She watched me, calculating all my facial features. I didn’t hold anything back. She could see all of me. When she found whatever she’d been looking for, she nodded. “Okay, but I want to be there.”
“Absolutely. Mas won’t agree, which is why we didn’t ask.” I winked, turning back to the piece of shit. “How he dies is the next part. We have a vial of the chemical Pixel made, or we could put his ankles in concrete and let him swim with the fishes.”
Loren laughed like I’d hoped, and the sound filled me with happiness. I turned, quirking an eyebrow. “No swimming?”
She smiled, reaching for my hand. “No. I think the Filibuster is the perfect end for this piece of shit.”
Her words couldn’t have been more morbid, but they turned me on like nothing else. I turned, clasping her face, bringing her lips to mine. “Fuck, that’s hot, Spitfire. Once this is done, I will let you take me back to bed.” I kissed her lips quickly a couple of times in succession, not wanting to get too carried away with her ex-husband slumped over on the floor. He grumbled something, and I stopped, drawing back to glare down at him.
Dropping her hand, I kneeled to look at him closer. “Have something to finally say, scum?”
He looked up, his eye was swollen shut, nose broken, and lip busted, making me proud of Nicco for the damage he’d managed to do on the man. “Jac-que-line,” he stuttered out, his breathing difficult.
“What about the bitch?” Loren said, crossing her arms. He tried to look up at her, but he’d lost that right, so I snapped my fingers to get his attention.
“You don’t get to look at her anymore, asshole.”
His one eye spat daggers at me, and I found it funny, but then he sagged, no fight in him as he tried to move against the wall. “Working with,” he panted, his broken ribs not doing him any favors to speak. “The man...,” he paused again, taking a breath as he grimaced, “paid m-e to sh-oot yo-u.” Once he got it all out, he closed his eyes, no more energy.
I looked at Loren, and she thought it over. “Doesn’t surprise me, but what would my mother have to give to him?”
“You,” I said, standing. I’d come back later and give him the dose. We needed to tell Mas, so we were prepared.
We’d stolen Jude and blew up part of his property. Dayton had to be pissed, and he would retaliate. I just hoped it wouldn’t be as costly. There wasn’t much I was willing to let go of anymore.
Taking Loren’s hand, we headed back up to the main floor. I never thought I’d have someone in my life who could handle it all, and yet, Spitfire was here with me, walking by my side and showing me how to be strong without using my fists.
We walked into the office, not even stopping to knock. If Atticus didn’t want us to interrupt anything, he was in for a surprise. Not that there was anything we were hiding anymore, anyway. He was hanging up the phone as we entered, and I didn’t miss the tired look on his face that we all seemed to be wearing lately.
“What is it?” I asked, already having a feeling of what he would say.
“Dayton retaliated.” Loren sucked in a breath, walking around the desk to be closer. I stood back, observing him.
“Climax?” I asked.
He looked up, shaking his head. “No, Pops, along with a few other businesses on that strip still loyal to us.” It was a message to both them and us. He was back and out to cause havoc.
“Pops?” Loren asked, looking between us.
I sat in the chair, the grief I hadn’t expected hitting me. “Is he…” I couldn’t say the words.
“Looked like no one was there. Pops called me himself.” Relief flooded me. I wasn’t prepared to lose the old man.
“My mother is working with him. Brian just told us,” Loren said, rubbing Atticus’ shoulder. “It makes what she said at the funeral make more sense. I just don’t know what her angle could be. What do you think?”
“It could be anything or she’s just a means to an end for Dayton. She doesn’t have anything left that could hurt you. We have the eggs and the trust. I guess it makes sense in her statement about not needing it now. Is there anyone else in your life she could target? Anything she could take?”
“No.” Loren shook her head, thinking it over.
“Then we stay low and wait for them to mess up. In the meantime, we plan for our next attack.”
“Which is?” I asked, rubbing my chin.
“We need to make things a little more difficult for Dear old Dad to operate. It’s time to call in all my favors. And if a murder just happened to take place on his property, even better.” Atticus smiled, and if he hadn’t been on our side, I would’ve been nervous because it was the most sinister smile I’d ever seen him wear. I would need to make sure in his fight against his father, he didn’t lose himself in the process.
We might be Mascros, but we didn’t have to be Dayton.