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I floundered for a second, unable to think clearly as my gaze snapped from where Lincoln was backing away with his hands raised to where Jared was staring at the dog with an irritated expression to where Autumn and Conor were standing at the entrance of the hall.
Conor looked utterly lost in what was happening. Autumn was pointing at Jared.
“Chaos, release,” I finally managed to choke out, the words sounding strangled as they scraped up my throat.
“Chaos, destroy.”
“Chaos, release,” I nearly screamed just as Autumn gave the command, already reaching for the dog just as she lunged for Jared.
I was shaking. I wasn’t sure I was breathing. It felt like my heart was going to beat out of my chest even after Chaos happily trotted over to Autumn before coming back to me.
“What the fuck?” Jared shouted as he looked around at us.
“Autumn,” Diggs snapped, but she just shrugged as if she hadn’t nearly ended someone’s life.
“I knew Willow would call her off.” Jerking her chin at where Jared was pressed against the wall, still staring wide-eyed at Chaos, Autumn added, “He needed to know what dog he was making fun of.”
“And who the hell are you?” Jared ground out, barely risking a glance in Autumn’s direction, just as Lincoln mumbled, “More of you every time...”
“Depends on who you ask,” Autumn said with a sigh. “Autumn Keane. Mob princess fugitive. Your enemy, considering you mocked Chaos. Imprisoned ally.”
“You pulled a weapon on Kieran,” Diggs reminded her.
“He was going to kill my brother,” she seethed. “He killed my brother.”
“We talked about this,” Conor cut in before Diggs could respond. “If you’re gonna toss your unjustified resentment at everyone, you’re going back to that room.”
Autumn kept her glare on Diggs for another few seconds before irritably waving her hand through the air. “Let’s see this fort.”
Diggs pulled me closer to him as Autumn and Conor passed, his grip on my hip keeping me in place even when Chaos followed them into the room just behind us, loud conversations and laughter spilling out before the door closed again.
“I’m sorry,” he began, but Lincoln spoke over him.
“Who was that?”
I felt Diggs’ body tense against mine at Lincoln’s dazed tone, and when he responded, there was a clear warning there. “You don’t wanna go there, rockstar. You think we’re bad people because of what you now know about us?” Diggs paused, waiting until Lincoln’s stare shifted from the closed door to us. “We consider Autumn extremely dangerous.”
“No shit,” Jared said before loosing an exaggerated breath.
“More than what just happened with the dog,” Diggs added. “Her family is known for being extremely volatile and brutal. So, she should be given a wide berth, and you definitely shouldn’t look at her the way you were.”
“Seriously, what the hell?” Jared asked, smacking at Lincoln’s chest as he finished composing himself. “Someone unleashes a dog on me, and that’s what gets you?”
“No, I—” Lincoln faltered before playfully shoving Jared back. “Fuck off, man, you know that isn’t it. Just trying to keep up with their constant new additions.”
But even if his voice hadn’t wavered with the lie, the way his gaze quickly darted to the door again before falling away would’ve said enough.
A disbelieving sound left Jared, but he just cut an irritated look at Lincoln as he passed him on the way to the room. “I’m starving.”
“Right,” Lincoln said, head bobbing. Risking a glance at Diggs, he gestured to the door behind us. “Your brother and Einstein said this was all you, by the way. Pretty fucking cool.”
“I know,” Diggs muttered, but the words lacked that casual certainty he so easily exuded. Once Lincoln disappeared into the room, I understood why. “He has no idea what he’ll be getting into going after a Keane.”
“She’s different,” I said in Autumn’s defense. “She wanted nothing to do with her family. But I—well, even though she clearly resented Lachlan just as much as the others, I got the distinct impression they were best friends on top of everything.” I met Diggs’ intent stare and fell into his arms. Resting my trembling hands against Diggs’ chest, my stare unfocused as I remembered the tense moments in the darkened hallway with the Keane siblings.
“He only trusted her with being around me,” I explained, “and they both made accusations as if they personally felt more betrayed by each other. I think she knew he needed to die, that there was no way around it. But she’s clearly struggling because of how close they were.”
“That...that I understand. I’ll keep that in mind with her,” Diggs said before teasing, “You’re so much more okay with everything than I expected you to be. You sure you’re not from a long line of ruthless mafia families?”
