Page 14 of Vipers and Vendettas
I miss her.
Iron sees me watching him and puts his game face on. He’s been pretending he doesn’t care about what Jules said on the camera the night she left, but it’s clear her words found their mark. She hurt the others as well. I knew they were getting close to her, but I was quite shocked that she had the power over them that she did. I can only hope that they’ve learned their lessons where she’s concerned, just as she will learn hers wherewe’reconcerned. We just need to find her first.
But I have a plan to draw her out.
‘There’s a fae artifact going under the hammer in a couple of days,’ I say casually. ‘Very rare. Some might say priceless. Last of its kind. It was found in a sealed vault in a suspected Order warehouse in Metro. It’s been taken to the museum to be cataloged and researched before it’s sold.’
‘So?’ Iron mutters. ‘What do we care about some old fae shit?’
Axel turns to look at me, his eyes glittering. ‘You think it’ll draw her out?’
I nod. ‘A lot of fae items have been going missing lately. I think she and whomever she’s running with now are going to go for it. I doubt they’ll be able to resist such an item.’
‘So, you want to be there to catch her?’ Jayce asks. His eyes narrow. ‘I think we should discuss what you’re planning on doing with her once she’s ours,’ he says. ‘I want no part in hurting her or worse.’
‘Even after everything she did?’ Daemon growls. ‘All the shit she said when she was leaving?’
‘Och! What she was doing was plain as day. If you opened your eyes, you’d see it too.’
Krase nods at his brother’s words. ‘Aye. She was pushing us away, which means there’s more to this than there was last time. This wasn’t just about money.’
‘You’re wrong,’ Daemon growls. ‘She bided her time until she found her chance to steal what she didn’t get last time. This was all just her finishing the job.’ He scoffs. ‘Her parting words don’t show anything except that she wanted to twist the knife because she’s a spiteful little cunt.’
Jayce rolls his eyes. ‘Think whatever you like, but I don’t want her getting hurt worse than she already has been because you want to shoot first and ask questions later.’
Krase and Axel nod. I even see that Iron agrees. I keep my expression impassive. This isn’t the first time they’ve argued about what we’re going to do with Jules when we find her. But they seem to forget who’s actually in charge here, and I haven’t yet reminded them.
‘What do you suggest then?’ Daemon spits. ‘Find her, give her a hug, and tell her we forgive her for stealing from us again? For abusing our trust? For signing the contract and running the next day?’
’Enough,’ I say quietly, effectively ending the argument. ‘We’re going to be late.’
* * *
Jules
‘Hey, baby, how come I never see you up there on the stage?’
I balance my tray carefully as I begin putting drinks on the table, and I give the guy in front of me a slightly forced smile.
‘You ask me that every time, Chuck,’ I say to him, ‘and my answer is always the same. I’m a waitress, not a dancer.’
I glance up to where Chloe is grinding against the pole, and she gives me a wink. My smile becomes genuine. I wasn’t sure what to expect when I came here, but the human girls who work at Spice are really nice.
I glance back at Chuck with his thinning hair and beer belly. He’s grinning at me as he digs around in his pocket for some bills. He’s really not a bad guy as customers go. He always tips well, and he’s here every Friday night with money to spend. And he always follows the rules, which is more than I can say for some of the guys who lounge around in the booths.
When he finds the cash, he tucks it into my bra in front of his friends, as usual. But he’s very careful not to touch me. I thank him with a smile, knowing it’ll be at least fifty bucks, and since I never get up on that stage, it’s a decent amount of money to me.
I take my tray back to the bar and glance at my watch. Only a couple more hours. I let out a slow breath as my stomach rolls and I turn quickly, hurrying through the club.
I pass Lesley, one of the bouncers.
‘You okay, Marie?’
‘Yep, I’ll be back out in a sec,’ I say as I go past him and through the door that says ‘PRIVATE’.
In the changing room, I dart to the bathroom, getting there just in time to spew up the dry crackers that I’ve been snacking on from my apron pocket all evening. It’s done quickly, and my stomach immediately settles while I totter over to the sink and put my hand under the faucet. I swish my mouth out and glance at myself. I look pale, but at least my makeup is intact.
I take a few deep breaths and re-enter the club. I give Lesley a polite smile as I pass him again, going back to the bar and grabbing another tray of drinks.
