Page 18 of Graves & Griggs
Chapter Seven
Vincent
We’ve been working nonstop since they got here, with no end in sight. Zayden and Dominic fight worse than Asher and I do, and that’s saying something because our distaste for each other ran deep. Still does when he’s being an arrogant prick.
I look at the clock to see that it’s long past the kids’ bedtime, which means Skyla is either already in bed with one or all of the others, or crashed out. I want nothing more than to toss my hands up, call it a night and climb in beside her. I always sleep best when her head is resting against my chest, the soft sounds of her breathing calming me like my own personal sound machine.
I can’t, though. We have to come up with a plan—and fast. I’ve only heard rumors of the Four Horsemen, much like the Graves brothers. They’re practically urban legends, though according to Zayden, they’re very real and worse than I imagined.
“I just don’t understand why you would’ve taken a job from them if they’re that bad?” Asher scoffs, yet again showing his dickish side.
I’ve tried to advise him several times to watch his mouth, but he doesn’t listen. If he gets stabbed, that’s on him.
The knife that Zayden is twirling in his hands stills, conveniently pointed in Asher’s direction as he tilts his head to the side. “You’re right, Griggs. He is a mouthy little shit.”
Asher scoffs, like Graves doesn’t intimidate him. Yet again, his arrogance is blinding because if he knew what I knew, he would be intimidated.
“I’m just saying, you get called on a hit or whatever by the Four Horsemen, you say yes. I can’t see why you didn’t question it when it was the leader’s little sister’s boyfriend? Or did you not do enough research?”
Dominic shoots his brother a look and throws out an arm, stopping Zayden as he lunges, the knife in his hand inches from Asher’s left eye.
Zayden gives him an eerie smile that transforms his face into something out of a horror movie.
“You can’t see? Let me take a look at your eyes,” he says as I reach out and grab his other hand, which is now holding another knife, stopping it mere inches from Asher’s right eye.
Dominic and I hold Zayden the best we can as he shakes against us, his strength almost too much. All the while he holds that calm and creepy smile.
Asher seems to finally understand the magnitude of the people we’re dealing with as he roughly swallows before lifting his head like the “fearless leader of the Brethren” that he is.
“Sorry,” he mutters as he looks down at his phone and begins typing out some kind of message.
Dominic whispers something into his brother’s ear, and Zayden struggles against us once more before roughly pushing back, retaking his seat and propping his legs onto the desk in our security room. Dominic watches his brother for another moment before resuming his work on Wesley’s computer. It took him all of two seconds to gain access and begin utilizing every resource the Brethren has at their disposal.
“So, the plan?” Asher asks, clearing his throat.
I cut him a look, and he shrugs at me before turning back to the brothers. Dominic continues typing as Zayden goes back to playing with his knife, keeping his eyes on Asher this time.
“Take them out,” Dominic says.
“If they’re supposed to be so formidable, how do you anticipate achieving that?” Asher asks.
I sigh, Dominic shakes his head and Zayden cackles, though his smile quickly turns into a glare as he speaks.
“By taking them out one at a goddamn time, pretty boy. Why the fuck is he in here?”
“Our latest intel wasn’t even close to tracking down Desmond, but the others are much more… sloppy. Augustus will be the easiest to find.”
Zayden snorts in agreement.
“Why is that?” I ask.
“Because he goes through hookers like a tweaker sifts through the trash. He finds them, fucks them and leaves a trail of bodies through whatever city he’s in,” Zayden scoffs.
“How is that going to be easy to?—?”
“Got him,” Dominic says, interrupting Asher, thank fuck. “Looks like he was in Toronto as early as last week. Two missing women have been reported in Buffalo, New York, this afternoon. We’ll leave in a few hours.” He copies and pastes something, then emails it to himself before wiping the account.
I cut him a look as he stares back at me, waiting to see if I’ll question him.
