Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Shiloh

“The Amazons are going to be a problem.”

I rub my temples with my fingertips and try to smother my frustration. It’s not Maddox or Cohen’s fault that I want to wring Broderick’s neck, and they won’t thank me for being an asshole because of it. It’s also not their fault that even mentioning the Amazons as a whole is enough to raise my blood pressure.

Still, Maddox’s comment doesn’t make sense. “I would hardly say Monroe’s been on her best behavior, but the fact remains that she hasn’t killed anyone, and, while the Amazons have removed every listening device I’ve planted in her office, she’s going about her workdays like normal.” She might be driving me to distraction, but that’s a personal thing.

Cohen leans forward and crosses his arms over the back of the chair he’s straddling. “Aisling Rhodius is a fucking shark, and she’s furious that we stole her precious little heir. They’re going to be a problem.”

Maddox nods. “Aisling’s been calling Winry regularly, and while they don’t appear to be talking about anything important, Winry is becoming more and more stressed out by those conversations.” His gaze goes flinty, but I can’t tell if it’s because of Winry’s distress or Aisling’s machinations. Maybe it’s both.

“You think it’s code.”

He shrugs. “I don’t know if it’s as refined as that, but there are obviously layers that we’re missing. It could be the same with Aisling and Monroe.”

I think back over all the times Aisling has come into Monroe’s office and gone over things or attended meeting after meeting. Could something have slipped into those interactions without my noticing? It’s more than likely, especially since I try to avoid Aisling as much as I can.

I frown. “It’s possible. Probable even. Monroe has one hell of a poker face.” At least when she’s not coming all over my hands and face. She didn’t bother to hide her delight or desire even once when we were in bed last night.

“Shiloh?”

I realize I’m blushing, but there’s no way to combat it. I clear my throat. “I’ll keep an ear out for anything that might be out of the ordinary. Do you want me to wear a wire?”

“No.” Cohen shakes his head. “We don’t have the manpower to listen back through, and even if we did, you’re more likely to pick up on stuff than someone is over a recording. You spend most of your time with her and in that building.”

It’s not an accusation. It’s pure fact. They assigned me to keep watch over Monroe, and that’s what I’m doing. The only reason for the guilt threatening to choke me is my own conscience. Monroe has gone to my head in a way I never could have anticipated. “Do you think they’re planning something? Even with the hostages involved?”

“We can’t afford to assume anything.” Cohen’s expression doesn’t change. There’s no indication of the rattled man I spoke to earlier. It’s comforting, in a way. At least this is back to normal.

I’m going to have to face the consequences for the move I pulled last night with Monroe and Broderick. There’s no way around it. I still can’t quite believe I went there. I’m still so fucking angry. It doesn’t make sense. Broderick might be acting like a jerk and being high-handed, but he’s always been overprotective of me. And, frankly, Monroe just offered to murder an entire town for me. I don’t understand why her words, while shocking, didn’t fill me with any anger at all. Broderick, on the other hand, makes me want to shove him out a window these days.

It’s Sabine Valley. It has to be, because the only other option is that our friendship is ruined beyond repair, and I can’t handle the thought of that being true.

“Shiloh?” Maddox shifts. “You good? You seem…off.”

As much as I want to lie to him, Maddox has known me so long, he’ll see right through the deception. I sigh. “It’s personal.”

He narrows his eyes. The man is too smart by half, and if he seems like the kinder, gentler half of Cohen, it’s only surface-deep. He’s just as ruthless and just as willing to make the unpopular, hard calls if it serves the mission. “Is it—”

The door opens behind me before he can finish. I tense, half expecting Broderick to come barreling through and start spouting high-handed nonsense again, but it’s Ezekiel. He’s wearing slacks, a tank top, and suspenders. And…nothing else. On anyone else, that would be a complete outfit. For Ezekiel, with his fondness for three-piece suits, he’s practically naked. Even his red hair is mussed, and his full beard looks haggard.

He gives a mocking salute. “You called, Cohen.”

Cohen stares. I can practically see him categorizing the little details of his brother’s appearance and coming to the same conclusion I am; Ezekiel is unraveling. He finally says, “You’re late.”

“I didn’t want to come.” Ezekiel wanders to the empty chair and drops into it. “Let’s wrap this up quickly.”

