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“It’s because you let them,” I snapped.
“You need Boogie to protect you?” He opened the back door.
I rolled my eyes. “I need you to keep the triplets in line.”
“Nah, I like my little minions feral, that way no one fucks with them,” he said slipping his helmet on. “They incite fear, and I like that.”
He was right, while we were feared, sometimes it was nice threatening to send the triplets to do our dirty work. I hated that they fucked with me instead of everyone else, but he was right, they annoyed me. It also didn’t help that I let them know every chance I got because I hated that they didn’t cower from me, at least all the time.
“Let’s go find this asshole,” Boogie said, getting on his bike as I did the same.
“Let’s go,” I said, turning on my bike and revving my engine.
The thrill of the hunt warmed me up as we took off and the promise of a kill made the cold November air non-existent.
Manuel wasn’t a smart man.He had holed up too close to Christmas town and Boogie and I found him within two hours. We dragged him back, chained him up and beat him bloody within the hour. He was just a minion given a simple task for a shit ton of money that he still had on him.
“The money is clean,” Maverick said, coming back into the room as Boogie drilled a nail into Manuel’s hand. “Ruger and Win are checking for prints, but I don’t see us finding any.”
I nodded as she handed me a hundred-dollar bill.
“I don’t think we will find anything else out,” I said, inspecting the bill.
“I don’t think so either,” she said, watching Boogie as he flipped a coin deciding what would happen next.
I studied her for a moment waiting for that gaze and as quickly as it came, it left. Maverick had always had a thing for Boogie. The triplets always looked up to Boogie and no matter how much time had passed, it seemed like their infatuation wasn’t going anywhere. It was another reason I didn’t like them around. A very small part of me wondered that if Boogie had had the choice would he have left me for them in the beginning. They had always had a bond that I had been left out of, and I was a bit jealous of.
Manuel’s screams interrupted my dangerous thoughts. I looked over to see his finger missing as blood gushed out. Boogiehad been asking Manuel a question, but I think he was going into shock. It didn’t look like we were going to get any other information from him. I sighed to cover up the chuckle that threatened to come out.
“You’re not getting anything out of him now, dude is about to pass out,” I said, walking to them.
“He’s done anyways, I’m just fuckingwith him at this point,” Boogie shrugged.
“Maybe Ruger can see if he has any information?” Maverick suggested.
“He can try, but I doubt it,” Boogie said, grabbing the towel I handed him to wipe his hands. “It was a clean transaction with someone anonymous.”
“He’s probably bored,” she said, inspecting Manuel who was whimpering now. “If not, maybe we can use him for target practice for your girlfriend.”
I narrowed my eyes at her, wondering where she was going with this.
“You are idiots.” She rolled her eyes. “She’s weak.”
“Excuse me?” Boogie growled, grabbed Maverick by the throat and pushed her against the wall with a knife at her heart.
“None of us will be here to protect her every minute of the day. Babying her isn’t protecting her,” she wheezed, gasping for air.
“Boog, let her explain,” I said, hating that I was defending her.
He didn’t move, only easing up on his grasp on her neck a little. She took a couple of deep breaths.
“If you want her to become the leader of Christmas Town, you need to show her how to be a killer, show her how to defend herself. Give her the tools she needs to be the fucking ruthless queen she is,” she snapped. “Right now, everyone is rushing to protect her, but one day one of us won’t be there and then whatwill happen? She’s capable or else she wouldn’t have survived the shit Kris put her through, so give her the tools to survive in this new world.”
Boogie growled, pushed off the wall and walked away. Maverick took a deep breath, watching him walk away.
“You know I’m right,” she said, watching Boogie. “Or are you hoping she leaves this behind and comes with you to Halloween Town to be a kept woman?”
I clenched my jaw, hating how perceptive she was.
