“Jesus,” Jax groans. “You take the fucking fun out of life.”
“Hurry up and tell me what’s at stake.”
“Gaiman thinks you’ve already fucked her,” he says. “I say no.”
I raise a brow. “So little faith in me, Jax?”
“Have you seen her now? She’s a fucking spitfire. Even you might have trouble landing that. I mean…” He whistles long and low. “She was always hot, but now she’s hot in the same way her mother is.”
“You let your dick do too much of the thinking.” Gaiman rolls his eyes.
“Sue me for noticing a woman’s beauty.” Jax turns back to me. “Although Willow looks like she’s more likely to bite your dick off now than suck it.”
I shrug. “What’s fun without a little risk?”
“Took the words right out of my mouth.” Jax looks at me eagerly. “So? Which of us won the bet?”
I glance towards Gaiman casually. “Him.”
“Are you shitting me?!” Jax yells.
“You’re right about one thing,” I concede. “She’s a spitfire. But it only makes the sex hotter.”
“Lucky bastard,” Jax mutters again. “Lucky goddamn bastard.”
I smirk and then shift into business mode. “Any movement?”
“Anya’s men are out looking for Willow,” Gaiman tells me. “But we have men arranged at a ten-mile radius from our location. If anyone tries to get up this mountain, we’ll know about it.”
“And what news of Belov?”
“I kinda thought you’d have better information on that front,” Gaiman says. “Any word from Agent Thirty-One?”
“She’s been quiet for a while now,” I admit.
“Should we be worried?”
“No. She’s gone quiet like this before. It’s just an abundance of caution. She can’t afford to be caught.”
Jax and Gaiman exchange a glance. It makes me wonder what bet they have hanging over her life. I decide not to ask.
“So far, our scouts have been reporting activity around two major spots in the city,” Gaiman continues. “I think Spartak’s trying to rebuild what he lost in the Manhattan Club and The Silver Star.”
I snort. “He was a fool to think that loyalty could be rebuilt so easily. He sustained heavy casualties that day.”
“Do you really think that a man like Belov cares?” Gaiman asks. “He’s not Bratva, not truly. He didn’t feel the human cost of his mistake.”
“And you think that makes him dangerous?” I ask.
“It makes him reckless. And willing to do anything,” Gaiman points out. “We don’t know what he’s planning.”
“We never did. I’ve got as far as I have because my guesses have been right.”
“And you have a spy on the inside,” Jax points out.
“That helps.”
“Does the ball and chain know?” Jax asks.
“She doesn’t need to know,” I say. “I’ll keep my secrets so long as she insists on keeping hers.”
“Is that what tonight is all about?” He turns and peers through the window into the dining room, where a small contingent of staff is preparing the room for our dinner.
“No. Tonight is about reminding Willow of the way things work in this world.”
“How romantic. No candles?” Jax asks with a teasing smile.
“I’ll save that for my dinner with you,” I drawl. I push out of my seat and wave them off. “Now get out, the both of you.”
“Off to the servants’ quarters we go,” Jax groans.
“Shut up and walk,” retorts Gaiman, shoving the larger man in the back.
Before they disappear down the path that will take them to the staff cabins ringing the main house, Jax stops and gives me a wink. “Don’t break any of the furniture, boss man.”
I ignore him and head inside.
I remove my coat and hang it behind the door. It’s much warmer inside than out, but it’s hard to completely keep out the chill when you’re situated this high up. It sits in your bones in a way I can’t shake.
The maids finish in a hurry and disappear. I settle into my seat at the table, thoughts churning.
Moments later, I hear Willow’s door open.
I notice her bare feet descending the staircase first, but I think nothing of it. At least not until I realize that her legs seem to be going on forever. I didn’t give her a dress that short.