Page 160 of The Trouble With Bad Boys

She tries to smile, but it never makes it up to her eyes. “Ryker wants to see you as soon as you can get down to his office. I’ll grab you some water and Advil. I’ll leave it on the dresser, okay?”

“How serious is it? Do I have time for a shower?” I ask as she starts to leave.

Kaia stops at the door and nods. “I think so. Get cleaned up and come down when you can.”

She leaves me alone with my headache, dry mouth, and thoughts about what could have happened this morning. Everything was great last night. We drank all that German beer Kane loves, and Cason even joined us, a rarity now that Lily is pregnant with their second child. He usually likes to stay close to her, but we got him to come out and enjoy himself with the guys for the first time in months.

No doubt the issue has to do with Victor. It’s always him ever since Ryker decided the time was coming to overthrow him as the leader of the family. He’s waited while he got his ducks in a row, and now it’s just a matter of striking when the time is right.

Maybe that’s today.

If so, I’m ready for it. I lost the only woman I’ve ever loved because of that asshole. Nothing made me happier than being with Tia, but I couldn’t keep putting her in danger as long as he was the head of the Varens family. I don’t know if she can ever forgive me, but once Victor is gone, I’m going to damn well try my best to convince her to take me back.

I better get this day going because if today is the day we get rid of that fuck, I want to be in top form. A nice, hot shower should do the trick.

Ryker sits behind his desk with Cason and Kane in the chairs in front of him. Some other guy whose name I can’t remember right now sits on the sofa talking to a guy I’ve never seen before. As I walk into the room, all eyes turn toward me.

“What’s up? And a bigger question, why aren’t the rest of you dealing with the world’s worst hangover this morning?”

Cason laughs at me as he shakes his head. “You’re such a fucking lightweight. Eat some aspirin and stop whining.”

As I take a seat in a chair across the room from him, I mumble, “That seems harsh, motherfucker.”

Ryker studies me for a long moment and then he shakes his head too. “You look like shit warmed over today, Jaxon. I’m not sure you’re up for what we have to talk about this morning.”

I wave off his worry. “I’m fine. Just a little headache, but your lovely wife gave me some Advil. Assuming they’ll kick in soon, I’ll be fit as a fiddle in a minute or two. What’s going on? Why the powwow at this time of day on a Sunday?”

Suddenly, neither he nor Cason have anything to say. Odd. Granted, neither man is usually chatty, but this is supposed to be a meeting to discuss something, so what’s up?

“Cat got your tongue?” I ask no one in particular.

The four men around me look at each other and then everyone turns their focus to Ryker. Since he’s the one in charge, I do the same and wait for him to start talking.

When he still doesn’t, I ask, “What’s going on, Ryker? Did someone die?”

My question comes off sounding like a joke, but I couldn’t be more serious. If it’s Victor who’s dead, he’d be all kinds of happy, so I know that problem hasn’t been magically solved. Then I start listing relatives of ours in my head, wondering which one isn’t with us anymore.

“Dash over there has been working for Victor for the past few months. He’s with us, though, and he’s been keeping an eye out for any news we can use. This morning, he told me about a job he’s been assigned concerning someone you know.”

Okay, it’s not that someone’s dead but someone is going to be dead soon. But who could it be? I don’t have friends since I’m a killer. I spend nearly all my time with these guys.

So who is this person I know who Victor’s decided isn’t long for this world?

After a few seconds, I shrug and try to make light of the situation. “I think you guys are mistaken. I don’t have a social life to speak of for the past couple years, so I can’t imagine who’s managed to get on the wrong side of Victor.”

That must be it. They think I know this person with the target on his back, but they’re wrong.

Ryker’s expression grows even darker than usual, and he blows the air out of his lungs like he hates what he has to say. I don’t think I’ve ever seen my uncle concerned like this.

“Are you going to tell me, or are we all going to just sigh like a bunch of teenage girls? Who the fuck does Victor have his eye on, Ryker?” I finally ask, tired of hearing no answers to my questions.

“It’s Tia’s father, Jaxon.”

Just hearing her name come out of his mouth makes my heart skip a beat. But he’s got something wrong. Tia’s father is a straight-laced guy, a perfectly upper middle class dad who would never get tangled up with the likes of Victor Varens.

I shake my head and smile. “Someone’s got their wires crossed, guys. Tia’s father stays on the right side of the law. Always. Trust me on this.”

He frowns, and when I look around the room, everyone else looks as unhappy as he does. “Jaxon, it’s no mistake. Tia’s father got into some bad things a few years ago, and he began associating with a man named Rudolf Michner.”

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