Play Dirty (Wages of Sin #2) - Neve Wilder Page 0,87
carte blanche to shoot Madigan at some point. Here’s a tip: aim for his balls.”
“Good to see your holiday spirit is in full swing,” Madigan said with a smile as he cranked up his middle finger.
Azrael slid an arm around his waist. “It’s really quite charming how uncomfortable the lot of you are with expressing emotion.”
Madigan nodded an agreement. “Can you imagine Eastman going head to head with Sadie?”
“I think that would not go well.”
Cas and Jonah arrived next and made the rounds, greeting everyone before Cas broke off with a shriek when his friend Briar appeared in the doorway. “You made it!” He ran over and swept her off her feet in a hug, and Madigan explained to Azrael that Briar was a makeup artist and had been instrumental months ago in helping Cas start a new life in Belize as the reigning Red Queen.
“Christ,” he grumbled. “We really have formed some sort of fucked up dysfunctional family.”
“Very The Hills Have Eyes,” Azrael said.
“Not that fucked up. Dial it back.”
“Texas Chainsaw Massacre?” Jonah suggested, gaze still tracking Cas as he and Briar hit the punch bowl.
“Christmas Vacation,” Sadie said with finality.
Jonah and Madigan exchanged an amused glance. “Who’s Clark Griswold in this version?”
Sadie thumbed at Jonah. “You, naturally. Anyone wanna take a guess as to who I’d cast as Cousin Eddie?”
Madigan cocked a brow. “The one who sets the tree and himself on fire?” He considered as Az nodded, then shrugged. “Alright, that’s fair.” He lifted a hand to Soren and Ronin as they came through the doorway.
Levi rapped a knife lightly against his mug of punch to get everyone’s attention. “I thought we’d get started now that everyone’s here.” He paused, waiting until silence fell, and then smiled over the group. “Some of you knew Red better than others. But he would’ve welcomed each and every one of you this afternoon with open arms. He loved this holiday, and I’m so happy to share it with you. It seemed too dangerous at the time with everything going on to do a proper memorial service after he died, so I thought today we could celebrate him alongside the holidays.” He nodded his chin toward a small urn on the gift table next to him. “Per his wishes, there’s a bit of him in all his favorite places, including here with us.”
Sadie leaned in close to Madigan. “That’s creepy as fuck.”
Cas whipped around and shushed her with a hiss. “Pipe down, or Jonah will stab you again.”
Madigan bit his lower lip to fight back a smile as Levi continued, sharing a few stories about Red that had them all laughing before wait staff filed in with trays lofted high over their shoulders.
Dinner was raucous and filled with booze and endless plates of food. Madigan hadn’t eaten so well in months. Gifts were exchanged by drawing a number and choosing from the table to loud jeers and catcalls. Madigan ended up with a new hunting knife and whetstone while Az netted a box of bullets Soren had crafted himself.
A glint of silver drew Madigan’s attention to Sadie, who was attempting to treat the throwing stars she’d received as hair accessories. He leaned comfortably against the arm Az wrapped around him as Soren smiled from the chair next to him.
“You look content,” he said in his lilting Southern drawl.
“Don’t jinx it. You going to tell me more about this job you’ve got lined up? Must be something interesting to bring you back out again.”
Soren glanced around the table and then shrugged. “It’s nothing special. Just like to make sure I stay sharp and don’t get rusty.”
“You just oversaw a team of thirteen demo experts who took out human export locations in multiple countries. I doubt you’re rusty.”
Soren’s warm brown gaze flickered over Madigan. “Demo’s not the same as wet work. You know that.”
“Tell me where you’re heading, at least?”
“Boston.”
Madigan curled his lip. “Enjoy. I have no desire to revisit any time soon. Their sewers are filthy.”
“That’s why most people stay out of them, I imagine.” Soren grinned.
They remained another hour, the sky a pitch-black blanket dotted with stars by the time they left the building. Madigan was light-headed with a buzz.
He fished out his car keys and handed them over to Azrael, their shoulders brushing as they walked, Madigan acutely aware of the contact. Their breaths puffed out in opaque bursts, and the snow was piled high on the sidewalk beside