Page 114 of Queen of Anarchy (Dirty Broken Savages 2)

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River

A few days later,we have another meeting with Julian. This time, we go to his house, since it’s to talk about the wedding plans and hashing out the rest of the details, instead of negotiating for something. It’s supposed to be civil, but it’s clear just from the moment we arrive that the guys still hate him.

I still hate him too, so that’s fine with me.

Knox looks around Julian’s massive house with barely contained distaste as we’re shown inside. It’s not over the top, really. Definitely fancier than the guys’ place, but I know that’s not what Knox cares about here. It’s about it beingJulian’shouse and the way he lets us in like he’s inviting us into his castle.

I don’t want to be here any more than Knox does. Even driving up to the driveway made me remember being held in Julian’s basement, and I can taste a little bit of the fear in the back of my throat, thinking about how I was sure he was going to kill me.

It was definitely not the first time someone’s wanted me dead, but there was a sinking feeling of certainty in my gut that he was going to come down those stairs and end me. There would have been nothing I could do, chained to the wall and desperate like I was. He could have done it, and that would have been it.

It makes me even happier that Knox isn’t actually going through with this. The last thing I want is to have to deal with this fucking family all the time just because he and Natalie are married—even if it’s just on paper. It’s a bullet dodged in a big way.

There’s something strange about being shown in and offered seats in the living room as if this is just some friendly discussion. Especially knowing that we’re not going to be sticking to the plan at all. But we have to act like we’re going through with it, so that nothing gets thrown off.

Julian is even more insufferable and shitty when he’s in his home. He was already a smug piece of shit at his boxing ring, but here, it’s like he’s got nothing to lose and knows he’s holding all the cards, pressing his advantage. There are a few of his goons stationed throughout the house, armed and watchful. None of them are in the room with us, which is probably supposed to be some twisted form of hospitality. Like a show of trust since we’re about to be joining our groups together. He offers us drinks and food, but we turn down all of it.

I wouldn’t take anything from him, even if I was fucking starving. No matter what deal he thinks we have in place, my hatred for him hasn’t faded at all.

I keep looking at him and thinking about Hannah having to sneak out just so she could see me. How she said he’s not as bad as his dad was, but her life is empty.

Not being as bad as Lorenzo fucking Maduro is a low-ass bar, and every time I look at Julian, I want to put my fist so far through his face that I lodge shards of his skull in his fucking brain.

But I don’t let it show.

Gage slips into his usual role as leader, taking point on the discussion even though Knox is the one getting married, and no one seems to think that’s weird. Knox clearly couldn’t care less about all of this, and Natalie is sitting next to Julian on the expensive white leather couch looking just as cold as ever.

I almost feel bad for her, stuck in this family with someone like Julian, growing up with Lorenzo as a father.

But at the same time, I can’t feeltoosorry for her. Natalie is obviously heavily involved in the family business, so she’s not innocent. Not by a long shot. She knows that Julian is married to Hannah, and she clearly hasn’t done anything to defend her or try to get Julian to let her go.

So she’s just as complicit as her brother at the end of the day.

Julian sips his drink, smiling at Gage as they talk. “I have some ideas for how we might make the joining of our organizations work well for both of our interests,” he says

“Really?” Gage lifts a brow, pretending to be interested.

“Really. I’ll share those thoughts after the wedding, of course. Until then, I can’t give you too much insight into my business dealings. You understand, I’m sure.”

I fight the urge to roll my eyes at him. He’s just stringing us along, trying to assert himself as the leader of this little fucked up family he thinks he’s going to get. Gage was right to be wary of what he might try to do when he gets closer to their business interests, and I don’t trust him at all.

Luckily, it won’t ever come to that.

“Business aside...” Natalie speaks up, and I’m pretty sure it’s the first time she’s ever spoken while I’ve been around. She has a clipped tone that goes well with the cold expression she’s always wearing, and she sounds like she’d rather be anywhere but here but has somehow found it in herself to grace us with her presence.

Bitch. Any sympathy I had for her goes right out the window.

“Business aside?” Julian asks, cutting her off. “This whole thing is business, Nat.”

“Don’t call me that,” she says sharply. “And it might be business, but it’s also my wedding. I have some… requests.”

“Go on then.” Julian sounds amused, but he sits back and takes a sip from his drink, letting her have the floor.

“The wedding is going to start on time,” she tells us coolly. “No one will be fashionably late, or they’ll be turned away at the door. Anyone from your…” She looks between all of us, distaste clear as day on her face. “…party will need to be there on time as well. I don’t care if it’s yourgrandmother. She won’t be seated if she’s not inside at the right time.”

“Eh, my grandma’s dead,” Knox says flippantly. “So if she shows up, we’ve got bigger problems.”

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