Cross (Dark Kings 3)

CHAPTER FIVE

CROSS

I SIT AT our conference table on the thirteenth floor in tower one as Nite, Luca, and Titan enter. Grave sits across from me, icing his right hand. He got in some good hits last night at the Airport. Bones already sits at the head of the table.

Nite takes the seat to my left, and Luca sits next to Grave. He places his cell on the table, and I flip my Zippo open and closed as I stare at it.

The conference room has jammers all over it, so we conduct our business here. Secretive meetings where we talk about shit that cannot be repeated. No cell phones or electrical devices will work in this room, just in case someone tries to record anything. The Kings cover our asses.

“What’s the issue?” Bones asks Luca.

He undoes his suit jacket before answering. “Well, the fact that Kenneth didn’t give you anything to go on doesn’t look good.”

“The guy wasn’t going to talk,” Grave states, leaning back in his seat and getting comfortable.

“He was dead. Doesn’t matter who did it. The guy was on borrowed time,” Bones agrees with his brother.

“Maybe, but we needed to know when that shipment was going to arrive,” Luca says.

“There’s got to be someone else who knows something.” Titan is the one who speaks.

“The Mason brothers,” Grave offers.

“No.” Bones shakes his head.

“Just because you don’t like them doesn’t mean they can’t be helpful,” Grave snaps at him.

“I don’t want them involved,” Bones goes on.

“And I don’t want people I love killed.” Grave stands, throwing his ice pack into the center of the custom black table where a skull is carved out. “Some of us actually have something to lose here, Bones.”

His brother sighs, looking up at him, but he doesn’t argue. I can understand Grave’s frustration. Titan and Bones have nothing to do with the Mason brothers, but I don’t mind them.

“I can go speak to them. Dig around a little,” I offer. “If I don’t think they can help, then I won’t give anything away.”

The room falls silent, and Luca looks at Nite. “You can go with him.”

Nite nods as if it was a question. Nite is our secret weapon per se. The guy doesn’t speak. He’s been a mute since college.

“Then it’s decided,” Grave states before turning and exiting the room, shoving the double doors open.

Bones bows his head, running his hand through his hair, obviously not pleased. But what can he do at this point? He may be Grave’s older brother, but Grave has always done what he wants to do. The kid wasn’t nicknamed Grave for nothing. He’s always had a death wish.

“We’ll go tonight,” I say, and once again, Nite nods, letting me know that’s fine. I have no doubt that Grave will go with me as well.

“Don’t leave him there with them alone.” Bones finally speaks, thinking the same as me before he too gets up and leaves the room.

I exit the conference room and get to my office. I pull out my cell and see if anything comes through now that I have service. Nothing.

I pull up Alexa’s number on my cell. I had put mine in her phone and then called myself. I told her to text me later, but I wasn’t going to rely on her to take that step. If need be, I’ll take it myself.

I write her out a text but then delete it and decide to just go see her tonight after I’m done at the Airport. It’ll be harder for her to reject me in person.

_______________

GRAVE AND I get out of my car at the Airport. Nite pulls up beside us and gets out of his. We make our way into the building and to the Mason brothers’ office. Grave hasn’t said two words to me since we left Kingdom, but I’m not taking it personally. He’s been in a pissy mood since we were here last night.

We enter the office, and Turner Mason—the middle brother—sits at the table. A duffel bag sits open in the center with money falling out of it onto the surface. He wears his shoulder holster with a Desert Eagle on each side. The Mason brothers shoot first and never ask questions.

Trey Mason—the baby—sits on his brother’s right. He spots us first. Pushing his chair back, he balances it on the back two legs and places his black boots up on the table. He locks his fingers behind his head, wearing a fucking smirk on his face.

I don’t see the eldest brother, Tanner, but the guy to Turner’s left quickly gets my attention. Because I just saw him last night. Mitch stands there with his back toward us, his hands on a woman’s ass and his tongue down her throat. And it must be my lucky day because I also know the woman he’s giving mouth to mouth to.