Cohen still hasn’t moved. He hasn’t seemed to breathe at all. The tension in the room spikes, and I want to be anywhere but here. I might not have personal experience with it, but even I know that siblings clash. I don’t think normal siblings clash like the Paines do when things get tense—especially when Abel isn’t around to knock some sense into them. Normally, Cohen doesn’t get involved in the squabbles, but if what happened earlier is any indication, he’s off his game right now.

Maddox leans forward. All his attention seems to be on Ezekiel, but he’s angled his body slightly toward Cohen. “We need to talk about Jasper.”

Ezekiel doesn’t blink. “There’s nothing to talk about. He’s been tied up in my bed for the last three weeks. The first time he’s talked with his family is today, and you can take that up with Broderick.”

Tied up in his bed…

For three weeks?

I haven’t seen Jasper since the first time the Brides gathered after Lammas, but surely Ezekiel doesn’t mean he’s literally had the man tied to his bed this entire time?

“And Beatrix?” Cohen’s voice is terrifyingly even.

“Tied to my bed, too.” Ezekiel snorts. “Did you think I’d let her run around freely?”

It’s Maddox who pushes slowly to his feet. “You have an Amazon and a Mystic tied up in your bed, and they’ve been there for three fucking weeks? Are you out of your fucking mind? That constitutes torture, and it will violate the handfasting your brothers worked so hard to put into place.”

I glance at the door, but moving right now means bringing attention to myself. Better to just sit still and wait this out. Selfishly, I’m glad that Ezekiel is getting their full attention—and taking it off me. There was a time in my life when I desperately wanted siblings, but conversations like this remind me that it’s not a bad thing to be an only child.

Not to mention, it meant I was the only one who suffered through my parents’ abuse.

“Don’t worry about it.” Ezekiel sounds completely unconcerned. “They’re fine.”

“No, Zeke. I’m going to fucking worry about it.” Cohen’s still speaking softly. On anyone else, that would be reassuring. With Cohen, it means he’s a breath away from violence. “We cannot let anything jeopardize this peace until we’re ready for it to end. You’re setting us up to repeat history with both the Amazon and Mystic factions coming for our heads.”

Maddox curses. “I knew it was a mistake to give you Jasper as your Bride. You have too much history together.”

“Mind your own fucking business.” Ezekiel says it mildly, but his hand drifts to his hip.

Best guess, he has some kind of weapon stashed there. If he attacks Maddox, Cohen will beat the shit out of him. If it were any of the other Paine brothers, I’d keep my mouth shut, but Cohen is unpredictable. Especially where Maddox is concerned. I don’t believe for a second he’d kill Ezekiel, but I also don’t know if he’d stop before his brother is a bloody pulp, and that’s a mess I have no interest in cleaning up.

I cross my legs, drawing their attention. “Beatrix came here of her own choice.”

Cohen stares. “And?”

She’s a fool, but no one in this room will thank me for pointing it out. I can’t imagine facing the choice she did, where her partner was taken from her by a man who used to be their best friend. Beatrix and Jasper aren’t married, but it wouldn’t have mattered if they were. A Bridal handfasting supersedes all previous relationships and completely nullifies them. Theoretically, the Bride could go back to their spouse after the year is over, but it’s a tangled situation no matter which way you look at it.

I can’t say I’d make a different choice in her situation, but that doesn’t change the fact that she made a shitty one. She should have stayed free instead of offering herself up as yet another hostage and effectively putting the safety of the entire Paine faction in Ezekiel’s unhinged hands.

He wasn’t always like this. I joined up with the Paine brothers in the first year after they were driven out of Sabine Valley. Back then, Ezekiel was sweet. A kind man who went through a traumatic event. But, as the years passed and information from Sabine Valley came in bits and pieces, I watched him cut off those soft parts of himself and offer them up on the altar of vengeance. When he heard that Jasper and Beatrix had made their relationship official?

He went cold, and he’s never come back.

Still, even Ezekiel has lines left.

I hope.

I steel my spine and hold his gaze. “Are you torturing them?”

His lips quirk in what, on any other man, might be called a smile. “They’re paying penance.” When I just stare, he relents. “No permanent harm is being done.”

