Jaylyn Sloan

The sound of buzzing before the sound of birds in the morning caused the hairs on the back of my neck to stand at attention. A burning sensation filled my chest, and my breathing became erratic. This, all before I could fully wake up. The buzzing came from my drawer, and as I rolled away from Ryker’s still sleeping form, I stopped and stared at the little nightstand. Black had been quiet for far too long. Not even bothering to respond to my daily check ins. Now, suddenly, he wanted something. That could be taken as good or bad, but something told me this would not be one of those rare moments that he spared for the good.

I rubbed away the sleep from my eyes and tried my best to sit up fully without rustling the bed too much in fear of Ryker waking and asking more of his damned questions. Karaoke had worn us out, entertaining Elsie for far longer than we had intended. My muscles were sore with their overuse, but I knew by the end of the night, everything would be back to the semi-chaotic normal that I had become accustomed to. Until that damn drawer buzzed.

That meant a whole different world of chaos.

Chaos I really didn’t have the time or energy for.

I had to stifle the groan that tried to escape as I leaned forward and pulled out the little black device that contained all my secrets. It buzzed happily in my hand again, signaling that, yes, as much as I hoped I had been dreaming, there was a bright message clearly showing on the screen, ready for me to open. I sighed, that much I couldn’t keep in. Standing as quietly as possible, I left my room and padded silently to the bathroom, closing, and locking the door behind me. While leaning against the back of the door, I took a deep steadying breath and prayed to whatever gods where listening.

Opening the message, my heart sank.

Giuseppe’s. 6 o’clock. Do not be late.

Black was coming here. This was a fucking nightmare. I tried to keep my panic to a mild level, but sparks were flying in my chest at an uncontrollable rate. If he was coming in person, then that meant something was going on. Something I wasn’t aware of, and my ass was going to literally be grass. And Black was controlling the lawnmower.

I paused outside my bedroom, considering whether or not I should even bother trying to sleep. My nerves were shot in a seven-word message. But that message had hidden meanings. It had finality to them. Each word pronounced with indefinite punctuality. Punctuality that could mean life or death. In hindsight, Black would be the end of me, and that sat with me simply fine, if I were completely ready to go. Which I wasn’t. Not by a long shot.

I turned back on my heels and chose the couch instead, but as soon as I sat down, I was right back up. The pacing began slowly, until I was making complete circles throughout our apartment. When the sun finally began to rise over the treeline outside our glass sliding doors, I looked down at that little black phone and considered throwing it against the wall. Instead, I snatched up my phone as I rounded the corner of the counter and began texting furiously, hoping Giovanni was somehow awake as early as I was.

Did you know that your father was coming to town tonight?

I waited impatiently for a response I knew could take hours. But surprisingly, my phone dinged within a couple minutes, and I began texting Gio and resumed the pacing.

J, do you realize how fucking early it is?

I don’t care. Did you know?

No, I didn’t.

Are you sure?

No, J. I would have said something to you about it. Why?

He will be here tonight at 6. He gave me a name of a restaurant. I assume he wants you there as well.

Shit. Let me text Nick and see if he knows what’s going on.

Maybe Nick knew what was going on. As much as he hated the Company his father built, he still seemed to know the inner workings and the latest news.

Nick has no idea.

A surprise visit is never a good thing, Gio.

I know.

Meet me at my apartment at 5. We can attend the shit show together.

Sure thing, boss.

This was the last thing I needed. Dominik Black on my heels, the same night I am supposed to be fighting for his top competitor.

I paused.

There was no way.

I had kept it under wraps.

No one knew.

No one but…

That motherfucker.

The anxiety in my chest blossomed into pure, singed hate fire. I was going to kill Abraham. Couldn’t keep his mouth shut to save his life. That would make perfect sense as to why Black would randomly want to show up now, out of all the time we had been here. Hadn’t heard a word from him since the first couple of weeks, and coincidentally he chose today of all days to make an appearance. My anger burned through me, and I tried like hell to keep it from exploding with how early it was.

Instead of punching or shattering things, I forced myself to sit down on the couch and I rolled the tension out of my shoulders. I was toast. There was no other way around it. Dominik would eat me for dinner and laugh in the wake of my misery.

