Page 16 of Judgment Day

The silence in the room was so thick you could cut it with the dagger Arson was holding. Staring from Arson to her team members, Julien slowly released Arson’s wrist and raised his hands in defeat.

“I was just joking, bloodthirsty ass women,” Julien muttered under his breath, but loud enough for them to hear him.

Exa was the first to back down. Chuckling, she stared around the room. “Sorry, guys. Blame it on our reflexes, not our hearts.”

“Apparently, my team doesn’t have reflexes,” Julien complained, standing up to glare at them. “I didn’t see any of you motherfuckers standing up.” Julien glared around the room before sitting back down across from Kris. He looked over at the twin. “I can’t believe you just sat there, man.”

Kris chuckled. “This is their house. Their house. Their rules. If they say move. Move. It’s simple.”

Liam nodded. “Simple,” the kid repeated, not looking up from the computer screen. Declan just nodded but remained silent.

“Bullshit,” Julien muttered under his breath, yet his eyes drifted back to Arson.

When she rolled her eyes, then looked away from him, he smiled. It was official. The guys in his crew had a thing for violent women. Still holding Exa’s hand, Scar moved to the first seat on the other side of the table. Exa sat down in the chair next to him. She nodded in greeting to Declan and Kris, who were seated next to her.

She looked at Nik. His eyes were straight ahead. He hadn’t spoken to anyone. And no one dared speak to him. Everyone was walking on eggshells around him these days. Scar’s gaze drifted to Nik’s hands that were clasped together on the table in front of him. Fresh bruises decorated his knuckles.

Nik had gone out last night and taken his anger out on some jerks who’d tried to drug a woman in the club. He’d been going out every night, getting into fights. Nothing they said could stop him. He wouldn’t even listen to Kris. Every night, it was Kris who went and looked for him and made sure he made it home safely.

Both men looked tired as hell. Their brotherly dynamic sometimes amazed Scar. Other times, it worried him. Right now, he was worried. More so, about Nik. If he kept this up, he’d end up doing something crazy. He’d end up going farther than just beating jerks up. Scar was worried he’d end up killing someone. They didn’t need that kind of heat on them. Not right now.

He didn’t want to think about the ramifications that would befall them if Exa’s superiors learned Nik killed someone. Since talking Nik down wasn’t working, Novak had suggested putting him in a drug-induced coma. Scar could see why the doctor lost his license. Still, Novak’s head and heart were in the right place.

Nik had to be saved from himself before it was too late. The problem was that they all understood what Nik was going through. Everyone in the room understood how frustrated he was. But no one could help him. That was the part that made Scar the angriest. He couldn’t help Nik. He couldn’t shoulder this pain for him.

He couldn’t load up the car and go after the Triad for him. That would risk Letisha’s life, and that was a risk none of them was willing to take. Not even Nik. Still, Scar felt weak as hell just sitting there, having meetings and shit, but not acting. If he felt that way, what Nik was feeling had to be tenfold worst.

Garrett’s chair bumped against the table when he stood up. The sound got everyone’s attention. Exa released Scar’s hand, and the two of them faced the front of the room. Garrett walked over to the screen at the front and turned it on. Liam had already worked his magic on it. The black screen turned white.

Garrett faced them. “Let’s get started, guys.”

Skye cleared her throat.

“And murderous women,” Garrett added.

Skye grinned, happy with that title. Yeah, she’d definitely been trained by Exa.

“Vlad is going to talk to us virtually in about five minutes,” Garrett informed them. “Some things have changed on his end and...”

“What things?” Nik asked before Garrett could finish his sentence.

“He’s going to tell us about them in a few minutes.”

“Any news from Zian?” Nik asked.

“He’s going to tell us about that also,” Garrett told him.

Nik began tapping his knuckles on the table, leaving bloodstains against the white laminate surface. Still, no one said a word. While they waited on Vlad to virtually join the meeting, Garrett told them of the dispatch cases that had been placed on hold and those that had been canceled.

Scar wasn’t involved with any of those cases. He chose that time to watch Nik, who kept his eyes straight ahead while knocking his knuckles against the table. Seven looked up from the computer screen and stared over at Nik. His tapping was shaking the table and making their laptop move.

“Hey,” Seven called to Nik.

Nik’s gaze jerked Seven’s way. Scar felt Exa tense up next to him.Shit. Don’t say anything crazy to the kid, Nik.Both Skye and Arson leaned forward. Both of their gazes were on Nik. Garrett went silent.

Not at all intimidated by Nik’s glare, Seven told him, “I’m looking for Timeless Agents who may have connections within the Triad. I’m hoping they can help us get eyes on Letisha. I know Zian keeps sending updates. But I’d be more comfortable if we had someone watching her discreetly. Can you please stop beating the table, so I can work on that?”

Scar waited for Nik to say something crazy and for the other Timeless Agents to stand up once again.