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“Find him and bring him to me,” Chris ordered, not looking the least bit surprised. He glanced at me. “I had a feeling something would happen tonight when you told me she hasn’t been on campus. I can feel when there’s shit going down, and something’s been off all week.”
Pratt cleared his throat, staring across the room. I followed his gaze, my stomach dropping when I spotted Rynn. She was walking beside Kian, and they were heading toward Hayes. I caught sight of her face before she got lost in the crowd again, and her blank expression turned into loathing when Hayes smiled at her.
“This night is going to be interesting,” Chris said, his voice full of violent promises. “Tell the DJ to turn down the music. Hayes and I need to have a conversation.”
Pratt scurried off to do as Chris ordered while I hung back for a second, waiting until Chris began crossing the room. After tossing the cigarette in the ashtray, I pulled out my phone, keeping it near my hip as I shot Gage a quick text, letting him know that they were coming for him. I followed Chris as the crowd parted to let us through, my heart pounding against my ribs as we got closer. A few of Chris’s trusted men surrounded us when we stopped a few feet away from Hayes.
Kian was standing next to his father. His shoulders went rigid when he caught my eye. His frown deepened when he looked at Chris, and he shifted to the side, keeping Rynn half hidden behind him. She raised her head, meeting my gaze, and a lump formed in my throat. She was trying hard to keep her face cold, but I saw the cracks. Her eyes were hollow, the usual spark absent as she stared at me.
She was wearing a short black dress that was tight, showing off all her curves. It was long-sleeved and much more conservative than what she usually wore. I’d never seen her in it, and since all her clothes were on campus, the dress was something that Kian or Hayes had bought her. The music grew quieter, meaning Pratt had told the DJ to turn off the speakers that were in the VIP area. I stayed next to Chris, resisting the urge to grab Rynn and get her out. I wouldn’t get five feet if I tried that.
“This is a surprise,” Chris murmured, his words directed at Rynn. “You’ve done everything to stay away from us, but here you are. In my city. And on the arm of the Grimrose heir?”
“Ourcity,” Hayes snapped, passing his glass of whiskey to one of his men.
“Still my club. Someone tell me what the hell is going on.”
“Rynn is here to help with our truce,” Hayes said. The total satisfaction in his voice had my blood running cold. Kian didn’t move a muscle while Rynn stayed behind him, her stare raised over my head, making it impossible to catch her gaze.
“I wasn’t aware our peace was in jeopardy.” Danger lurked in Chris’s voice, and both our men and Hayes’s went rigid as the tension rose.
“Cut the shit,” Hayes drawled, his calmness grating on me. “We both know you were never one to share. You’ve hated that we have half the city. You think I believed that you’d share Little Haven too?”
“Is that a threat?” Chris cocked his head to the side. “Going to try and take it from me?”
“Not at all. I want Grimrose and the Disciples to be allies. Permanently.”
Chris stayed silent, his intense glare staying on Hayes. There was a commotion, and I looked to the left, seeing people move as Pratt and another man strode forward with Gage between them. A murderous fire was burning in his eyes as he looked around until he spotted Rynn. Pratt kept a gun on Gage’s back, shoving him forward until they were at the edge of the little circle. Rynn’s lips parted in shock, and she moved a step toward Gage until Kian grabbed her arm, keeping her at his side. Pratt kicked the back of Gage’s legs, making him fall to his knees. Curses spewed from his mouth, but he didn’t try to get back to his feet as Pratt pressed the barrel of the gun to the back of his head.
“Hmm,” Chris hummed out. “Yet another person who has been evading me. What a coincidence that he showed up too.”
“Let her go,” Gage growled, his gaze darting between Chris and Hayes. “Or neither of you will get out of here alive. I didn’t come alone.”
Chris nodded to one of his men, who stepped forward and punched Gage across the face. Rynn opened her mouth to say something, but Kian tugged on her arm, giving her a look of warning. She glared daggers at him, her chest heaving as she pressed her lips together. Apprehension smothered me as I stood still.
Whatever Grimrose was holding over her to keep her compliant must be huge. I wondered if she’d told them who she was with. Grimrose couldn’t handle themselves against the Underground. Chris whispered in the ear of one of his men, who immediately left the VIP area. Most likely to scout out any danger after Gage’s revelation.
“You dare threaten me in my own fucking club?” Chris asked, his voice deadly soft as he stared at Gage with distaste. “You clearly didn’t learn your lesson the last time I had you here.”
Gage swiped a hand over his bloody lip. “I’ll fucking kill you if you touch her.”
“No one is going to hurt her,” Hayes spoke up. “Rynn, show them your arm.”
“It means nothing,” she hissed vehemently. “You already know who I’m with—”
“Do it,” Hayes cut her off sharply. “Now.”
His order had me seeing red, and I clenched my fists before I realized what I was doing. Chris was watching Rynn with interest while she gritted her teeth and slowly inched up the sleeve covering her right arm. Once it was pushed up to her elbow, she turned her arm until the inside of her forearm was visible. My breath caught in my chest as I stared at it before cutting my gaze to Kian.
Gage forced out a humorless laugh as Pratt jammed the gun harder against the back of his head. “You have no idea what you just started. You’re fucked.”
My eyes went back to her arm, and Chris took a step closer, inspecting her new tattoo. It couldn’t be more than a day or two old. It was identical to the ink on Kian’s forearm. The Grimrose symbol. Confusion slid through me as I tried to piece together what Hayes was doing. It was clear that Rynn wasn’t a willing participant. A tattoo didn’t make her a member of Grimrose. Unless it was all about control. Not that it would do any good when the Underground got involved. If anything, it was only going to make it worse for Hayes.
“Explain this,” Chris demanded, looking back at Hayes. “She has no bearing on our treaty.”
Hayes slowly reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of paper. “She has everything to do with it. I’m surprised I figured it out before you did.”
“Figured what out?” Chris’s voice was starting to rise, the anger he’d been suppressing coming out as Hayes spoke in riddles.
