Page 17 of The Devils Melody
Nox exhales sharply, pushing off the wall. “You’re not even being subtle about it.”
I glance over my shoulder. “And?”
His scowl deepens. “And,you’re acting like a fucking dumb ass.”
A slow smirk tugs at my lips. He’s annoyed, but it’s more than that. He's frustrated, and I know damn well it’s not just about me.
“So what? I’m just watching her,” I say evenly. “That’s all.”
His eyes narrow. “That’s not all, and you know it.”
I mean, I guess he’s right, but I don’t give a shit. We both work hard for the life that we have here, so I’m not fucking sure why he acts as if I spend all my time doing this shit. I do my part just as much as he does his. If I want to stalk my woman while I’m at it, who fucking cares.
I kind of understand where he’s coming from, though. Nox and I have busted our asses over the years and the house around us is a testament to everything we’ve built. It's sprawling, expensive, and designed specifically for comfort and control. The walls are lined with security monitors, displaying various angles of the property. The furniture is sleek and modern, all dark leather and glass, without a single hint of warmth. There’s a fully stocked bar, because Nox and I drink like it’s a fucking sport, and a long hallway that leads deeper into the house, where our bedrooms are.
Nox exhales through his nose, the sound short and sharp. “You keep watching her like this and it’s gonna turn into a problem.”
I finally lean back, forcing my gaze away from themonitor once I’m sure the little red dot will be staying in place. “It’s been a problem for two weeks already.” Glancing over in his direction, I see him standing there watching me, his scowl still deep as ever. “And you’re acting as if we don’t track people for a living.”
Walking over to the bar, he pours himself a neat glass of whiskey, and scoffs. “Not like this.”
The moment lingers, heavy and quiet, until my phone buzzes on the desk. Sighing, I check the screen. “Jimmy.”
He nods, walking back over to me. “Put him on speaker.”
Nox sits down opposite of me as I answer the phone. “Hey, Jimmy Crack Corn! Guess what? I still don’t care.”
Nox lets out a loud groan, “Not this shit again.” He always hates the nicknames and phrases I come up with. There’s been quite a few good ones over the years.
“I swear to god Kage, if you ever say some dumb shit like that again I’ll be cracking your skull.”
“Aw, Jim, don’t be like that. You gotta let loose a little, bud.What do you have for us?”
Jimmy’s voice comes through, all business now. “You boys busy tonight? I got a job for you. Needs to be done by midnight.”
I glance up at the clock. 7:42 p.m. Plenty of time.
Nox tilts his head, his mood shifting. “Who?”
I pause then, waiting for his answer.
“Name’s Frankie Lucero. He ran in the same circle as Castro.”
I straighten up, my jaw tightening as soon as I hear the name. Knowing Lucero ran with Castro has me dreaming up the most delicious torture. The moment these sick bastards have names, I start painting pictures of their brutal deaths in my mind, and what a pretty fuckingpicture it is.The things I can do with a knife…It’s an art form, really, and we’ve both had quite the education.
“Tell me more.” Nox says, as he stands up, already beginning to prepare himself for the assignment.
I don’t really want to hear what they’ve done. The idea of anyone touching someone who didn’t asked to be fucking touched is enough for me to want to kill them. Nox, on the other hand, needs all the details.
Jimmy exhales. “Lucero is worse than I initially thought. He helped move girls. Arranged private ‘parties’ for high paying clients. Cleaned up messes when things got too out of hand. This man likes to get his hands dirty.”
My lip twitches in disgust as I stand, already grabbing my jacket. “Where?”
“The Dollhouse, off Fifth and Main. I already checked on security. It’s moderate, just a couple of bouncers. Nothing the two of you can’t handle. And boys,” he pauses. “Don’t let that fucker get away.”
I grin. “He won’t, Jimbone. They never do.”
The call ends and Nox meets my eyes, his previous irritation replaced with something sharper and more focused.
