Page 58 of Wicked Devotion
“Fine,” he says. “Want a special color for your muzzle then, brat? Or I’ll just send Butcher back down with a needle and thread.”
He’s met with silence on the other end.
“Someone needs to call the Vatican. I’m afraid the devil is walking among us,” he says, shaking his head.
“Pink. And there better be diamonds on it.”
“Si, mi vida,” he yells into the radio before throwing it down the hallway. Butcher hands him another one, and I wonder how many of them have already fallen victim to Red’s happy new marriage.
“Is there a reason she isn’t here? You guys have separate houses or something?” Logan asks him as we walk out into the garden.
“No, she’s in time-out. Sedated her bodyguards, treated my warehouse like a self-service shop, and got so high she thought it would be fun to let my damn alligator out of hisenclosure,” Red explains, kicking a branch out of his way. “So now I have to pay three guys to keep an eye on Doomsday, well, additionally to the guys I have to pay to watch Evelyn.”
“Takeoff’s in T minus five, with or without you,” Ozzy yells over to us, and the bags under his eyes are enough to cut our goodbyes short.
I promise Red to tell him more about Lily as soon as things are back under control, and Logan doesn’t seem too happy about it.
“Bring her next time.”
This time, it sounds less like an invitation and more like a demand.
“I’m sure she and Eve will get along well.”
“Mhm,” I say with a forced smile on my face. I don’t have the heart to tell him his wife seems like she eats grown men for breakfast and laughs when she shits them out.
Climbing into the helo after Rockwell and Sam, I’m glad it’s a bigger one this time because I once again have the pleasure of sitting next to Lieutenant Ryves.
When I look outside, Red and Logan are still talking. Anxiety surges through me, and it’s only when they softly slap each other’s cheeks and Logan boards the helicopter that I’m no longer scared he’ll stay here.
Technically, a touch of a button is enough to communicate, but we all rather ignore each other. After three hours of rotor sounds and thick tension, I can’t take it any longer.
“She asked me for the key code to your office,” I say to no one in particular. “Said she was looking for a bracelet she lost a few days ago.”
I thought letting the words out would be enough to ease my conscience. When Logan left the bedroom earlier, I woke up and checked my phone. Lily had sent me a message, albeit hours ago, and after my answer stayed unread, I was sure the issue had resolved itself. And then, the screaming started.
To my misfortune, Logan doesn’t need tohearto understand.
“Did you give her my code?”
“Do you really think I’m so dumb?”
“Yes.”
If looks could kill, four corpses would start smelling by the time we touch down on base. Ozzy lands in the middle of the airfield, and as soon as we’re out of his helo, he takes off without a word.
He’s already flying into the early sunrise as we rush toward the main building and up to Sanders’ office.
It’s the second time I’m here at the same time as him. Throughout the past months, Rockwell had tried his best to keep me far away from the new Lieutenant General.
During our first meeting with him, back when Sam was undercover, working on the Barron case, Sanders wasn’t happy about my contributions. And he was very vocal about it. So I just figured Rockwell didn’t want to risk Logan doing something stupid to defend my honor and decided to play it safe.
We’re all pissed, but the look on Logan’s face is more than simple wrath. Ready to paint Sanders’ office a pretty shade of red, he smiles when he sees the ruined door.
We enter the room, and Lily turns to look at me, her tear-streaked face full of remorse, and when I glance over to Sanders, there’s a triumphant, self-righteous grin dancing over his rat face.
22
LILY
