Crooked Crows by Elena Lawson

My breath foggedin the air as I jogged down the trail, one earbud in and the other tucked away in my pocket. The road ahead was gravel, narrow, winding up a fairly steep incline.

I told myself I just wanted to see which road Becca was talking about—to know where to avoid going but…

It was past midnight, and I couldn’t sleep. I kept thinking about Dom, and Kit, and where the hell Becca kept going at all hours of the early morning and night. And, if I were being honest with myself, I couldn’t stop thinking about them, either. This burning urge to know more ate at me.

Know your enemies.

I’d feel better if I knew what I was dealing with. Where they lived. If I knew how far it was from the school.

It didn’t take much to convince myself before I was stepping off the gravel road and into the shadows of the trees running alongside it, speeding back up to a run over the leafy ground.

A cool wind stole over the ridge, flash cooling the sweat slicking my arms and back, making the small hairs there stand on end.

I clenched my teeth, tapping my earbud to switch off the husky whisper of Primal Ethos singing to me of savages and saints. Just in case.

Statistics would warn against it, but night runs were my favorite. Especially in the hours just after midnight or just before dawn. When the whole world seemed to hold its breath, steeling itself against the coming of a new day. Only the night creatures chirped and chattered in the dark. Creating their own sort of music.

The house came into view about two miles up, where the road began to level out onto a flat, treed lot.

I squatted in the shadows, putting my hands to the damp earth as I squinted through the branches, keeping low as I moved closer.

I could see how the place got its name.

The Crow’s Nest was a modern structure, tall and narrow, built of grey wood with big square windows and a sharply slanted roof. Orange tinted light shone out around the heavy black curtains on the middle floor, but every other light within was out.

There was a garage, built similarly, next to the odd house, and a smaller structure down to the right, almost hidden in the trees. A shed?

It wasn’t built to match the others, it looked old. Ancient, really. And I wondered if it was the original structure here before they built the monstrosity of a house.

A camera hid in the alcove above the big black front door, facing downward. I checked for others before mentally giving myself a smack.

It was habit. Casing the place for weak points to exploit.

I mean, it looked like the sort of place where I’d find a metric boatload of cash. Probably weapons. Jewelry. Watches?

With only one camera, it was doable—

No, Ava Jade.

Jesus fuck.

What happened to not poking the bears?

Worst. Idea. Ever.

I sighed, deciding to leave well enough alone, placated knowing that they were at least eight miles from the school in total. Not far enough, but at least they didn’t live on the grounds.

The sound of car tires chewing gravel made me duck lower in the shadows and I narrowed my vision. An old model light blue Camry sped into view, peeling into the lot in front of the house and coming to a jarring stop.

I should leave.

I should really leave.

I settled in, biting my lower lip as the engine went dead, and I held my breath to keep from making a sound.

A bulky shadow spilled out of the passenger door and pulled a black ski mask from his face. As he lifted his face skyward, taking a long breath, I saw that it was Corvus. Odd sounds filtered to me on the breeze. Whispers, and was that…

Was that whimpering?

“Get him. Let’s get this over with,” Corvus said as Grey and Rook popped out of the small car, both of them heading for the back of it.

Grey opened the trunk, and what was unmistakably a man with his hands bound clambered out and fell onto the driveway with a thud and a groan, breathing heavily.

Fuck.

With a reach like the strike of curved talons, Rook grabbed a fistful of the man’s hair, wrenching his head back.

“N-no,” the man choked. “He’s lying. I-I didn’t do anything. If you let me go, I’ll…I’ll pretend I never saw your faces. I won’t say shit. I-I can pay you. I can—”

“Shut the fuck up,” Corvus growled, slamming his door shut to join the others around the back of the Camry. “We warned you, asshole. And you didn’t listen. This is on you.”

“Please…”

It was hard to tell this far away, but it looked like Rook was fucking grinning. And not just like a little grin, either. He was fucking beaming down at the guy. Like he wanted to lick the smears of dried blood off his face.

“Take him,” Corvus nodded to Rook, and he licked his lips, hefting the guy to his feet by his hair alone. Like it was nothing.

The man spat at Corvus’ feet as Rook began to drag him away.

Corvus just stared at him like he was the most insignificant thing on the planet. A speck of dust in the wind.

