Page 144 of Nest of Thieves
“When you kill your mates.”
All three of us snarl.
How could he ask her to do something like that? To kill a mate would mean killing a part of your soul. It would destroy her to kill us.
We listen as Jo and him discuss his request. Concern fills me as Jo humors him. Their conversation is confusing, almost as if they’ve met before today, but that’s impossible, right? As they discuss our deaths, I can’t tell if she’s serious or not, but when she agrees to do it to save her family, my chest cracks open.
Vette and Mac are uncharacteristically quiet as Damien threatens her one last time. I close the app and stick my phone in my pocket right before the door whips open. Jo’s eyes are wild, and she stares past us, heading out of the club without a word.
I glance at Damien. He’s lighting a cigar, a puff of smoke curling from his mouth, and he shoos us away with a flick of his hand. A feral sound escapes Mac. Vette and I act before things get ugly, hooking our arms in his and forcefully dragging him after Jo.
Funny thing is, the only reason he doesn’t fight harder is because of our mate. The one who agreed to kill us.
Fuck.
thirty-six
MAC
Jo is leaning against the car, eyes lifted toward the sky. I glance up and try to see what she does, but my mind is rattled. Will she kill us? Normally, I’d immediately say no, but Damien has a good bargaining chip. How he found her family is a conundrum. Did he know about Jo before we brought her to meet him? He must have; that’s the only way he’d be able to track down her sister and niece, people Jo obviously cares about. Now she not only has one but two assholes gunning for her family.
Coincidence?
There’s something odd about Damien using the same threats as Jo’s boss from Philly, but maybe it’s not as strange as I think. The most effective way to get someone to do what you want is to leverage something you know they won’t want to lose.
Her turmoil filters through the bond, making my stomach swim with unease.
It’s nice to know she’s upset at the thought of killing us. That means something. I have to believe she won’t do it.
I’m used to Damien holding shit over our heads. I’m used to being asked to kill. Him asking Jo hits a little different, and not because it’s my life on the line. No. He’s forcing her to do something she doesn’t want to. Damien crossed a line when he pushed my mate. I have half a mind to turn around and kill him myself. That’d solve both our problems.
“Not now,” Lark says as he and Vette finally release me once we’re out the door.
“I wasn’t planning anything,” I whisper before glancing at Jo.
Her eyes are on the three of us, hard and guarded. The knife Lark had tossed on the ground is missing, and I know Vette and Lark notice that as well. Orc is still passed out. I flick my gaze over his body, noticing the distinct lack of gun on his hip.
Jo’s taken that weapon as well. Perhaps strapped it to her thigh with the knife. Not the most secure way to carry a weapon, but desperate times call for desperate measures. I’m tempted to frisk her, to take away those weapons that might end my life, but I don’t want to be responsible for the death of her family. I want her to choose us.
We could kill him together.
“Kitten,” I purr, joining her and leaning against the car. “What did he say? Will he get you the ruby?”
Not asking her would make her suspicious. Vette and Lark stop in front of us. Lark slips a hair tie off his wrist and pulls his long hair into a low ponytail.
“He’ll help me, but I have to do something for him first.”
“Oh yeah?” Vette asks, looking down at the ground. “What’s that, mami?”
“He has some trash that needs to be taken out.”
Us. He’s pissed that we tried to keep Jo hidden. He’s mad we fucked up the bank job. He’s mad about the 609 Vandals getting the drop on one of the Knights. We’ve fucked up some this past month, but is it really enough to warrant asking for our deaths?
I don’t think so.
“Who?” Lark asks.
“He told me not to tell you guys. He wants me to do it alone.”
