My Maddie (Hades Hangmen #8) - Tillie Cole Page 0,6

Ash shrugged, smirking. “They weren’t the first, won’t be the last.” The room was fucking dead quiet, and then I felt everyone’s eyes on me. I didn’t know what to say. What the fuck were they looking at me for?

“You’re suspended, both of you. I’ll be in touch about how the fuck to win your way back in when you’ve served enough time.” AK was speaking, but it was Styx’s signs he was voicing. The prez’s hands were fucking flying in Ash’s and Smiler’s direction.

Smiler got to his feet, swiping the bottle of whiskey off the table. “Later, fuckers. Always a fucking pleasure.” He left the room, slamming the door behind him.

“Shit! Anyone else loving the new Smiler?” Vike asked. No one answered. “I, for one, am. He’s said more in the past week than he has in all the years he’s been here.”

“His cousin died,” Cowboy said, glaring at Vike.

“I know that. And it’s fucked up. But it’s like some inner fucking beast has been released. And I, for one, fucking approve.”

My attention was pulled back to my brother and the prez. “You leave your cut on the table,” AK translated for Styx. “And when you’ve pulled your head from your motherfucking stupid ass, you’ll start again as prospect. From the fucking beginning.”

Ash lifted his chin at Styx, but he didn’t move off the wall. Styx got to his feet and walked round the table. All my muscles tensed and I pushed my chair back. No one was fucking with Ash. Not even the prez.

AK leaned forward and got in my face before I could get up. Brother didn’t touch me. He shook his head. “Don’t move. Let him do this,” AK said. I glared at the floor. “Flame, Styx is the prez. If Ash wants to be a Hangman, he needs to walk the fucking line. You walked it for Reaper. Ash needs to learn this lesson. Can’t go around killing who the fuck he wants in our name.” My teeth gritted together, fucking lava in my heart, but I stayed seated. AK was right. But I got a ball of lead in my stomach seeing Styx in front of Ash. Our poppa had beat Ash like he did me. Starved and tortured him like he did me. No fucker would touch him again. Not even Styx. I could let him be talked to, but I wouldn’t let Styx touch a fucking hair on his head even if, like AK said, he deserved it.

The flames ignited in my veins. My blood felt more like pure gasoline under my skin the closer Styx got to Ash. I breathed harder, faster, as Styx came to a stop in front of him. The prez was a fucking unit before my brother. Ash wasn’t small, but he wasn’t as big as Styx… yet. Fucker would be one day. He was as tall as me. When he filled out, he’d be a threat to anyone that dared fuck with him.

Styx held out his hand. Ash glared at Styx, right into his eyes, but then he pushed off the wall and yanked off his cut. He handed it to Styx, and then stormed past the prez. He met my eyes as he passed but slammed out of the door without saying anything.

“We gonna have trouble with the cops over this?” Tank pointed at the picture of the dead Mexicans that was still on the table.

Styx shook his head. “Nah. Paid the sheriff off. He was glad they were gone. He knew it was an easy payout, coming to us for hush money.” Styx threw Ash’s prospect cut on the table and sat back down. He looked at me. “He needs to cut this shit out,” Styx said. “I’ve only been fucking easy on him because he’s your brother and he lost his best friend. But if he keeps pushing me…”

AK cleared his throat. “He likes to kill, Flame. That’ll serve him well in this club, but he’s being too fucking reckless, leaving trails. If he’s caught by cops that ain’t on our payroll, he could serve serious fucking time. Destroy his damn life.”

I looked around the table. They were all looking at me. I didn’t want them all fucking looking at me. I hated people watching me.

AK turned to Styx. “I’ll speak to Ash. Keep a better eye on him.” He turned back to me. “He needs to calm the fuck down, brother. I get that he lost Slash, but the kid’s only eighteen.