Page 49 of Nest of Thieves
“Your car will be replaced,” I say once they’re all seated.
“Where is she?” Jay’s eyes hold mine. “If you haven’t killed that cunt—” Orion elbows Jay.
I stare him down until he lowers his gaze. My shoulders shake with fury, but I simply pick up a pen and click it, channeling my anger into the clicking. I can’t attack him for insulting her. She’s not even my mate. That doesn’t matter, though. I still don’t like him calling her names.
“Sorry,” Jay mumbles.
“She is being dealt with. As I was saying, your car will be replaced. What did Doc say?” I look at Orion, still too annoyed with Jay to talk to him.
“We’re all fine. No concussions.”
Wes and Rex were off yesterday, so they’re unharmed.
“Good. There’s a new round of cars to get this week. Three apiece.” I go over the assignments and the cars we need. Twelve more cars will put us at capacity, but with the two cars Jo destroyed with her fireworks show, we’ll end up with plenty of space. Those and the GT-R will be transferred to the pack junkyard and crushed.
“Jay.” All I have to do is say his name to let him know we need to talk. Regret paints his features. He may not fully understand why I’m mad, but he doesn’t like it when I get frustrated.
“I’ll catch you outside,” Orion says to him, offering his fist.
Jay bumps it with his own, and the other employees filter out of the office.
The door closes and I clear my throat. “About your car. We can’t build a new one, but I will buy you the exact model to replace it.”
“Respectfully, sir, what’s the deal with that woman? If it were a guy, you’d have taken him out by now.”
That may be so. Am I letting Jo slide? Yes. Is it only because I want her help with the casino job? No. My primal urges are driving me more than I care to admit. I won’t ever let Jay know that, though.
“She is working with A.C.K.”
Jay pulls a face and grinds his teeth. “You’re not serious. She destroyed two cars and hurt your employees. Not to mention, she got the better of the three of you. A real alpha would—”
I slam my fist onto the wooden desk. “Enough.” Jay flinches, and I stand up, leaning toward him. “Don’t forget your place, Jay. You work for me. I know exactly what thatwomandid, and trust me when I say I haven’t forgotten. There are circumstances you are unaware of, so unless you’d like to go tell Damien you want to take over this operation, I suggest you remember what we’ve done for you.”
I’m a dick for throwing that in his face, but Jay needs to let it go. Jo won’t be coming around the shop, at least not for a while, and we will make things right for him. She destroyed his car. He’s lucky she didn’t hit him a little harder and cause permanent brain damage. She could have, and I suspect she pulled the hits to avoid that very thing. She’s been kinder than I would have if someone had stolen the Sunrise Ruby from me.
Which reinforces the fact that Jo may not be able to handle life with our pack. We should cut her loose and chase her out of Atlantic City for her own safety.
I won’t, though. My curiosity is piqued, and a sick part of me wants to see how well she’d do if she had to go through Damien’s orientation. Would she be able to stomach the violence? Would she faint or scream? Would she turn the gun on our boss?
Would he approve of her?
So many questions and not enough time to find the answers.
Jay is still trembling in his seat. I shake my head and sit.
“Listen, I don’t want to be that alpha dick. Don’t make me be him, okay?” And that’s the truth. I don’t like being cruel to the people who trust me to keep them safe. Jay and Orion showed up on our doorstep two years ago. Scrawny kids who’d been on the run. A little too much like me, Lark, and Mac. They both passed Damien’s tests, and I convinced the boss to give them to me. He agreed so long as the shop’s output increased.
It did.
“Yes, sir.”
The curt tone makes my fingers clench into fists, but I dismiss him. He’s still pissed. I’d probably be mad too. Jay and Orion didn’t have to spend years doing grunt work. We took them in and shielded them from Damien. I can only hope Jay doesn’t take that for granted and do something stupid like run to Damien. Snitches and tattletales don’t survive in this business.
“Take care of yourself, Jay. I’ll have your car by the end of the week.”
He stands without saying goodbye and storms out of the office. The door slams shut, and I pinch the bridge of my nose, cursing in Spanish under my breath. Jo has been here for one day and she’s already causing problems.
fifteen
