling, the inexorable force shoving at her shoulders until she cowered against Rey. Shock sizzled through her veins as an added growl from the stranger made her tremble. An Alpha with that sort of power shouldn’t be there, not with the likes of the others. They were weak, insignificant as flies. Even her brief meeting of Kahler hadn’t left her so cowed.
This one held an authority the rest could never manage.
“He’s allowed his opinion, as are the rest of you,” Beau said as he came to stand in Devin’s line of sight. He blocked their view of her as well, so they couldn’t see Rey’s hand closing over her wrist and squeezing hard enough that brilliant red sparks swept through her vision.
The pain snagged the runaway train of her thoughts and left her seeking whatever shelter she could find in the bond. Wrapped in the rich decadence of espresso, she cocooned herself in Rey’s strength. The Russian might be more powerful, but she had Rey. He would keep her safe.
Beau’s gaze slid over his shoulder, a subtle deepening of the fine lines around his eyes as he scrutinized her, gauging Devin’s response before he completed the turn and ambled to the small bar set at the back of the room. Pouring a measure of amber whiskey, he drawled, “Anyone who doesn’t want a piece of the action is free to go. Their loss. Those who stay…”
“Will have all the potential to grow and reap all the rewards,” Rey finished, standing and almost toppling Devin into his seat. Towering before her, he continued, “And be in the good graces of Mr. Kahler, as well as having his respect in your combined endeavors.”
“You haven’t answered any of my questions—”
“They’re not mine to answer, Bosco.” Rey rolled his shoulders, a blatant dismissal given to the Alpha as Rey gave his back to the man and helped Devin to her feet. “If any of you wish to bring these paltry complaints to Kahler’s door, feel free. I’m sure he’d be happy to answer them. Thoroughly.”
Guiding Devin to the door, Rey paused as he gestured for her to precede him. He didn’t turn back to face the Alphas, but kept Devin in his sights as he said, “Have no doubt he will make good on his word, gentleman. Enjoy your evening.”
Devin’s breath left her on a ragged sigh as Rey closed the door behind him. The curtain had yet to drop on the scene, though. Scantily clad women milled about the long hall, the click of their heels stabbing into Devin’s brain and clawing down her neck into her shoulders. Following Rey at the single pace behind and to his right was murderous as he kept his steps slow and even. He paused to murmur instructions to one female after the next, dragging it out until Devin was ready to scream. She scurried the last few steps, brushing past his arm to enter the elevator and stab the button for the second floor.
Rey waited for the doors to hiss shut before he was on her. Grabbing her backside, he hauled her up, shifting his cruel grip to the backs of her thighs to guide her legs around him. Devin grunted as her back met the side panel, but her arms wound around his neck all the same.
