The Moth and the Flame (When Rivals Play #2) - B.B. Reid Page 0,51
stopped and shot me a meaningful look over his shoulder.
Message received.
It should have troubled me, but all I felt was the ache in my belly easing, knowing that he returned my jealousy.
In the window’s reflection, I saw a smile that didn’t leave my face the entire time I got ready for school. But then I stepped outside and found Samantha waiting.
And right there on the Hendersons’ stoop, she shared every little detail of their dirty deeds.
When I confronted Wren, he had nothing to say.
He never even bothered to deny it.
Present
“A MARRIED COUPLE LIVES ALONE in the home, and my source says they’re old as shit. It will be like taking candy from a baby,” the informant boasted. Harry was our latest mole in Thirteen’s operations after the last one was discovered and sent back to us in pieces. At the moment, Harry was attempting to sell us on a heist that sounded too good to be true, and from the looks of the men hanging onto his every word, he was succeeding. I should have been more invested, but I couldn’t stop replaying the argument with Lou earlier today.
I knew one day I’d regret the decision I made a year ago, but I knew my little Valentine better than she knew herself. Lou wasn’t the kind of girl who crushed. She was the kind who fell. Letting her believe I fucked Samantha kept that from happening, and if I were honest, the moment Lou batted her lashes my way, there had been no hope for Samantha.
Or any other girl.
“How much coke are we talking?” Shane asked with an eager glint in his eye. Other than me, he was the only one who had our leader’s ear. Nathaniel Fox was as paranoid as he was cruel, and for the former, he had every reason to be.
Fox was cast out of Thirteen for allegedly murdering their former leader, and conspiring with Crow, Exiled’ cofounder, to succeed him. The formation of Exiled cemented the accusation. With a hefty bounty on his head, Fox had zero chance of surviving, not without help and an army to hide behind him, so with the help of Crow, he initiated a rivalry that spanned nearly three decades. No one could be sure of what was true because much like the present, our past was shrouded by too many secrets.
Fox himself was a mystery to those who served him. Few of us had seen him and even fewer who knew where he kept himself hidden. After Crow’s death, Fox retreated into the mountains, truly living in exile. He wasn’t too far away that he couldn’t manage his operations—delegating played a key role—but he was far enough to remain hidden from his enemies. Nothing lasted forever though. We now controlled New York, but it had taken us three decades, and a lot of blood spilled to make it happen. Thirteen had the entire East Coast on lock, and by taking control of New York, we had become a thorn firmly embedded in their side. But it wasn’t enough. We needed to behead the beast.
“Twenty kilos.”
Eddie, who kind of looked like a much younger Michael Peña, whistled. “That’s half a million dollars. Boss is going to shit a brick. Literally.”
He laughed at his joke and Siko—who got his name for resembling the actor, Joseph Sikora—joined in until I silenced them both with one look. Siko and Eddie were reasonably new to the crew but had both impressed Shane with their ability to procure information and eliminate threats without blinking an eye. However, if it weren’t for the fact that they had supplied the mole, they wouldn’t have been allowed in the room.
“How sure are you of this information?” I grilled even though I knew any argument I made at this point would be ineffectual. Exiled cultivated greed and recklessness and often paid the price, and Fox…he didn’t care how many men he sacrificed as long as he reaped the rewards.
“Cross my heart,” Harry said as he did so, “and hope to die.”
“If you’re wrong, that can be arranged,” Shane casually threatened as he chewed on his toothpick.
Harry tried to hide his nervousness as the atmosphere in the room became grim. The wheels in my head were turning faster now as my gut burned. Something was off, and if I couldn’t prevent the train from leaving the station, I’d make damn sure I was there to derail it if it went south.