9. Victoria

Once I'm backat BlackBriar, I find the boys waiting for me in the living room, looking pretty grim. "What?" I ask, almost dreading the answer.

"One of the students at Norwich died," Luke mutters.

"Norwich?" I feel like I'm out of the loop.

"I didn't get a chance to say anything before," Cian states. "These assholes attacked a non-mafia U, and they killed an innocent student. Now, I don't usually go in for caring much, but this shit is twisted."

"Fuck," I breathe out and sit heavily on the sofa. I'm with Cian. I don't usually give a fuck what goes on outside my own sphere, but if these cunts are purposely attacking just anyone with no apparent motive, shit changes. "So, what do we do?"

"We're digging as fast as we can. We can't rely on the elders to give us squat, though," Luke replies.

"Why not?"

"They're being cocks about it. Even with me. They are telling us to leave it. That just makes me want to bury these wazzocks even more," Cian grits out.

"But why?" I ask. It's rhetorical, and they all know it, but Gianluca shakes his head anyway.

"We don't know. They gave us scraps, but now that we're shovelling up the dirt, they have closed ranks."

"Are you fucking for real?" Standing up, I pull my phone out of the back pocket of my jeans and call my dad.

It rings.

It rings some more.

And then I get cut off.

"See?" Cian says, not smugly, but bordering on it.

"Fuckers!" I shout and throw my phone.

What happens next is like a fucking comedy sketch. Gianluca leaps out of his chair, throws his body to the side, and catches it before it hits the wall. He goes into a roll to come up with my phone intact in his hand.

I stare at him in something akin to shock. "What the fuck was that?" I blurt out, trying not to laugh.

He rises with all the dignity of the Prince he is. "My mother has a vicious temper, a bit like you, cara. I grew up fielding in our palace."

"Oh, your palace," I snicker. "Look at you."

"Hey, I've got a castle, you know," Luke grunts, but there's no real brag there. He's concerned, and it shows in every line of his body.

"Yeah, yeah, we know," I roll my eyes, trying to defuse the tension. But inside, I'm seething. Gianluca throws me my phone, and I'm about to call my dad back and keep on pestering him until he answers when Luke's phone rings. He answers it, and his expression darkens. "What the fuck?" He listens for a moment longer, then ends the call.

"Another attack?" Cian asks, sitting up straighter.

Luke glares at him. "Not exactly. We need to go."

"Go where?" I ask as he slides off the sofa in a fluid motion.

"The Union. Kellerman is making waves."

"That idiot? I forgot all about him," I mutter as Cian gives me a ferocious stare. "What? Shit has been… dinosaur dung heap bad. He is like a gnat that won't buzz off."

"Well, can't argue with that, but we'd better go and see what the little turd wants."

As we all move to the front door, I grab Bonnie where I'd left her in the entrance hall. "I'm not going anywhere without you ever again, my sweet," I murmur to her lovingly.

"Wish you'd use that tone with me," Cian murmurs, pulling me close and kissing my temple.

I look up at him with a slow smile. "Maybe later. Depends on how you behave," I tease, pulling away from him.

He growls and smacks my ass, making me giggle. I haven't felt this light in years. Even though the shadow of Asher Quinn's murder by my hand lingers, it is like a veil has been lifted. The trouble is, now I'm even more dangerous. I know it. I think the guys know it as well. The stalking and the memory of Quinn loomed over me, crushing me under its weight, but now that's gone, and the world needs to watch out.

Striding across the road to the campus, we head towards the Union. Before we reach it, Gianluca grabs my hand, pulling me to a halt. "Victoria, can I take you somewhere later tonight? Just the two of us?"

"Sure, as long as this mess is dealt with quickly."

"I'll make sure of it," he growls and lets go of me, walking away, so I have to rush to catch up.

His weird mood does nothing to help his patience. It's like a switch has been flipped, and he is out for blood now.

"Kellerman," Cian calls out as we approach the Union, seeing the annoying fucker standing with some of his crew. The rest of the students, drinking and smoking outside, are either ignoring him or watching him warily, wondering if they need to do something.

But their relief is clear when they see the four of us roll up, armed and ready to smash heads in. I twirl my wrist so Bonnie's nails flash in the floodlights illuminating the area. Most of the crew around Kellerman eye her warily. Suddenly, I remember my knife and wish I'd asked Cian what he did with it earlier.

Almost as if he can read my mind, Cian pulls out the knife, gleaming in the light as he holds it out for me. "Want this back?"

"Fuck yes," I say, gripping it by the blade as I take it, feeling the sharp edges slices into my skin. It gives me a rush, like a sugar high but with blood. Flicking it up in the air, it spins, and I catch it with a wicked smile. "Oh, I'm back, baby."

Cian grins. "Nice to see you again, killer."

"You fucking owe me!" Kellerman interrupts our exchange.

"Like fuck," Cian shouts. "You owed us compo."

"For what?" he practically shrieks. "You came into my club and stole a few thousand quid. I want it fucking back." He takes a menacing step forward.

"You're fucking delusional if you think we're giving you a penny of that back," I retort, not even waiting for Cian's comeback, brandishing Bonnie and my newly reclaimed knife. I'm fired up and raring to go. "You and your masked dicks ran over this place, hurt students on your own soil. BlackBriar doesn't stand for civil war, and you're looking at its ruling house, so be careful with your next words, little prick."

