Jero wrapped his arms around Hilde. “I’ll get some information. I’m sure it won’t be hard. He’s only been dealing with mediocre tech and trade companies.”
Hilde pulled away, satisfied with the answer. “Good. Have it to me by breakfast.” She kissed Jero on the cheek and quickly turned around, flicking her fingers in the air, invoking magic and turning off the lights. She fell into a restless sleep as the name Whyte continued to plague her into her dreams.
Hilde went about her morning routine, and when she made it to breakfast, she fully expected Jero to deliver some news. She sat at the table checking her phone for the fifth time and still nothing. She glanced up, catching Dash walking into the room. He alone joined her for breakfast. Hilde knew Hina was in magical tutoring classes.
“Where is your brother?” Hilde asked.
Dash shrugged. “I haven’t seen him in a few days. Might be staying with that one guy.”
Dash shoveled food into his mouth, and Hilde made a mental note to speak to her youngest son. He might not be the next to run things, but he was not to make the family look bad at any time. Chase’s relationship with Dev Brisk needed to be over. They’d gotten what they needed, and Chase would need to move on to another elder, someone who had a little more pull. Dev was powerful but didn’t have as much sway as, say, Parkins. But Hilde doubted the old bastard would ever fall for Chase.
“Alia is very beautiful,” Hilde said.
Dash momentarily paused, a forkful of eggs halfway to his mouth.
“Yeah, in the airhead doll kind of way,” he said.
It was a fair assessment. Upon meeting Alia, she’d seemed lifeless. It didn’t matter to Hilde—she was simply a tool to help her achieve what she wanted.
“That’s a prize wife. Everything else is handled?” Hilde asked.
Dash nodded as he continued to eat. Hilde sipped her tea as the name Whyte continued to bother her.
“Dash, do you know the name Whyte?”
Dash choked on his food in a fit of coughing. Hilde waited until he was done with his dramatics. He gulped down some water. Strange.
“I’m guessing you do,” Hilde said.
Dash avoided her eyes, and that didn’t bode well. That bad feeling Hilde had been having since she’d heard the name doubled.
“Dash,” she said through gritted teeth. If she had to resort to magic, so be it.
“Yes,” he answered. His shoulders tensed, and he still refused to look at Hilde.
“And what do you know about them?” she asked.
“That they have been stealing small contracts from us,” Dash said.
Red, fiery anger flared in Hilde. She swiped everything in front of her to the floor. Glass shattered, but it wasn’t enough to defuse her rage.
“How long?”
“As far as I can tell, since May,” Dash said.
“Five months, and I am just now hearing about it? What the hell have you been doing?”
Dash finally looked at her. “They were small and didn’t hurt the company at all. I thought—”
“There you go, doing something you have no business doing. Thinking isn’t your strong suit, Dash.” Hilde was no longer hungry. She stood and moved to leave the dining room but stopped just short of leaving. “Dash.”
“Yes?” he said weakly.
If Hilde didn’t need her idiot son alive, she’d strangle him right then and there.
“From now on, you tell me instantly when something goes wrong. Now I must go fix your mess. No one should be allowed to take from us, no matter how small it is, and live.”
“Yes, Mother.”
Hilde left, but her phone still hadn’t dinged. It didn’t matter anymore. She couldn’t let whoever Mr. Whyte was live. He’d committed a crime in her book, and he had to pay for it. It would be a warning to any other person who thought they could climb up the ranks by taking from them.
Hilde thought about checking the mirror and asking the question, but it took too much magic, and she still needed to finish getting things ready for the wedding. She scrolled through her phone until she came upon a number she hadn’t used in years. Assassin witches. Unlike with Snoe, Hilde needed others to know it was her who had the ballsy witch killed. It was a clear warning to anyone who thought they could rise above her.
The phone rang three times before clicking.
“Secure line, Felth Core.”
“I have a bounty on the heart of Mr. Whyte. Thirty million,” Hilde said.
She needed it done now and fast. Money was no expense. As soon as Dash married, they would have access to the heritage that was supposed to be Snoe’s. The zeroes were endless, and Hilde couldn’t wait for it to be hers. She deserved it more than him, not that he was alive to receive it. Some of her anger eased up as the thought of Snoe dead warmed her heart. There was no one to stand in her way anymore.
“Done.” The call ended, and Hilde put her phone away. One annoyance out of the way. She just hoped everything else ran smoothly from now on.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Gunner
Since he could remember, Gunner had been angry. It seemed like it was the only emotion that fit his life. Born as a lower demon, he was made to feel worthless, and even when he’d joined the guys, it was impossible to get rid of the burning anger inside of him. At least that’s what Gunner had thought. It was impossible, yet every time Master so much as smiled at him, he could feel that flame getting smaller and smaller.
Blade held down the man that smelled of blood. Wolly went through his pockets, finding Master’s picture in his coat pocket.
The man’s fingers twitched, and Blade was tossed off his back. Gunner’s nose itched with the awareness of magic being used. He shifted into his demon wolf form without thought. It was as easy as stepping over a line. He attacked, but the man’s magical ability was far greater than Master’s, and he used it to his defense. Gunner didn’t reach him as a blast went off in his face, pushing him back. His vision blurred as his brain felt like it was being rattled around. Gunner picked himself up off the ground and heard more growls. He wasn’t about to be left out of the fight.
Gunner jumped back in just as Blade swept in and bit the man’s hand while Wolly distracted him. Gunner went for the other one before he could use any of his magic. Master had taught them witches were weak without the use of their hands. He shook his head even as blood filled his mouth, coating his tongue.
The man smiled at Gunner. It just pissed him off even more.
“We need to keep him alive and find out why he’s after Master,” Blade said.
Gunner reluctantly shifted back to his human form. If he stayed in his beast form for much longer he was going to kill the shit head regardless of what Blade said.
“I’m not saying shit.”
Gunner cracked his knuckles. Alive. Gunner wanted nothing more than to rip the man before him to shreds. He was a threat to Master.
“Let’s see how long you last,” Gunner said.
“I would be careful—out of all of us, Gunner is the one with the least amount of control,” Blade warned the man.
He continued to act tough. Didn’t matter to Gunner—he looked forward to repaying the bastard for attempting to kill Master.