through it," Jasper said evenly. "As quick and easy as possible. Then you can get on to more important things."
Unless the whole meeting exploded in his face, or they ended up at war with whoever had backed Wilson Trent's attack. Both seemed equally probable, at this point.
What a grim fucking future for him and his newly collared queen. "Recruitment drive," he told Jasper. At least with that rolling, he'd feel like he was preparing for whatever came next. "Make it a priority. When we get back, we'll all sit down and figure out the quickest way to bring up our numbers without taking on any dead weight."
"Yes, sir."
Mad and Bren were still silent and stone-faced. Dallas tried to lighten the mood with a crooked smile. "Cheer up, boys. You're headed to one of Cerys's parties. Expensive pussy and someone might try to stab you. Can't get more exciting than that."
"It's not a party until someone pulls a blade." But there was a rough edge to Bren's voice, with no trace of his usual quirky humor.
Mad stepped into the awkward silence with his easy smile, but Dallas had the distinct impression that Mad was rescuing Bren, not him. "Bren will handle the knives, and I'll take care of the hookers. It'll be a regular shindig. Is that all you needed, boss?"
It was a question, but it also wasn't. Mad had a look in his eyes, a set to his jaw and brow, one that told Dallas that it had better be enough. "Yeah, you two go pack."
They filed out, but Jasper stayed behind, rubbing at his eyes with his thumb and forefinger. "Jesus, Dallas."
The bottom drawer of his desk held rum, whiskey and two glasses. Dallas dropped all of it on his desk and poured himself a triple. "I know, I know. But I thought the bastard would laugh. We've all watched him get off how many chicks in the damn cage alone? What's got him so defensive?"
"Maybe he can take some good-natured ribbing, but doesn't like having his head bitten off."
"Is that what I did?"
Jasper arched an eyebrow. "What would you call it?"
He didn't have an answer for that--not an honest one he wanted to give. Dallas drained his drink and slammed it down. "Fuck, Jas. She's got me turned inside out, and I can't afford that right now. None of us can."
"That's not Bren's fault. It's not mine, or even hers." Jasper rose and shoved his hands in his pockets. "Get it as right as you can before you leave, because if you lose your shit in Two, you make Lex a bigger target than she already is. Truth."
"I hear you." But hearing wasn't enough. Somehow, he had to get a chokehold on his own base reactions, along with the fucking temper that ran too close to the surface where Lex was concerned. "I'll make things right, too. With Bren, with you and your girl."
Jas shook his head. "First order of business--stay alive. Everything else can wait."
Dallas almost laughed. "That's the one thing you don't have to tell me, man. I always stay alive."
"You've never done this before. Watch your back."
"I'll do you one better. I'll let Lex watch it." Dallas smiled wryly. "You don't think she'd let anyone else sink a knife in it, do you?"
But Jasper didn't smile. "No, I don't. I wonder if you do, though."
No, that was one thing Dallas had always been certain of, whether Jasper believed it or not. Lex was fully capable of trying to tear out his heart with her bare hands if she thought he deserved it, but she reserved that right for herself.
And if he didn't get his temper under control, she'd be trying sooner rather than later. "I'll see you after dinner. We can walk the warehouse and check the next shipment."
"I'll take care of it." Jasper turned the knob with a grin. "Bren and Mad aren't the only ones who have to pack." He slipped out and closed the door behind him.
No, they weren't, and they had the easier task. Bodyguards faded into the background. Dallas would be front and center, and he had to look the part. Deadly and uncivilized, the living embodiment of why no one should fuck with Sector Four. Truth in
Unless the whole meeting exploded in his face, or they ended up at war with whoever had backed Wilson Trent's attack. Both seemed equally probable, at this point.
What a grim fucking future for him and his newly collared queen. "Recruitment drive," he told Jasper. At least with that rolling, he'd feel like he was preparing for whatever came next. "Make it a priority. When we get back, we'll all sit down and figure out the quickest way to bring up our numbers without taking on any dead weight."
"Yes, sir."
Mad and Bren were still silent and stone-faced. Dallas tried to lighten the mood with a crooked smile. "Cheer up, boys. You're headed to one of Cerys's parties. Expensive pussy and someone might try to stab you. Can't get more exciting than that."
"It's not a party until someone pulls a blade." But there was a rough edge to Bren's voice, with no trace of his usual quirky humor.
Mad stepped into the awkward silence with his easy smile, but Dallas had the distinct impression that Mad was rescuing Bren, not him. "Bren will handle the knives, and I'll take care of the hookers. It'll be a regular shindig. Is that all you needed, boss?"
It was a question, but it also wasn't. Mad had a look in his eyes, a set to his jaw and brow, one that told Dallas that it had better be enough. "Yeah, you two go pack."
They filed out, but Jasper stayed behind, rubbing at his eyes with his thumb and forefinger. "Jesus, Dallas."
The bottom drawer of his desk held rum, whiskey and two glasses. Dallas dropped all of it on his desk and poured himself a triple. "I know, I know. But I thought the bastard would laugh. We've all watched him get off how many chicks in the damn cage alone? What's got him so defensive?"
"Maybe he can take some good-natured ribbing, but doesn't like having his head bitten off."
"Is that what I did?"
Jasper arched an eyebrow. "What would you call it?"
He didn't have an answer for that--not an honest one he wanted to give. Dallas drained his drink and slammed it down. "Fuck, Jas. She's got me turned inside out, and I can't afford that right now. None of us can."
"That's not Bren's fault. It's not mine, or even hers." Jasper rose and shoved his hands in his pockets. "Get it as right as you can before you leave, because if you lose your shit in Two, you make Lex a bigger target than she already is. Truth."
"I hear you." But hearing wasn't enough. Somehow, he had to get a chokehold on his own base reactions, along with the fucking temper that ran too close to the surface where Lex was concerned. "I'll make things right, too. With Bren, with you and your girl."
Jas shook his head. "First order of business--stay alive. Everything else can wait."
Dallas almost laughed. "That's the one thing you don't have to tell me, man. I always stay alive."
"You've never done this before. Watch your back."
"I'll do you one better. I'll let Lex watch it." Dallas smiled wryly. "You don't think she'd let anyone else sink a knife in it, do you?"
But Jasper didn't smile. "No, I don't. I wonder if you do, though."
No, that was one thing Dallas had always been certain of, whether Jasper believed it or not. Lex was fully capable of trying to tear out his heart with her bare hands if she thought he deserved it, but she reserved that right for herself.
And if he didn't get his temper under control, she'd be trying sooner rather than later. "I'll see you after dinner. We can walk the warehouse and check the next shipment."
"I'll take care of it." Jasper turned the knob with a grin. "Bren and Mad aren't the only ones who have to pack." He slipped out and closed the door behind him.
No, they weren't, and they had the easier task. Bodyguards faded into the background. Dallas would be front and center, and he had to look the part. Deadly and uncivilized, the living embodiment of why no one should fuck with Sector Four. Truth in
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