Cian's eyes on me are heated. I don't even have to look at him to know his cock is hard as he takes in the woman he first fell for. I smile, slowly, and it's like a sign of pure evil spreading across my face.

Kellerman does think twice about his next words. Awkwardly so.

We stand there, waiting for something. Anything. If we attack him now, we are the bad guys, but defend ourselves, our turf. That's a whole other ball game.

"I don't fucking know what you're talking about," he hisses, eventually. "That wasn't me."

"No?" Cian says, a tilt to his head that I know is anything but innocent.

Luke steps up beside me, his icy glare fixed on Kellerman. "You're lucky we don't slaughter you all right here, right now."

Gianluca moves closer, flanking my other side, his hand resting possessively on my hip. "You have until the count of three to walk away from this, whatever the fuck this is, Kellerman. Or we'll make sure you regret ever crossing us."

Cian chuckles darkly, cracking his knuckles. "One."

Kellerman's face pales, and he hesitates for a moment.

"Two," Luke says, pulling his knife out.

With sheer glee, I shout, "Three!"

And we charge.

They were warned, after all.

Bonnie swings through the air almost as if I have nothing to do with it. It's as if she possesses a dark soul, just like mine. She smacks into one of Kellerman's crew's faces, and he howls with pain when the nails slice into his flesh.

Without missing a beat, I spin around and thrust my knife into another guy's thigh, relishing in the sickening crunch as it hits bone. The sound of metal clashing and bodies crashing to the ground fills the air as chaos erupts around me.

Cian and Gianluca are a blur of fists and kicks, their movements fluid and deadly. Luke remains calm and collected, expertly taking down anyone who dares to come near him. Together, we are an unstoppable force, and I am invincible as we wreak havoc on Kellerman's crew.

With a loud, "Woohoo!" I dive on another of Kellerman's crew, driving my fist into his face, the one clutching the knife, before I bring it back to stab him in the upper arm. I'm not out to kill these morons, but I want them to know they've been hit by Victoria Stroud.

All that matters is taking down Kellerman a notch or three and anyone who stands with him.

Through the scrap, I catch sight of him trying to slip away. A primal growl rises in my throat as I give chase, Bonnie and my knife held tightly in my hands.

Suddenly, he stumbles, tripping over his own feet, making me roll my eyes so hard, they nearly get lodged the wrong way around. I launch myself at him, tackling him to the ground. He tries to fight me off, but I easily overpower him, straddling his chest and pinning his arms above his head with one hand. With my other hand, I press Bonnie's nails against his throat, making him freeze.

"You fucked with the wrong people, Kellerman," I snarl. "You're going to pay for what you did."

Cian appears beside me, crouching down, Clyde dripping blood onto the ground as he lets it dangle from his hand as he crosses his arms over his knees. "You owe us a fucking apology, and you better make it a good one."

Kellerman's eyes are wild with fear, but he tries to act tough, glaring up at me. "Fuck you."

I dig Bonnie's nails deeper into his neck, making him choke. "I don't think you're in a position to be so arrogant," I say, my voice light and airy now. Switching to the sunshine girl persona so that he fears me more than Cian's knife. This is the side of me that Dad needs to see. I'm not some dumb girl who doesn't know the score. I am the scorekeeper, and he needs to fucking know what I'm capable of. How assholes like Kellerman fear me because they don't know which way my unhinged ass is going to swing. "Apologise to us."

Kellerman finally caves, his voice shaking. "Okay. Okay. I'm sorry!"

"For what?" I ask sweetly.

"For asking for my money back. But it wasn't me who attacked the Union the other day. I swear," Kellerman stammers, knowing his Conference League ass is playing in the Premiership right now.

"Good boy," I say, patting his cheek with my free hand. I believe him when he says it wasn't him. The attack was too calculated. Kellerman isn't even an amateur. He's a kid playing dress-up. His cock goes hard under me, and I let out a soft laugh. "You like that, do you, good boy?" I purr as Cian growls and grabs my upper arm, hauling me off Kellerman as I laugh. I'm not mocking him. Some guys like a strong woman turning the praise around on them. But Cian's reaction is what amuses me. My sweet. Good boy. These are phrases he wants directed at him, tumbling from my lips as I ride his cock into detonation.

Well, that can be arranged.

"You're fucking pathetic, Kellerman," Gianluca says as he and Luke step closer, towering over the trembling man. "You'd better hope we don't find out it was you behind the attack on the Union, or you'll wish you'd never been born."

Luke chuckles darkly, twirling his knife in his hand. "Or maybe we'll just make sure you never see the light of day again."

Kellerman's face pales even further, and he starts babbling apologies and promises. I roll my eyes and turn to Cian, who is still holding onto my arm. He's glaring down at Kellerman with disgust and something else I can't quite place.

"Let's go," I say softly, tugging his arm. "We've made our point. He won't bother us again."

Cian nods reluctantly, and we turn to leave. Gianluca and Luke fall into step beside us as we stride away from the mangled bodies of Kellerman's crew. My heart is racing, and I can feel the adrenaline coursing through my veins. I feel alive and invincible.

As we walk away and into the Union for a celebratory drink, I think about what Kellerman said about the Union attack. It's true that it wasn't his style, but that begs the question: who was it?