“Fuck you!” the man shouted at Corvus, spewing more saliva with his words as he turned his attention to the others. “Fuck all of you.”

The smell of blood and urine reached me on the wind, and my nose wrinkled.

“Fucker pissed himself,” Rook said, holding the guy out at arm’s reach with a scowl as he roughly manhandled him across the lot, carving a path to the shed at the far right of the property.

Corvus followed and Grey rushed ahead to unlock it and flip a light on. From my angle, it was hard to see inside, and I leaned to get a better look, snapping a twig.

Corvus froze mid-stride, his back lifting.

I clenched my teeth, sinking as low as I could go without moving too much.

He turned, his face cast in moonlight looking so violent, all bones and shadows and contrast, that for a second, he looked like a skeleton come to life. Like a grim reaper searching for prey.

His hollow-eyed gaze swept over the lot and the trees before he continued, following his brothers into the small shed and shutting the door behind him.

It took about five seconds before the screaming started. Loud at first, and then muffled as though someone had stuck something in the man’s mouth. They were torturing him.

My stomach lurched.

In Lennox, the Kings ruled the streets, but they didn’t have the reach the Saints did. Or even the Aces. The Kings stayed in Lennox, keeping to their turf, never expanding.

I supposed I could see why.

If the junior members got their kicks torturing people, then how were the senior members?

Fucking gangs.

My upper lip twitched into a snarl.

Gangs stole my innocence. They ruined my mother. And now they’d taken my father, too.

Fuck the Crows.

They were just bad news wrapped up in pretty paper.

For a heartbeat, I considered setting the shed on fire with them inside of it. It’d be easy. Older cars were simple as fuck to hotwire. I’d just back it up to the door, blocking their escape, pop open the gas tank and drop in a match.

I’d probably be doing the world a favor.

But I was short exactly one match.

And the energy required to run for the rest of my life from one of the largest gangs in the western USA.

Tearing my gaze away, I stood and turned from the Crow’s Nest, right at the exact second the shed door banged back open and Grey strolled out, shutting it firmly behind him and rubbing a palm over his jaw.

My heart vaulted into my throat.

He started toward the front door of the house, and I allowed myself a small breath, backing slowly away from the house, never letting my gaze falter from his back.

Grey stopped before he reached the door, tilting his head to one side.

No.

He whirled around, and it was too late to react.

Our eyes met.

I was fucking gone.

Without bothering to see if he was giving chase, I bolted through the trees, skidding down a slope and barely clawing back to my feet as I pressed forward, heedless of the trees jutting out of the earth like long fingers trying to grab me. To stop me from getting away.

I weaved through the forest, my focus dialing in like it always did when that blessed spike of adrenaline injected itself into my blood. My feet moved with more surety, keeping an unfathomably quick pace as I expertly avoided the worst of the branches, knowing exactly where to step on instinct.

As the drumbeat echo of my pulse quieted, my ears opening back up to the world around me, I heard him.

It was a second too late.

The inclined path worked in his favor as he tackled me from behind. My face and chest collided with the earth, skidding through sharp twigs and over gritty earth. The taste of blood and dirt coated my tongue as I worked to get him off, coughing, my hand reaching down to my ankle, to the blade strapped there.

His knee dug into my back, pressing me down as his hands wrapped like iron manacles around my forearms, effectively pinning me beneath him.

A little tremor of fear ricocheted up my spine when I couldn’t wriggle free. When my mind immediately went back to another time. Another place.

Another man holding me down.

“Let me up you motherfucker,” I spat, just managing to eat more dirt.

“Ava Jade?”

The knee in my back let up just enough for me to get my feet under me, prying his metal grip from my forearms. I sent a backward kick into his face but missed, hitting him in the shoulder instead.

He groaned, reeling back enough for me to get to my feet, drawing my blade as I rose.

I held it out in front of me, blinking the grit from my eyes. It was a shame I only had one or I’d throw it. I hadn’t practiced in over a week, but I rarely strayed from a bullseye.

Not worth the risk of losing it if you miss…

Grey panted in the dappled moonlight, taking me in with narrowed eyes as though he couldn’t believe what he was seeing. He held his hands out, his eyes jerking to the glint of the silver blade, back to me, and behind him.

Like he was waiting for something. Or someone.

Backup.

