Page 14 of Capitol Matters

“Thank you for your hospitality, Nicholas. Of course, we will indulge.” Grimm’s cool, blue eyes swept suspiciously over me. “Fitch, good to see you were thinking ahead.”

I was thinking ahead, all right. Directly ahead to the bar that would provide whiskey I desperately needed before tackling a one-on-one with my boss. Part of me hoped Grimm would have an alternate plan to rapid-fire murder, but the other part knew he rarely shied away from a body count.

The extended cut version of the Bloody Hex filed through the doorway into the bar portion of the Bitters’ End. Nash led the charge, humming a tune.

I stood aside, waiting with my arms crossed until I found myself alone with Grimm. He had taken a shine to formal wear recently, trading his beat-up bomber jacket and loose, brown locks for a tailored suit and low ponytail.

Once beyond the bar’s entry, the crowd dispersed. Newbies flocked to the dartboards, joined by Donovan and Avery. Ripley and Maggie took seats at the counter. Experience told me Ripley would nurse a scotch on the rocks all night while Maggie flitted about. Vinton found a booth and sat, silent as a statue. Apparently, it didn’t take much to occupy the pair of brain cells he hadbouncing around.

Grimm and I lingered in silent observation until he spoke at last.

“Sorry I wasn’t able to connect with you at the Capitol today,” he said. “I can’t appear too interested, you understand.”

I nodded. No need to burst his ego bubble by telling him that if I’d seen him in the halls, I would have walked the other way. Between him, Holland, and now Maximus, I felt like I was drawn to be quartered, and they might start pulling at any moment.

“Did Maximus speak with you?” Grimm asked.

“Yeah,” I muttered.

“May I see it?” He held out a hand.

“See what?”

“The list.”

My forehead scrunched. “How’d you know?”

Grimm’s lips curved in a smug smile. “Holding the confidence of a man in power has made me a powerful man,” he said. “Very little escapes my notice.”

Reaching into my pocket found Maximus’s letter worse for wear. It was crumpled with fraying edges and battered enough that Grimm frowned.

Ruckus from the bar area created ambiance as he studied the list. Nash had identified the potential victims as politicians, though I’d surmised as much. People with the authority to vote down the measure to open our city to the human public. A month ago, Grimm had given me a related mission to prevent the vote from passing. He’d said it would come up again and had been buying time ever since.

“He gave me four weeks,” I said, gesturing toward the paper.

“You seem concerned.”

“A little,” I admitted.

“Have you given any thought to your plans?”

I doubted he would appreciate my idea of a strategically hung chandelier or unlikely group road trip, so I shook my head.

“Fortunately for you,Ihave.” The arrogance in Grimm’s statement, and the sudden swell of his chest, drove a grumbling sigh from me.

He walked to the bar entry then put his fingers to his mouth for a shrill whistle. The general clamor quieted before he called out, “Donovan! Join us, won’t you?”

When Grimm turned back toward me, I shook my head. “Please don’t say anything. I don’t want him involved in the Capitol shit—”

“The Capitol shit is alsoourshit, as you’ll soon see,” Grimm replied. “As for your brother, I told you I would protect him, did I not?”

A half-hearted shrug was the best confirmation I could muster, but Grimm accepted it with a nod.

“Perhaps you could learn from someone who faces his problems as soon as they arise,” he said, “rather than wasting your time with carnal pleasures in another man’s bed.”

Heat rushed my face. I drew a breath but didn’t respond before Donovan came trotting toward us.

My brother looked from Grimm to me as I turned away. “Something wrong?” he asked.

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