I took a deep breath and leaned back, looking up towards the ceiling. I paid little attention to the lack of sound and more or less got lost in picking out patterns and designs in the paint above. When my neck started to stiffen, I sat up. I took a last deep breath to steady myself back into my normal outside state of calm.

I tiptoed through my bedroom and placed the little black demon back into its resting place, before stealing a glance at Ryker, still sleeping. All this trouble for a man I honestly barely knew. I could not explain why I was going to the ends of the Earth to save his ass, but it was a compelling force that I couldn’t stray away from. After tonight, he would be free.

I wish I knew what that felt like.

I was making coffee when Ryker finally decided to join the living. He stalked out of my room like a zombie from one of those really cheesy horror movies that Elsie had me watch once before. He gave me a goofy smile, leaned over, and kissed my cheek, before grabbing my cup out of my hands and took a sip. I gave him a look.

“Morning.” He smiled behind my cup.

“Morning.” I grumbled back.

“Oh. All right.” He sat my cup down in front of me, and I snatched it up quickly to take a sip. “What’s wrong with you already this morning?”

“It’s nothing.” I said between sips.

“Jaylyn. What’s wrong?” He pressed further.

I sighed. “You’re so pushy.”

“And you keep secrets.” He countered.

“Giovanni’s father is coming to town sometime today. I’m supposed to go to dinner with him.” I groaned into my cup. “With Giovanni and Nick.”

“Why is that such a terrible thing?” He mused as he poured himself a cup of his own.

“Their father doesn’t just make in person visits for no reason.” I tried to keep as much hidden as possible without flat out lying to him.

I didn’t know how much Ryker truly knew about the Black family, but I wasn’t going to be the one that dished all the goods, or in this case, bads. That would be left up to Nick and Giovanni. The expression on his face didn’t change.

“Do you want me to come with you?” He questioned.

“Honestly, I would. But he is not the type to invite you to dinner, and then be okay if you decide to bring an uninvited guest.” I explained as plainly as possible.

“Ah.” He didn’t argue like he normally would have, and that put my senses on alert. “Well, I have to head to the garage to work on Beauty today, so maybe we can catch up afterwards?”

I raised an eyebrow. “Sure.”

He only smiled, leaned down, and kissed my cheek again, inching closer and closer to the edge of my lips. My eyebrows shriveled in confusion when he turned his bare back to face me and sauntered into his own room to get dressed, coffee in hand.

What the fuck just happened?

Where was the needy Ryker that constantly wanted to know what I was doing? Not that he was controlling, not really. Just a neediness for information that I couldn’t provide him with. And now that he didn’t want anything at all, I was left in a swarm of uneasy flat-out confusion. What caused the flip? Did he know more about the Black family than I foolishly assumed. I recounted in my head his friendships with the two Black princes, and then listed the twelve families in the Company in my head in alphabetical order.

I paused.

Davis was one of the twelve families.

But that was such a common name and did not mean he had any association with the mob. I leaned against the counter, listening to the sounds of his clothes rustling. I was stunted. Did I really miss something so simple? Was I out of touch? It would explain so much, but then again it would explain very little. I only knew about the head of each of the families, their children were irrelevant until their parents passed away.

I jumped up from the counter and stood in his doorway, trying to swallow down the lump in my throat. I cleared it loudly and Ryker turned around to face me.

“Ryker?” My throat was dry causing my voice to crack.

“Yeah?”

“What are your parent’s names?” I asked quietly.

“That’s a strange question.”

“Humor me.” I insisted, staring at a spot on the wall.

“Robert and Miriam Davis. Why?”

“No reason.” I nearly choked on my response.

I left his room without another thought, refilled my cup, and sat back down on the couch, staring at the dark screen of the TV. I recounted everything that had happened since the night Black commissioned me for this babysitting gig. It made sense now; why I was made to dorm in the boy’s dormitory, why I was rooming with Ryker, why he was so close to the Black brothers and Abraham.

He was fucking one of them. This whole time.

And if he was one of them, then surely, he knew about me.

Maybe not what I look like, or what I did in my spare time with fighting, but he knew who I was and why I was here.

And he had not said a damn word.

And I had fucking slept with him.

And that made me a fucking idiot.

Ryker came out of his room, fresh and ready to go. He leaned down, kissing the top of my head affectionately before grabbing his keys off the counter.