Had he tripped some sort of alarm? Did he somehow have time to fire off a text in the split second before he gave chase? Did he shout? I couldn’t remember.

But I liked my chances against one a hell of a lot more than my chances against three.

I darted forward, taking a stab at him when he twisted for another look behind him. He only just managed to knock my hand away, going for a grab of my wrist, but missing. I slipped free and danced back two steps, ready to try again, my body electric with energy.

“Shit,” he cursed. “What the fuck are you doing?”

He tipped his head to one side as though seeing me in a new light.

“Who are you with?” he asked suddenly, his bright eyes darkening, hooded by drawn brows. “Who the fuck sent you?”

He stepped forward and I gave a warning swipe. “Don’t think I won’t carve up that pretty face,” I warned. “Just turn your ass around and leave.”

“I can’t do that.”

A moment of brittle silence passed between us, and a scowl twisted his features. I hadn’t noticed before, he usually wore long sleeves at school, but now, in nothing but a loose tank, I saw that he was covered in tattoos. Just like Rook. One entire arm. A half sleeve on the other. Except Rook’s seemed to be done in shades of black and Grey’s were all painted in vivid color.

“Who are you with?” he asked again, each word dripping venom as his fists clenched. “The Aces? Did they plant you—”

“I’m not with a gang, asshole,” I spat, trying to judge whether or not I could get away if I tried a second time to run. I’d have to incapacitate him first. A good slice to the inner thigh would do it if I could get close enough. He might even survive if someone found him within a few minutes and got him to an emergency room.

But I didn’t hear anyone else coming. Besides, then what would I do?

Run? Hide?

Grey’s eyes carved a path up and down my body, taking in my jogging pants and cropped tank. My running shoes.

“Little late for a run, isn’t it?”

“I couldn’t sleep,” I muttered, not sure why I was continuing a conversation with a guy who was clearly part of a murder-in-progress not even half a mile up the hill.

Grey lifted his shirt, turning to show that he was unarmed. He stooped to lift the edge of his jeans, too, showing his ankles, keeping a steady eye on me the whole time. He had more tattoos on his calves and the outline of something started on his ribs.

“I’m not armed,” he said. “You say you’re not with a gang? I’m going to need you to prove that if I’m going to let you go.”

Let me go?

“Yeah, right,” I said under my breath. As if he was just going to let me go after what I’d just witnessed.

He arched a brow. “You see something you shouldn’t have?” he asked dubiously.

“I didn’t see anybody.”

Shit.

“I mean, I didn’t see anything.”

“Well that nobody earned what he’s getting tonight...if it makes you feel any better.”

“I don’t give a fuck. Not my business.”

That seemed to surprise him, and he pursed his lips, eyes flitting to the blade and back to me again. “I’ll ask you again, new girl; Did you see something you shouldn’t have?”

“Depends,” I countered, challenging him. Praying that he wouldn’t tell the others I was here. “Did you?”

He grinned. “Maybe. Maybe not. Depends.”

“On?”

“Whether or not you have gang ink.”

I frowned.

“I’ll need to check,” he said, his teeth dragging over the corner of his lip as he looked over me again. “Or you could just take it all off for me.”

“Hell no.”

“Then I’m afraid I can’t help you,” he said with a shrug and lifted two fingers to his lips, ready to whistle.

“Wait!”

His lips split into a mischievous grin again and he crossed his arms. “Shall I check, then? Or would you rather give me a show?”

There was no way I was stripping down naked in the fucking trees. I wouldn’t be able to keep a steadfast hold on my blade.

“You can check,” I decided, inhaling deeply.

“You going to put that away?” he asked, nodding to the blade.

“Nope.”

His jaw flexed, and he hesitated before stepping toward me. I liked the uncertainty in his expression. That he didn’t know whether or not I’d cut him.

Hell, neither did I.

I stood very still as he closed the gap and slowly lifted the edge of my cropped shirt, exposing my black bra and breasts to the chilly air, making my nipples harden beneath the worn-out fabric.

He tugged at the waistband of my joggers, and it took everything inside of me not to use the opportunity to put him down like a dog. But if he was serious, if he was going to let me go when he found no gang ink, then I’d rather avoid a war.

I’d rather pretend this never happened and stay the absolute fuck away from the Crows and their murder nest.

I was an idiotfor coming up here. A damned fool.

