Page 68 of Tell Me Why
“Yeah,” I say, trying to get my head back in the game. “I texted him earlier.”
Jackson’s expression hardens. “You didn’t want to give us a heads up?”
“Sorry, man.” I push out a breath, my thoughts still hooked on Eve. “I’ve been a bit distracted.”
He leans in and lowers his voice. “I thought we were cutting ties with Cash…”
“Yeah, well, that was before we had a traitor inside our own fucking house.” I’m attempting to rein in my anger, and it’s not working. “Cash is the only way we’re getting answers.”
A tic pulses in Jackson’s jaw. “Cash is going to spill blood, you know that. There are other ways we could do this.”
“Nothing that’ll get us answers quickly enough.”
Every second that ticks by without exposing the traitor among us is a second too long. As Sacred Sons, we took vows to protect our members. The bylaws forbid violence against another member unless it’s in self-defense.
Given that, what options do we have? We could investigate, sure. And if that investigation reveals the culprit, then we’d call for a tribunal, present our evidence, exile the cunt from the Burning Crown,thenmete out some degree of justice. All that red tape could take weeks.
Cash’s methods are faster.
“Maybe Lucas is right. Maybe this shit with Eve has gone too far,” Jackson says, concern evident in his voice. “Just cut her loose, man. Let her go. We don’t need her to strike back at Sin.”
Fists clenched, I itch to drive my knuckles into Jackson’s face. It’s not his fault, I remind myself. He doesn’t know shit about what I’m doing. I was careful to keep him and the others ignorant of my plans. So yeah, from his perspective, maybe keeping Eve around is a dumb move.
Stretching my fingers out, I flex my hands at my sides. “Okay, say we cut her loose. Then what?” I say. “We still have someone in this house willing to go after what’s mine. Or yours. Are you chill with that? What if they go after your consort next? Or your sister?”
His eyes widen at the mention of his little sister.
“Yeah,” I say. “Exactly. This problem is bigger than Eve.”
And call me paranoid, but my own damn cousin turned against us in the weeks before he was killed. He had his grievances, sure, but never in a million years did I think he’d cut ranks and join another secret society—not to mention a society we didn’t even know about. That betrayal blindsided everyone, especially Lucas and me.
Jackson tilts his head back for a second, and I follow him as he continues down the hallway toward the dining room. “Let’s just get this over with,” he says under his breath. “I hate dealing with Cash. The guy is deranged.”
“But he gets shit done,” I say with a smile. “You can’t argue with his results.”
Cash is sitting at the head of the table, leaning back casually, feet propped up on the polished wood surface. His black button-down shirt is rolled up at the sleeves, exposing the collection of tattoos that snake up his forearms. His signature black wool overcoat is tossed over one of several empty chairs.
Ash walks in at the same time we do, Lucas coming in right behind him. Lucas stops short when he sees Cash at the table.
“For fuck’s sake. What the hell is this?” Lucas says, turning a sharp glare on me. “You failed to mention this asshole was going to be here.”
“Great to see you, too, Boss,” Cash laughs, tilting back in his chair, cigarette dangling from his lips. “How’s the girlfriend? Still hot as fuck?”
Shit.I can already feel the heat coming off Lucas at the mention of Wyn. I tap Lucas’s chest to pull his attention back to me. “Chill, man. He’s just trying to get a rise out of you. Sit down.”
We all take seats around the table—Lucas and Jackson cautious, Ash completely clueless. He’s never met Cash, so unless one of the guys clued him in, he has no idea why we’re all so tense.
Lucas is sitting back from the table, arms crossed over his chest. “Is someone going to tell me what the fuck he’s doing here?”
Cash blows out a billow of smoke, angling his dark gaze on Lucas. “Oh, come on. You’re not still pissed about the spring picnic thing. That was years ago.”
Lucas narrows his eyes at Cash. “Yeah, dude. You almost killed me.”
Cash nods slowly, laughing, like he remembers the incident fondly. “Yeah, that was my bad.”
“You b—?” Lucas cuts himself off with a shake of his head, nearly reaching over the table to strangle Cash. He manages to hold himself back, but just barely. He turns to face me. “Seriously, Christian. What the fuck is this cunt doing here?”
“Yo, language.” Cash flicks his ashes onto the polished wood floor. “We’re all friends here, remember?” Lucas glares at him. “Fine, we’re friendly. And I’m here to help you solve a problem. Isn’t that right, Christian?”