“I’ll see you later, yeah?” He said over his shoulder.

“Yeah.” I responded, still staring at the TV.

He left without really noticing the current state of my earth crumbling beneath me. And that was fine. This is exactly what I didn’t need the day of the tournament. This was exactly why I didn’t get close to people. People were messy. Things you didn’t know about people were even messier.

The day went by entirely too slow, which didn’t seem to help my growing nerves. I could feel the tension building at the base of my spine, crawling its way slowly up my back. Giovanni didn’t help whatsoever as five o’clock came and went, and I still hadn’t heard anything from him. Which led me to my current predicament of standing outside his door, banging on it like a wild woman.

I definitely looked the part, wild obsidian curls bouncing around in every which direction as I pounded away until finally, I heard the click of the lock turning. The door opened and Gio peaked out, yawning loudly.

“Are you fucking kidding me?” I scoffed. “Dinner is in forty minutes. Get changed and meet me downstairs in ten minutes. I don’t have time for this, Giovanni. Your father is less likely to kill you if you are late. But my ass will not get chewed for you making the both of us late.”

“Damn, Jay. Fine. Give me a minute.” He yawned again.

“Now!” I screeched.

I turned as he closed his door and made my way downstairs at a slow pace. Wearing heels was not in my forte, but here I was sporting a tiny black evening dress and black pumps to match. My hair was wild and free, and my make-up was nicely applied. Black was all about appearances, especially if we were to be seen in public with him. He refused to sit next to anyone that might slightly embarrass him for any reason.

Giovanni came sauntering down just as a sleek, black limousine pulled up to the curb, and I rolled my eyes. They must have been waiting in the parking lot for one of us to come outside. Gio whistled low under his breath and stepped forward, opening the door for me in every way but a gentleman.

“This is going to fucking suck.” He inhaled.

“No shit.” I rolled my eyes as I scooted in and made direct contact with Nick Black staring out the side window without much enthusiasm.

“Late, as usual, little brother.” He paid me no mind.

“I fell asleep.” He shrugged as he closed the door behind him and sat down just as the driver took off.

“One of these days, Father will stop being so lenient on you.” He stated monotone, as if he too had been through the same experience.

Nick had a haunted expression hidden deep in his eyes. It made me want to ask him more about the secrets they held. I could be wrong about him, about how he handled his life, but Giovanni was every bit of the spoiled rich kid. Nick, on the other hand, was quiet and reserved. He didn’t talk much, hardly at all. Showed very little emotion to everyone, besides Elsie apparently. All the while, practically avoiding his responsibilities as the oldest son.

We pulled up to the restaurant with little time to spare, and a valet bent forward and opened the door for me, offering his hand out with a smile. I plastered on that fake face that had gotten me through more than one awkward occasion and stepped out, joined by Gio and Nick. I allowed Nick to take the lead, followed by Gio, and then myself.

Even though Black was only a few rooms away, it was better to be safe than sorry. Our trio came to pause when Nick stopped in front of the Hostess.

“Reservation for Black.” He spoke deeply.

The Hostess fluttered her eyes and straightened a bit more to push out her chest at him and he didn’t even blink as he kept eye contact with her. I had to keep myself from grinning at her rejection.

Maybe Elsie was all he wanted after all.

“This way.” She pouted but turned and led us through rows and rows of the rich and powerful, eating and laughing.

The most rich and powerful of them all sat holed up in a private table, shrouded in velvet black curtains. The hostess pushed through the entrance to our hidden alcove, and there sat Black in all his glory. He had a glass of wine in his hands, his wife at his side staring at the table as she absently played with the cloth napkin in her lap.

“Giovanni, Nickolas!” He set down his glass and stood, coming forward to offer them both a hug. His accent was thick, and the way he pronounced his son’s name drove me wild. I couldn’t put my finger on it, it just did.

They both were permitted to sit, while I stayed standing. Black looked down at me with a cool darkness that could make a grown man shutter.

“You.” He stated coldly.

“Sir.” I adverted my gaze to just below his tie, unblinking.

Before I could react, his hand connected with side of my face, causing my head to fully turn to the side. The sound reverberated through the tiny space and echoed above us. I didn’t blink as my eyes began to water with the sudden impact that I hadn’t been expecting. Burning spread across my jawline as he stood mere inches away from me, his chest heaving with his anger. I didn’t move, or shrink away, merely stood there and let his anger roll over me in waves.

