“Not where Peppermint’s concerned.”
“Fine.”
“What are you doing here, anyway?” Peppermint asks him, her hands on her hips. “I told you I’d handle it.”
“I know.” Malachi nods in my direction. “But he texted that there was a body, so I brought reinforcements.”
Just as he finishes speaking, Harlow, Spooks, Gill, and Mama walk through my front door as if they own the place.
“Come on in,” I grumble.
“Thanks, we will.” Spooks grins. “Where’s the body?”
I point toward the stairs. “Last door on the right.”
Spooks and Mama head up the steps, while Harlow, Gill, and Malachi traipse through the remnants of my sectional to stand closer to Peppermint and me.
“I’ll have another house secured for you by nightfall,” Malachi says.
“Thanks, I appreciate it.”
“You could always stay at the clubhouse,” Harlow offers.
“No.”
Peppermint and I speak at the same time.
“In that case, Peppermint, you’ll be staying with Nico at his new place,” Harlow states. “And before you can argue, this isn’t a request. It’s an order.”
“Gill, you’ll be stationed outside the home, along with several others, to keep watch,” Malachi adds. “You can pick your team. And be sure they know that this assignment should be prioritized above anything else they’ve got going on.”
“Sure thing,” Gill agrees and walks outside to make a few calls.
“Do I get a say in any of this?” I ask.
“No,” Harlow and Malachi say simultaneously.
Mama and Spooks descend the steps carrying a body bag between the two of them.
“I need to notify her family.” I rub my temples to stave off a migraine.
“I’ll help with that,” Peppermint offers quietly. “I’m used to these kinds of notifications.”
I stare at her, silently begging her to elaborate and knowing she won’t.
“Thanks.”
“Nico, why don’t you go grab whatever you need?” Harlow suggests. “We’ll salvage what we can down here to help this go a little faster. Then we can all get the hell out of here and figure out what our next move is.”
Rage surges through me, tensing every single muscle in my body.
“Our next move is murder.”
CHAPTER13
Peppermint
“Malachi’s worried about him.”