Grey circled me, tugging my joggers a bit to check my ass.

“Like what you see?” I gritted out when he seemed to be staring a little too long.

He grunted, letting the elastic waistband snap back against my hips before bending to check my ankles and calves. His hands sliding up my legs to push away the fabric made my breath catch, and I had to snap my mouth shut to keep from making a sound.

He moved to my back next, lifting the shirt out of the way to inspect my shoulder blades. Nudging my messy ponytail to one side to check my neck and behind my ears, his warm breath fanning over my neck, the twin sensations of danger and desire making me…

“You finished?” I snapped, pulling away and whirling on him. “Satisfied?”

“Not even remotely,” he replied, his voice a low rumble as he took me in with new appreciation.

I really didn’t like the way he was looking at me.

But my greedy vajay sure as fuck did.

Why? Why were the bad ones always so fucking hot?

His brothers are up there murdering someone, I reminded myself. Or at least they were torturing him. I should not be turned on right now.

Bad vajay.

“Who are you?” Grey asked in a distant voice, as though the question was more for himself than for me to answer. Good, because I wasn’t about to tell him anything more about me.

“Can I go now?”

He ran a hand through his blond hair, considering something.

“One last thing.”

“What?”

He didn’t reply at first, but the bulge in his pants told me everything I needed to know. “I’m not fucking you,” I bit out. “And I’m not sucking you off either, so forget it.”

He barked a laugh that sent tremors racing up my spine, making my nostrils flare in worry that someone might’ve heard. How long did we even have before one of the others realized Grey was gone? Before they came looking?

I needed to get clear of here. Fast.

And hope to fucking god that he didn’t tell them.

“You think I’m the kind of guy that needs to blackmail blowjobs, babe? No, when I fuck you, you’re going to beg for it. You’re going to scream my name until your throat is as raw as your pussy.”

“You’re a pig,” I snarled, tough words coming from a girl who might be kind of, sort of, a little bit wet.

He smirked. “Just a kiss.”

“You’re kidding. A kiss? What are we, twelve?”

He shook his head. “A fair trade, I think. A kiss in exchange for not telling my brothers you were spying.”

“I wasn’t—”

“Uh, uh,” he warned. “Don’t lie to me.”

I pressed my lips into a tight line.

“What do you say? It’ll be like this never happened. Like you were never here.”

“Or I could just gut you and run.”

“You could, but something tells me you won’t.”

“Won’t your girlfriend be jealous?”

He snorted. “She isn’t my girlfriend.”

“But you knew exactly who I was talking about, didn’t you?”

He licked his lips, ignoring me, even though I saw a knot form between his brows. He didn’t like the idea of people thinking he belonged to her. I didn’t think he liked the idea of people thinking he belonged to anyone.

“We doing this or are you gutting me? I haven’t got all night.”

My knuckles turned white as I lowered the blade. “This is fucking juvenile.”

“Then it should be easy.”

I stiffened as he came to me without warning, his hand coming up to grip the back of my neck as his mouth came down on mine. Heedless of the blade I was still holding at my side. Testing my will to use it against him. Daring me to.

Motherfucker.

His rough fingers pressed hard on either side of my neck, locking my lips to his, tipping my head up as he pushed inside with his tongue and stole all the breath from my lungs. Breathing me in like he could reach inside and snatch my soul clean off my bones.

He tasted like salt and caramel.

Felt like hot coals.

His hand skated down my side, gripping my hip to pull me hard against him. His hard cock pressed into me, and it was that touch that woke me to reality. Sending a burning fury licking down my spine to pool in my stomach like acid.

I shoved him back, breathless, lips swollen.

I didn’t even realize I’d cut him until he inhaled violently through his teeth.

Grey gripped his biceps. Dark fluid dripped down to his forearm, rising to the surface even as he worked to stop the bleeding.

Oopsie.

It would need stitches, but he’d be fine. Not my fucking problem.

“We’re square,” I said, the words hollow as I strode past him.

He caught me by the arm, and I jerked to a stop, giving him a look that I hope conveyed how fucking glad I would be if he gave me another reason to cut him.

“Don’t come back,” he hissed. “Next time, I won’t save your ass.”

I tore my arm from his grip, a snort of derisive laughter steaming in the air between us. “Next time I won’t hold back.”