“You really think I wouldn’t find out what you’ve been up to, Smoke?” His tone was deadly calm, even though he looked nothing of the sort.

“That wasn’t the intent, sir.” I was a robot.

“Explain to me, then.” He snarled low under his breath.

“Ryker Davis.” I started, forcing myself into a state of calm that I would need to make it through this night. “He owes a debt to Lee.” No point in lying now. “They were targeting him, which put Giovanni and Nick at risk. I offered to remedy the debt in one night.”

“When?” He demanded.

“Tonight, sir.”

I didn’t flinch as his arm snaked forward, his large hand decorating my throat with a tight squeeze. Enough that little stars danced along the edges of my vision, swirling in happy circles.

“The next time you feel the need to make a decision like this…” He squeezed even tighter, the fields of my vision going blurry from the lack of oxygen. “I expect a phone call. You will not disobey me again, Smoke.”

Instantly, his hand was gone, and I fell to my knees gasping. Giovanni looked down at me with sadness in his eyes but said nothing in fear of his father’s wrath. It bothered me not, and I stood once I could breathe without gagging.

“Sit.” He barked out, and I took my place. “Now let’s get down to business.”

Waiters arrived with meal we hadn’t ordered and Nick and Gio took turns amusing their father with what they had been up too lately. I kept my mouth shut. My throat was on fire, and it hurt to swallow, but I survived.

“Now.” He set down his wine and looked between the three of us. “The threat that the Green Jade poses to the Company is growing. All the twelve families have agreed that there needs to be higher guards on duty to manage their children while they are away from home. They have been sighted in our territory, for more reasons than one.” He glared in my direction, and I tried my best not to flinch. “I’m sending in reinforcements, Smoke. They will be your employees for the next couple of weeks, until the holidays. Nick can help you manage them properly.”

“What threats are being made?” Nick asked lazily.

“They have threatened the heads of the houses, particularly my own. It is my business to keep you both out of trouble, and to keep you safe.” He almost sounded like a concerned parent.

“How many are you sending?” He questioned again, unafraid of his father’s temper.

“Five.” He answered calmly. “They will be positioned in safe houses across the city, working in shifts. They will not be undercover, like Smoke here, but they will blend in easily.”

Doubtful.

“The children of the twelve families are being updated as we speak, including Sarah Carter, Abraham Crowley, and Ryker Davis.”

My heart sank as his name left Black’s lips.

“They will all be under your protection, and I expect the absolute best out of you and Nick.” Black stared a hole through me.

“Yes, sir.” I stated, Nick echoing my words.

I watched as they continued to eat, my stomach churning with the loss of appetite and my head throbbing. Tonight, was going to be the biggest pain in my ass, as if it wasn’t already. When they were all finished, I stood after they rose from their seats, and they said their goodbyes.

The boys left promptly, and as I tried to open the curtain to release myself from the dragon, Black caught my arm by the wrist, squeezing painfully tight.

“One last thing, Smoke.” He offered a manila folder over to me. “It is files on all of the newly acquired guards, along with their stats. Don’t let me down again.”

“Yes, sir. Thank you, sir.”

“You’re dismissed.” He snarled. “Good luck tonight.”

The way he said it, the venom dripped off his tongue. But I had made it through, and for that, I was grateful. As I walked outside, I opened the folder that was given to me, skimming through the people that would be working with us. The files were short, sweet, and to the point. I stopped dead in my step as a familiar name rolled across the paper and a familiar face peered up at me.

Aiden Hunter was on this goddamn list.

I swallowed hard.

Fuck me.

“What is it?” Gio asked as I got into the limousine, his eyes had softened a bit.

“The list of new guards.” I swallowed, needing a drink.

“And?” He asked.

“Aiden is on this list.”

“How?” He took the folder from my hands to see for himself.

“Who’s Aiden?” Nick asked curiously.

Gio snorted. “Jay’s crazy ass ex-boyfriend. He’s been stalking her.”

“Oh.”

“Oh, is right.” I looked out the window, shell-shocked.

Aiden would do best to stay as far away from me as was possible. I had less room for civilized conversation these days, and it looked like those days were about to get harder.