26. Grey

26

GREY

R occo and Alvaro find two dead security guards downstairs, but no trace of any other Giovanni pack members. Dom's body is disposed of by Rocco himself. My father forbids a clean-up team, which makes the whole process take much longer than usual, but it means our secret is protected. Or it would be if my father wasn't using it to blackmail and manipulate me into following his orders.

In the back of my mind, guilt for our failed mission tugs at me. I should've been alpha by now, not covering up Dom's murder. But all I can think about as I rip up the bloodied carpet is Lexi.

Her betrayal is a raw wound rubbed with salt.

The others still have no idea.

Rocco makes it a point to tell me he texted Dutch that I'm out of pocket for the next few hours, which means the others are probably losing their fucking minds over what's happening—but they also know better than to show up down here. It's safer for them if they don't.

Alvaro and I carry the ruined carpet down to the dumpster in the parking garage. Then, we head back up to lay the fresh carpet Rocco delivered from some warehouse. I don't even ask where they get the resources they do. It's no longer impressive, just more evidence that these men stay prepared for covering up murder.

When we're finally done, sunrise is just beginning to lighten the skies. I stand and survey the office, looking for any sign of disturbance. The fresh carpet covers the floors and the rest of the furniture's been put to rights.

It's spotless.

No trace of destruction and death remains.

"Fuck, I'm exhausted," Alvaro grumbles. "Let's get out of here."

Despite his complaint, his eyes are clear and alert. Any trace of the drug we gave him is gone. It's the same with Rocco. Their arrival down here interrupted the slow dosing we had planned so they were never fully knocked out anyway. I've officially missed my window to challenge my father, and something tells me I won't get another chance like this one.

Maybe Lexi wanted it that way.

The idea that she sabotaged this is almost too much to consider.

The sun's risen by the time I make it back to the penthouse. Rocco gave me my phone an hour ago, but by then, I was too exhausted to look at it. Still, I'm not surprised to see Dutch, Mia, Razor, Crow, and Ramsey all huddled close in the center of the living room. They break apart when they see me.

"What happened tonight?" Mia asks worriedly.

"Did you challenge your dad?" Razor asks.

They scan me like they're looking for signs of injury. I washed off the blood hours ago and put on clothes I had stashed in my car but I'm sure I smell like death.

"No." I glance at Ramsey, noting that he looks sober for once. "Dom showed up."

"Dom?" Dutch asks incredulously. "How the hell did he know you were there?"

"He put a tracker on Lexi," I say.

"When the fuck did he manage that?" Dutch asks.

"At the restaurant that night with Franco," I say, glancing at Ramsey again.

There's something off about him. His hair is disheveled, his suit wrinkled as hell, but it's more about the way he won't meet my gaze. That, and he doesn't look surprised in the least when I mention a tracker.

"What exactly happened between the two of you?" Dutch asks nervously.

"And where's Lexi?" Mia demands. "Is she okay?"

"She'll be fine." Again, I try to form the words to tell them what Lexi's done, but they won't come. Clearing my throat, I explain, "I noticed Lexi missing so I went looking for her. I found her in my father's office with Dom holding her captive. From the sound of it, he was demanding to know our plans. When she refused to tell him, he broke her arm."

"Shit," Dutch says.

"We're going to kill that motherfucker," Razor declares.

My voice is flat as I say, "I already did."

"What!" Mia's shriek echoes off the walls.

The others are completely silent. Most likely, they're all playing through the scenarios of how fucked we are now.

"My wolf saw what he did to her, and I snapped." I don't have to explain more than that. Lexi's my mate. I couldn't have stopped myself if I'd wanted to. And I'm not sure how to tell them about the rest of it yet.

"So, we failed," Razor says quietly.

There's no accusation in his voice, but the disappointment registers in all of them. I feel it too, but it's overshadowed by Lexi's deception.

Losing her eclipses everything else.

I blink, trying to shove down the worst of the pain, but it hovers there—backed into a corner and threatening to pounce. If I let it, it'll consume me.

"Wait, my old man texted me to stay away," Dutch says. Worry creases his brow. "Shit. They know something, don't they?"

"My father and the generals walked in right after it happened," I say, trying to focus on the conversation. "Apparently, the silent alarm was triggered right before Dom killed the guards. He and the generals came to check it out and found us standing over the asshole's body."

"Shit," Crow mumbles.

"Is he going to tell Franco?" Ramsey asks.

"No, he agreed to cover it up," I say, studying him. There's sweat along his brow. I frown. "What's wrong with you?"

He runs a hand through his already wild hair. "I need to tell you something."

The others watch me carefully, clearly aware of something I'm not.

"What?" I ask, impatient.

"Lexi's not… Ugh." He grimaces like he's in pain. "Do you have the hex blade?"

My wolf surges at the same time my muscles tense. "Why?"

Ramsey opens his mouth, but no sound comes out.

Dutch speaks up. "We think he's under compulsion. He's been trying to tell us something about Lexi for a couple of hours now."

Fuck.

What does he know?

And why the hell is he compelled not to tell me?

Whatever he knows, it can't be good.

"Grey, the blade," Razor prompts.

I shake myself, trying to think past the betrayal that twists like a slow-grinding knife in my chest. "The case by the door."

Mia hurries past me and clicks open the case. She returns and hands the blade over to me, something like pity in her eyes.

I unwrap the hex blade and grip the short hilt in my hand. Then I walk over to Ramsey. He holds out his hand, and I see that it's trembling slightly. With a quick movement, I slice across his palm. He winces but stands his ground as blood rises to the surface of the wound.

"Repeat after me," I tell him. "By the power of the blade, I speak truth."

"By the power of the blade, I speak truth," he says, his voice strained.

I press the flat of the blade to his palm so that his blood coats the hexerei symbols etched into the steel.

The symbols glow, and Ramsey suddenly gasps then exhales. He pulls his hand away, bending at the waist as he sucks in deep gulps of air.

I wait, heart pounding.

He said her name.

I need to know why.

"What do you know?" I demand impatiently.

He straightens, an apology written across his face. "A lot of things," he says quietly. "For starters, I know Lexi is a spy for Franco."

The others react with protests and curses.

I stare steadily back at him, fighting the knowing his words bring.

The lie he gave me the night Lexi missed dinner. The way my wolf knew he hadn't fully come clean the next day. I'd chalked it up to his lack of trust. Or him just wanting to look out for me, to make sure I didn't do something rash.

"How do you know that?" I ask when the others stop yelling.

Ramsey squares his shoulders and says, "Because I've been spying too."