Page 59 of Grave Games

“Call me Dad again. I dare you.”

“All I’m asking is if we’ve got enough warm bodies coming in to make a lasting impression,” Ajax cut in when it looked like Slash was opening his mouth to do exactly that. “Are we little boys playing at war, or do we have more numbers than just the hundred or so brothers we currently have in town?”

“The head count I’ve got is around two hundred,” Zee responded, while Slash’s smile did a vanishing act. Apparently the termlittle boyhadn’t landed well with him. “As I was telling Tyr earlier, with that many coming in, we’re going to be filled up at the Barracks for the first time in this chapter’s history. We’re almost too popular for our own good.”

“Hades only wishes he had that kind of problem,” Tyr murmured, cradling his mug in his hands. “All our intel points to his numbers being down while ours are going through the roof. He needs a big win to get his club back on track, so he needs this war. It’s now a matter of survival for him.”

“That explains the ham-handed attempt to kidnap my Shy Girl right out of the diner,” I said, and the memory of just how close those fuckers came to taking Shiloh away from me iced me over so bad it hurt. If she’d followed her instincts and rabbited out of there when she saw Marvel, she would have launched herself right into Hades’s grasp. And then… “If they’d gotten a hold of her, I would’ve stopped at nothing to get her back. No matter the outcome of that kidnapping attempt, the First Blood rule was inevitable, leaving Hades to claim he’s just defending himself against a rogue chapter.”

“We got played good and proper, that’s for sure. If it hadn’t been Marvel getting his face smashed in for trying to touch what isn’t his, it would’ve been something else.” Tyr shrugged, clearly unconcerned with the past. “The old man’s been at this a long time, so he’s a past master at playing the game. That’s why we need to put him down once and for all. This war’s probably the best shot we’ll get at him, so I’m not going to let this opportunity slip by without taking care of my uncle once and for all.”

“I’m sure Hades has that same mentality,” I said, looking into the future and seeing nothing but blood. I couldn’t wait. “Dangerous family you come from, Tyr.”

“Oh, Hades Colgrave is as dangerous as they come.” Tyr looked around the table to make sure he had our attention. “Let’s not forget why we separated from Hades and started our own club. His way of doing things is all about chaos, and might makes right. Especiallyhismight. He has no loyalty to the people he callsbrothers, because he doesn’t see them as equals. He sees himself as their king. He thrives on pitting his own people against each other so they’re too distracted to challenge his way of running things. He gives no thought to the safety of the Gravedigger families, because they’re a bunch of nobodies to him. His only thought is to be the last man standing, no matter how many bodies he has to climb over—even if those bodies are the very same men wearing his patch.”

“No wonder his numbers are down,” Zee offered, looking disgusted. “I mean, look at that scheme he ran on Romeo’s ol’ lady. Hades wound up sacrificing his own son while netting bupkis for the effort. Huge embarrassment for him, especially on the heels of losing Chef to us. At this point he’s got to be teetering on a no-confidence cliff.”

“No doubt about it, Romeo embarrassed Hades when he demolished the marvelous Marvel.” Slash lifted a careless shoulder before draining his coffee. “If I were still with his crew, I’d be looking around for another leader. Marvel, maybe.”

“I wonder if that’s why we haven’t heard much from Hades himself lately,” I said, feeling my face tighten at the mention of Marvel. That he still existed was highly offensive on a personal level I couldn’t begin to describe. “It could be he’s been dealing with more internal strife than we know.”

“He was seen at the hospital earlier today, springing Marvel.” Tyr shot me a quick grin. “I’ve gotta show you the pics our guy took of them in the hospital parking lot when we get a chance.”

“Why?”

“Let me put it this way—your beatdown did such a number on Marvel that he’s now as ugly on the outside as he is on the inside. Honestly, I didn’t recognize the bastard, and he’s my own cousin.”

“It wasn’t enough,” I said flatly. “He’s still breathing.”

“Marvel and Hades are a package deal,” Zee murmured, clearly thinking it through. “Now that Marvel’s back with Daddy, now would be the time for them to hit us while we sit here waiting for all our far-flung brothers to roll in.”

“I’m not one for waiting to be hit,” Ajax announced, and his scowl was fierce enough to melt his sunglasses. “We need to fortify our positions of weakness now and not wait for casualties later.”

“Already done.” I set my own coffee mug aside and crossed my arms. “Tyr and I went over the entire compound and then some, looking for any possible points of entry. Once we found them, we made them more welcoming.”

Ajax’s brows shot up. “Welcoming? Are we talking traps, or…?”

“What we’re talking about is a compound that’s locked down and ready to welcome a couple hundred of our brothers who want nothing more than to enjoy a stable life of continued prosperity,” Tyr said in a tone that shut everything down. “War threatens that prosperity. It brings LEO into our lives until we can’t even take a leak without them wanting to know where, when, and how much. I want Hades and all that goes with him in the rearview mirror as quickly as possible.”

Zee’s brows drew together. “Do you want me to put together a team to negotiate peace?”

“What I want is to hit Hades so hard he’ll never get up again.”

“HadesandMarvel.” It was out of my mouth before I even knew I was going to speak, but it wasn’t a problem. Every word was true. “Spies in our ranks, jacking our runs, targeting innocent women… I’m fucking done with all of it. What Zee said is true—Hades and Marvel are a package deal. If we leave the son alive to inherit Daddy’s corrupt kingdom, we’re just trading one problem for another. Marvel needs to be gone, too.”

“Jesus, you’re taking your eye off the ballnow?” Ajax’s mouth flattened in such tight disapproval I considered slapping it around to loosen it up a bit. “Hades is the target, not Marvel. You’re just pissed because that assclown fucked up your ol’ lady before you even knew she existed. Let’s not get emotional about this, yeah? It’s business, Romeo. Club business.”

Don’t slap him. Don’t slap him. Don’t slap him… “Marvel is a rotten apple that didn’t fall far from the diseased tree, and everyone sitting here knows it. I’m not some hysterical little bitch dragging my personal baggage into club business. It makes sense to get rid of both of them while we have the chance.”

“Please,” Ajax muttered, and though I couldn’t see his eyes I was certain he rolled them. “Not personal? Tyr just said Marvel’s face is so wrecked he can’t even recognize his own cousin.”

“Seriously,” Slash nodded, clearly as delighted as any caffeinated devil would be at fanning the flames. “Dude’s drooling out of a mouth he can’t even feel, with broken teeth wired shut so his jaw doesn’t fall off his face or whatever. But sure, Romeo, it’s notpersonal.”

“Shut up,” I snarled at him.

“Marvel’s not a priority,” Ajax hammered on. “I’m not going to stand by and let you cause a distraction just because you’ve got a hard-on to show the current cunt in your life that you’re the man—”

One second I was seated at the table next to Ajax. The next I had my hands around his throat, knocked him out of his chair, and landed on top of him to smash the back of his head into the polished marble-tiled floor. Respect wasn’t too much to ask for, for fuck’s sake. After everything I did for this club and my brothers, I should’ve had some standing, so to get straight-up disrespected now was not acceptable. Obviously I needed to make that clear. And it wasn’t just me being disrespected; it was Shiloh, too.

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