Wicked Games by Jarica James

Killian

“We’ve got a hit!” Joe yelled out, his excitement had us all flying off of our barstools and toward his tech lair. “The Lachs have one property left to account for, it’s on the edge of town and is a warehouse, and in one of their texts, they said the warehouse was next. Still scanning one of the more heavily encrypted phones, so stand by for more.”

“I’d kiss you if it wasn’t weird,” I said emphatically, taking the printed address and running out after Ky who was already halfway to his car, Keir not far behind.

“Get the fuck in!” Ky screamed out right as my hand hit the door.

“I’m in, calm the fuck down,” I grumbled as I slid into the backseat. My door wasn’t even shut yet before he was driving down the road like a psychopath. If it was anyone else I’d have protested, but Ky could handle his car, even in a crisis like this.

As soon as we merged onto the highway, at least five of our cars pulled up behind us. Our army had arrived, ready to take back our queen.

“I want this bloody and quick. Our boys need to round them up then light up their men until they wave that white flag. Then we’re going to paint it red,” Keir said, his voice calm yet dripping with intent.

“What are the chances that when we find her, she’s already fucked them all up,” I said, chuckling at the idea. She never failed to surprise us and I had no doubt this would be spectacular. Or maybe that’s what I focused on so I didn’t go insane.

“They said she was fighting, I’m sure it will be like that,” Ky agreed, that idea seeming to soothe him a bit, though he was still white knuckle gripping the steering wheel.

I turned and looked out the window as we pulled off the highway into the industrial district. The whole situation was making me twitchy. She should never have left without backup that day. And I have every intention of spanking that perfect ass of hers until she’s glowing red when I find her.

She really underestimated the changes she had made in all of us. Keir was still a crazy, sadistic fuck, but with her behind him, he was more balanced. Sure, he knew how to torture and wouldn’t stop, but he cared even more about the city, about her. He finally started living a little. Ky was always the more quiet one, always making plans and observing, but when she came back into our lives he started to open up.

And me? Well, I always knew she was mine… ours now, and she was my reason for living. From the moment I first met her back in school, I knew she was different. When we found out we were all mafia, we didn’t give a fuck, that was our Family’s fight. After all these years, I’d given up hope of seeing her again, then when she spilled her drink on me, it was like no time had passed.

I need her back. It was a conviction I felt in my soul.

“Here it is,” Killian announced as we pulled to the side of the road. “The Lachs aren’t known for being the smartest, but Joe was supposed to hack their feeds and give them a continuous loop. So this is our chance at a surprise attack. No hesitation. No mercy.”

“Then let’s get to it and stop fucking talking about it!” Keir thundered, flinging his door open and getting out. He already had his guns out as he approached the growing Adrostos collective.

“He’s fucking lucky this isn’t a normal day, treating my car that way,” Ky grumbled as we got out and followed him over. I didn’t bother to dignify it with a response.

“Confirmed, feeds are down,” Xander said as we approached. “Orders?” His questions were directed at Kyrell, the man with strategy, but Keir was hellbent on acting like an ass today.

“We fucking storm in, kill them all, get our queen, end of,” he growled and Ky took a deep breath, looking up to the sky as he grounded himself.

“No,” Ky said, his voice borderline aggressive. “Two buildings, so we need four teams, one for the front and back of each. Keir, you take the front of the far building, I’ll take the back. Kill, take the front of the second, the rest take the back. Split up your men, Xander,” Ky explained, ignoring the scathing look our brother was giving him.

“Move,” Keir barked, already stalking toward the other, holstering his glock and getting his assault rifle ready. We were nearly fifty strong, meaning we’d have this one in the bag.

The gunshots started before I’d even flung in the front door of our building, but it didn’t matter because they were clearly in the middle of a drug distribution arrangement. There were folding tables lined up through the length of the warehouse and an array of workers from kids to people who appeared to be homeless, to soccer moms. When we burst in with our guns at the ready, the screams started. Many were starting to stand and run, but our backup was already in place and blocking their path.

“Take a fuckin’ seat!” I yelled, my voice echoing in the spacious warehouse. They sat without question, scooting away from the bricks of drugs they were packaging into smaller, sellable units. My eyes zeroed onto a shipment box behind them, the lid was pried off and I recognized the logo of our fake coffee company right away. Those bastards. They dared steal from us right under our nose.

“Clear!” Xander called out and I waved him over.

“Keep them sitting and corralled, our men at the front and back. I’m heading to back my brother up,” I ordered and he gave a sharp nod.

“Let’s go. My team split to the front and back,” he called out and the men on his team moved silently into place. I gestured to the door and my team followed after me. By the time we were outside and heading for the second building, the gunshots had stopped.

“Perfect timing, brother,” Keir said, our men holding a line of Lachs, arms bound behind their backs. When he turned away from me again, he slid his hunting knife over the man’s throat that was standing in front of him. When he moved to the second, the man spit on him and he sliced his throat next, wiping his face off before moving on yet again. “And you?”

“Never, you fucking Adrost-” his words were cut off by Keir’s blade, a gurgling sound following as he folded to the floor with his former Family. At this point, Keir’s suit was soaked through with the deep red of the Lachs’ betrayal, but he just calmly moved on to the next person. The guy started hyperventilating as soon as his eyes landed on the blade, and looking down, I noticed he’d already pissed himself.

“Please, no,” he begged and Keir froze, his head tilting to the side as he studied him.

“And why should we spare you?” I asked, stepping in. Keir tensed but didn’t argue as I interrupted his one man wrecking crew.

“Please, I know where he’s hiding,” he tried again, his face pale. “I’ve tried to leave this fucking Family for years.”

“What the fuck, you little weasel! We should have killed you the first time you tried!” The next man bellowed, but Ky was already on it, pressing his gun to his forehead and firing. The Lach behind him was smart enough to step away right before getting covered in gore and bits of his comrade.

“He?” Keir asked without missing a beat.

“The man working with Beckett, from the Family in Chicago!” he rushed out and Keir nodded.

“And my queen?”

“I don’t know,” he said and started panicking as Keir’s face turned lethal, blade moving for his throat. “Wait! I do know that we dropped a shipment off to that man, he bought a storefront downtown!”

“Address?” I asked and the guy got that scared look again, and honestly, I was shocked he hadn’t passed out yet.

“It’s next to the Italian restaurant! La Nostra Tavola!” Keir froze and his gaze slowly moved to mine, before moving on to Ky. The implications of this one were through the fucking roof.

“Move out,” Ky ordered.

“Bring the kid,” Keir added before turning and facing the guy one last time. “The amount of torture I could do if you betray me, would make the Lachs’ look like Kindergarten teachers. So don’t fuck with me. You have to prove yourself, this is your only warning.”

“Of course, sir. Thank you, sir,” he muttered and I realized how young he was. He couldn’t be any older than twenty and from the scars that adorned his face, he’d lived a rough life. The Lachs weren’t always known for being kind, but this seemed out of their usual realm of behavior.

Without another word we left the building and I finally remembered the drug operation. Then again, look at poor Grant. There was apparently a lot about the Lachs we underestimated. “We need men to stay behind and clear the drug workers next door,” I told them.

“One of you go after Xander, have him and his men act accordingly. We’re moving on,” Ky ordered and one of his guards parted ways with us, heading for the compound.

“Let’s go get our queen.”