Page 59 of Pretty Vengeful Queen

“That was a West Point attack,” Maddoc bites out, spinning to face Dante with a dark look on his face. Then he lets out an explosive breath, shoving a hand back through his hair and leaving the brown strands messy. “Fuck. They weren’t McKenna’s usual shit-for-brains goons. You’re right about that. Those were military formations and tactics, and if I hadn’t had extra security on hand, they would have taken our people out.”

“They were mercenaries,” Logan says flatly. “Expensive ones.”

“Well, shit,” Dante says with a heavy sigh. “I was hoping you’d say I was wrong, but I guess that answers the question of what that son of a bitch is doing with all the money he stole. He’s not planning on fighting; he’s planning on rolling right over us. Strong-arming his way into our territory with a bunch of hired guns.”

My stomach plummets. Dante was kind enough not to finish that sentence.

Austin is planning on strong-arming his way into our territory with a bunch of hired guns… using the moneyIgave him.

18

RILEY

Dante’s wordsland between us like lead, the weight of them affecting each of the men as much as they do me.

Seeing that shatters my guilt. None of them blame me for this, and as dangerous as today proved to be, I can’t regret going with Austin that day in the alley when it meant saving their lives. I can’t regret signing over that money, because it means that we’re all here to deal with whatever Austin throws at us, no matter how bad it looks right now.

“The Reapers are strong, Maddoc,” I remind him, resting my hand on his arm. “You’ve made them strong.”

That muscle in his jaw jumps, and I swear it’s like I can hear his thoughts. No matter how fierce of a street gang they are, the Reapers aren’t some kind of elite mercenary unit. Strength is different than training, skill, and superior firepower.

I swallow hard, ugly images filling my mind as I imagine all the ways this could be bad for the Reapers. With Austin bringing in the kind of people who can outfight them, it will only be a matter of time before West Point starts pushing the Reapers out of their territory, picking apart the entire organization, and taking out the members, thepeople, who are so loyal to Maddoc.

And if it feels that daunting to me, it’s no wonder Maddoc looks stressed.

But he’s a natural born leader, and after a moment, he shakes his head, then straightens his shoulders, looking each of his seconds in the eye. “Riley’s right. We’re strong. It doesn’t matter what that piece of shit throws at us. All the money in the world can’t buy McKenna true loyalty from his people. That’s something a pathetic little fuck like him will never realize, and it’s exactly why we’re going to beat him.”

He says it with conviction and both Dante and Logan murmur their agreement, but even as he speaks, I can tell Maddoc is still worried. Logan is clearly stressed too. He’s holding himself stiffly, his body tense and motionless the way I’ve noticed he gets when he’s full of big emotions.

After a moment, the impromptu meeting breaks up, and Logan leaves, heading upstairs quickly.

“Is he okay?”

Dante pulls me close and kisses my temple. “None of this shit is okay, princess, but don’t worry about Logan. He’s taking it hard ’cause we didn’t see it coming. He has trouble with things he feels like he can’t control or fix, but he’ll do what he needs to do to deal with it.”

I nod my understanding, but as Maddoc and Dante put their heads together, going over some tactical planning that I can’t be much help with, I decide it’s not good enough to just understand how Logan gets. He shouldn’t have to deal with his feelings all on his own. I want to help him the way he’s helped me in the past.

I want to love him—not just the feeling that’s already in my heart for him, but actively. Proactively. I want to fucking be there for him, because I know how insidious the darkness is. How those kinds of thoughts can spiral if you let them, turning into something that feels impossible to break free from on your own.

My steps slow a little as I near his room, but I can’t second guess myself. I’m starting to understand him more, and I know it’s not just my imagination that the walls between us have been coming down.

Even if he turns me away, I need him to know that I’m here for him.

But just as I raise my hand to knock on his door, I hear him.

He’s moaning my name.

Heat races over my skin like wildfire. There’s no way that sound can be anything but Logan pleasuring himself, and my heart stutters in my chest. I’m no stranger to using orgasms to relieve the pressure of fucked-up situations, but it kills me a little to realize he’s still choosing to do it alone.

I want him to come to me when he needs that kind of relief.

I want him to know he never has to be alone again.

Another low groan sounds through the door, and it’s hot as fuck. It also gives me all the courage I need to push it open and step into the room.

Logan may have his demons, but I’ll never shy away from them. I fucking love him, even if I haven’t been able to bring myself to say so to his face. His demons are my demons. His darkness is my darkness. And when he needs relief, there’s nowhere I want him to go for it other than to wherever I am.

He’s standing next to his desk, one hand braced on the wall as he jerks off, and the slick sound of his hand moving over his cock has me squeezing my legs together, a gasp escaping me.

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