diplomacy left over by his son.
“Do you think it would actually be that bad?” Blake asked, seriously.
He saw Gavin realize he was on the spot, and his wrecked face became solemn as he chose his words carefully. “Connor doesn’t care how he gains power—it’s a bloody addiction. I always figured that’s why Damian never really gave him more than he could handle.”
Blake nodded. “Well, shit. Then that leaves me only one other choice,” he shrugged, “confront Connor and Melissa head on. Try to salvage this situation before things get out of control.”
“You think that’s really possible?” Gavin asked.
The Beta opened his mouth to respond. “Regardless,” he said, “someone’s gotta pay for spilling Ursa blood—I’d prefer it be outsiders or another gang or bloody rogues. But if it’s gotta be family, then so be it. Connor’s already made his move. If I don’t step up now, I’ll lose what support I have.”
Blake walked back to his bike and sat down on it. From a distance, it looked as if he had suddenly become heavier, as if the weight of his position were finally catching up with him. But more than that, it was a sense of guilt and responsibility. No one else should have gotten hurt because of him, and least of all a novitiate like Gavin. Connor had crossed a line. He ran a callused hand across the back of his neck and sat up straight, one foot braced on the gravel as he looked up at the sky.
Gavin grunted as he stood up.
“What should I do?” he asked meekly.
What, indeed? Blake resisted saying—for all intents and purposes, it would be better for Gavin to simply fall off the radar for a while. The less others saw him, the better off he’d be, at least until Blake could figure out who was on his side and who wasn’t. But as the Russian kid glared determinedly at him through his one good eye, his jaw locked tight and fists bunched at his side, Blake knew that was an impossibility.
“I need you to keep your head down,” he began, and then softened, “but if it’s come to this already, then there is something I need your help with. And given your unique position, you might be in a perfect place to do it. If it was Connor’s boys that roughed you up, they’ll figure you for the type to back down. Old school hierarchy. Probably won’t pay you any mind now.”
“Give me a crowbar and level the field and I’ll make ‘em see how wrong they are!” Gavin interrupted, and he was shaking.
Blake held up his hand. “I know it. Trust me. But we’re gonna use their underestimating of you to our advantage. I have a special mission for you. Ain’t saying it’ll be any less dangerous than whatever the hell it is I’ve gotten the rest of us into. Shit, might even be more dangerous. I won’t force you.”
“Anything,” Gavin replied, suddenly steeling himself with the promise of a special task laid out by his Beta. And in that moment, Blake knew that he had at least one soldier on his side who would be willing to die for him, if it came to that.
Christ, have we come that far already?
Blake motioned for him to come closer, but just as he did, there was another rumbling in his pocket and he swore and fumbled for his cellphone. He checked the caller ID and was surprised to see Jimmy’s number on the screen. That was unusual—had he forgotten to tell Blake something about the repairs to his Harley? It hadn’t seemed to have any problems. Reluctantly he flipped it open and held it to his ears, keeping his eyes on Gavin who waited patiently.
“Jim, what’s up?”
There was a frantic sound of wind and raucous in the background, like someone was ransacking a house, and it took a good three seconds for Jimmy’s voice to pierce through. The first thing Blake thought was how similar he sounded to Gavin, when the young Ursa had phoned him back at the garage.
“Blake, oh, Blake, shit son… you are in trouble, man.”
“Settle down, you sound like you just amped on a dozen
“Do you think it would actually be that bad?” Blake asked, seriously.
He saw Gavin realize he was on the spot, and his wrecked face became solemn as he chose his words carefully. “Connor doesn’t care how he gains power—it’s a bloody addiction. I always figured that’s why Damian never really gave him more than he could handle.”
Blake nodded. “Well, shit. Then that leaves me only one other choice,” he shrugged, “confront Connor and Melissa head on. Try to salvage this situation before things get out of control.”
“You think that’s really possible?” Gavin asked.
The Beta opened his mouth to respond. “Regardless,” he said, “someone’s gotta pay for spilling Ursa blood—I’d prefer it be outsiders or another gang or bloody rogues. But if it’s gotta be family, then so be it. Connor’s already made his move. If I don’t step up now, I’ll lose what support I have.”
Blake walked back to his bike and sat down on it. From a distance, it looked as if he had suddenly become heavier, as if the weight of his position were finally catching up with him. But more than that, it was a sense of guilt and responsibility. No one else should have gotten hurt because of him, and least of all a novitiate like Gavin. Connor had crossed a line. He ran a callused hand across the back of his neck and sat up straight, one foot braced on the gravel as he looked up at the sky.
Gavin grunted as he stood up.
“What should I do?” he asked meekly.
What, indeed? Blake resisted saying—for all intents and purposes, it would be better for Gavin to simply fall off the radar for a while. The less others saw him, the better off he’d be, at least until Blake could figure out who was on his side and who wasn’t. But as the Russian kid glared determinedly at him through his one good eye, his jaw locked tight and fists bunched at his side, Blake knew that was an impossibility.
“I need you to keep your head down,” he began, and then softened, “but if it’s come to this already, then there is something I need your help with. And given your unique position, you might be in a perfect place to do it. If it was Connor’s boys that roughed you up, they’ll figure you for the type to back down. Old school hierarchy. Probably won’t pay you any mind now.”
“Give me a crowbar and level the field and I’ll make ‘em see how wrong they are!” Gavin interrupted, and he was shaking.
Blake held up his hand. “I know it. Trust me. But we’re gonna use their underestimating of you to our advantage. I have a special mission for you. Ain’t saying it’ll be any less dangerous than whatever the hell it is I’ve gotten the rest of us into. Shit, might even be more dangerous. I won’t force you.”
“Anything,” Gavin replied, suddenly steeling himself with the promise of a special task laid out by his Beta. And in that moment, Blake knew that he had at least one soldier on his side who would be willing to die for him, if it came to that.
Christ, have we come that far already?
Blake motioned for him to come closer, but just as he did, there was another rumbling in his pocket and he swore and fumbled for his cellphone. He checked the caller ID and was surprised to see Jimmy’s number on the screen. That was unusual—had he forgotten to tell Blake something about the repairs to his Harley? It hadn’t seemed to have any problems. Reluctantly he flipped it open and held it to his ears, keeping his eyes on Gavin who waited patiently.
“Jim, what’s up?”
There was a frantic sound of wind and raucous in the background, like someone was ransacking a house, and it took a good three seconds for Jimmy’s voice to pierce through. The first thing Blake thought was how similar he sounded to Gavin, when the young Ursa had phoned him back at the garage.
“Blake, oh, Blake, shit son… you are in trouble, man.”
“Settle down, you sound like you just amped on a dozen
Similar Books