Maddox tenses, and I make a show of rolling my eyes. When facing down a predator, it’s vital to never show fear. I keep my voice nice and even. “Did they consent to paying penance, Ezekiel?”

He stares, trying to intimidate me with his cold amber eyes. I regularly deal with Cohen, so I’m used to that thousand-yard stare. I simply wait. Finally, he curses. “Yes.”

Immediately, Cohen and Maddox relax. Maddox finally says, “Keep an eye on Jasper. If he says or does anything that might be useful—”

“His only use is as a hostage.” Ezekiel pushes to his feet. “If we’re done here?”

“Go,” Cohen bites out.

We sit silently for a long moment after the door slams behind him. Maddox grips Cohen’s shoulder, the smallest touch, the tiniest reassurance. It speaks to how rattled both of them are that they let even this small moment slip by in the presence of another person. Normally, they keep things strictly business in public.

No reason to feel a strange sort of jealousy witnessing evidence of their relationship. Their friendship hasn’t been damaged by being in Sabine Valley the way mine and Broderick’s has. If anything, they seem stronger than ever. Then again, Broderick and I have never been intimate the way Cohen and Maddox have.

I can’t think about that, though. No matter my attraction to Broderick, no matter how much he’s irritating me right now, the fact remains that he is one of the most important people in my life. Eventually things will settle down and we’ll reclaim those soft moments and the easy conversation and everything that’s disappeared between us.

We have to.

I attempt a smile, even as my insides twist uncomfortably. “Ezekiel was messing with you. You just weren’t asking the right questions.”

Cohen releases a long breath. “The right questions, huh? Let’s not make that same mistake twice.” He holds my gaze. “Are you fucking Monroe, Shiloh?”

Part of me expected the question. It’s the one I would have asked in their position, with the information they have at hand. Even after trying to prepare myself, my face goes so hot that I get a little light-headed. There’s no point in lying. If they haven’t figured it out already, they will soon because Monroe is about as subtle as a brick through a window. I shouldn’t like that about her, especially when it’s complicating my life right now.

I finally nod. “Yes.”

I expect them to be angry—or at least irritated—but Cohen slaps his hand against his thigh and stands. “That will be useful. Stick to that woman. She’s making moves, and we need to figure out what they are. I don’t care how you find out, whether it’s listening in during the day or at night with pillow talk. Just get it done.”

“Okay,” I say slowly.

For his part, Maddox looks conflicted. “Does Broderick know?”

No use lying about this, either. “Yes.”

They exchange a glance. Maddox finally says, “You want to talk to him, or should I?”

“I’ll do it.” Cohen starts for the door. “Right about the time I break up that little family get-together he arranged.”

Maddox waits until he’s gone to say, “I hope you know what you’re doing. Monroe isn’t like our people. She’s looking out for the Amazons, and she’s not about to let something as soft as emotions get in her way, no matter how fond of you she is.”

Just like that, my uncomfortableness is gone, replaced by the anger that’s quickly becoming my go-to emotion. I have fought and won and lost and bled with these people, and all it takes is Broderick losing his head for them to start looking at me like I’m a damsel in distress. I’m a fucking warrior. Gods, I used to be an Amazon. I know more about what Amazons are capable of than anyone in this compound, Brides excluded.

I am so damn tired of being underestimated.

I hardly recognize myself as I stand and pin him with a look. “Have I once, in the entire time we’ve known each other, given you reason to question my conduct?”

Maddox opens his mouth, seems to reconsider what he was about to say, and finally shrugs. “No.”

Yeah, I didn’t think so. “I understand that you and the others see me as some sort of stand-in little sister, but I am not an innocent. I haven’t been one since long before I ever knew the Paine brothers existed. I can handle Monroe.” I don’t know if the last bit is the truth, but I’m also not about to let my infatuation with the woman undermine my loyalty to the people I’ve spent the last seven years shoulder to shoulder with.

I hate that everyone is questioning that, as if I’m a babe in the woods who will be swept away by the first person showing me a kind word. Though I wouldn’t call anything about Monroe kind.

Even if she was so fucking sweet on my tongue last night.

“I have it under control,” I finally say.

“For all our sakes, I sure as fuck hope you do.”