Page 9 of Feast

Spider laughed. “Yeah, I mean, was it really considered cheating if we were never really into each other?” I pressed my lips together and shot him a look. “Oh, don’t play coy now. Even back then, we both know you had a thing for this one. Sure, you didn’t fuck him, but even way back then, you were obsessed with him.” His eyes shot to Haze and my cheeks burned. Haze looked from him to me, taken aback by what he’d said. Spider nodded, taking another hit. “Yeah…you two were close, even then. I figured something was going on back then, which is why Haze beating my ass came as no shock.” He sat down, dropping his feet up on the table.

Haze cocked his head. “I beat your ass ‘cause you made Indi cry. Even if she wasn’t into you, catching her supposed boyfriend hooking up isn’t exactly an easy pill to swallow.” He grinned. “And I’ll do it again if I have to.”

Spider shrugged, ignoring his threat. “Shit happens. But look at it this way, I saved all of us a big headache.” He winked at my twin. “So…you’re welcome.”

Haze grimaced. “I’m not thanking you for shit.”

Spider kept smiling. “We’ll see about that.”

Felix finally cleared his throat. “Enough. If we could, please get back on track.” He looked at Spider, who nodded, giving him the floor to speak. “The reason we’re all here is that, as Spider said, we found where Kief is hiding out.” He tossed a thick file towards Haze and me. I reached out and turned it to face me, opening the file as Felix continued to speak. “Just like Charlotte’s Web, Northern Lights has their own businesses that operate under their network. Hotels, safe houses, clubs.” I opened the file as Haze skimmed the pages over my shoulder. “One in particular called⁠—”

“The Burnout.” I looked up at Felix. “Is this what I think it is?”

My older brother nodded. “Yes…I figured you’d know it.”

Haze grabbed the file and silently read it to himself. “Wait…this is the club Indi used to work in. Back when she first met that fuckboy, Carter.”

I cringed at his name.

Felix nodded. “It seems Carter’s family was loosely connected to Northern Lights, as well. Which means your dead ex-boyfriend was all a part of Kief’s doing.”

Spider shot out a loud laugh. “Damn girl, how many ex-boyfriends you got?” We all shot him a death glare. He rolled his eyes and raised his hands. “My bad.”

Dream leaned over Felix, looking at his own copy of the file. “Wait.” She nearly fell over him as he held her. “I–I know this place.” She tapped the file with her long nail, her white hair spilling along the table as she stared down at it. “Yes…I know it.” We all looked at her. “Ray…” she whispered. “Ray.” Her hazel eyes shot to Felix. “This is where he wanted to take me. To dance.” His face drained of color. “Here.” She tapped the paper again.

“Are you sure?” he asked.

Dream nodded. “He showed it to me once…before things got bad.”

Spider spoke up. “Uhhhh. I’m sorry, who’s Ray?” he asked.

Haze scoffed, crossing his arms. “Look who’s lost now.” He tilted his head to one side. “For someone who claims to be in charge, you sure are behind on the intel, aren’t you?” He grinned. “Well, I guess I’ll just have to fill you in, seeing as you’re so behind.” Spider clicked his tongue. “Ray is some lowlife drug dealer Dream had a run-in with. Well…multiple run-ins. He’s the one who brought Kief’s attention to her. But Felix and I handled him.”

Felix’s arms flexed as he stared down at the file. “Not enough, apparently. We should’ve killed him,” he snapped. His eyes raised to meet Spider’s. “Ray’s the petty drug dealer working under Kief who tried to sell Dream into dancing in some underground club. One that turned out to have ties to a trafficking ring associated with Northern Lights. Thankfully, she got away from him…for some time.” He pulled Dream close, holding her tight, obviously worried about her mental state. “Do you need to take a break from all of this?” He carefully touched her cheek, brushing her long hair back. “We can take a break.”

Dream shook her head, placing her hand atop his. “No, I’m okay. I promise.” She leaned her head forward, pressing her forehead against his. “I pinky promise.” She then kissed him sweetly, cupping his face before pulling away. “I’m not a broken Dream anymore.”

My heart ached for the two of them, knowing all they had been through. And knowing what she meant by calling herself that.

Felix has finally met his equal.

Spider cleared his throat, directing all our focus back to him. “Sorry to interrupt, but I don’t think things could have aligned any better for us.” We all looked at him, waiting for an explanation. “Well, as you know, Indi, Charlotte’s Web has been organizing an undercover operation for some time.”

“Don’t,” Haze warned.

Spider ignored him and kept speaking. “And the original plans were put on hold to use our assets to help locate Dream.”

“I’m warning you,” Haze warned again.

Spider shot him a look, almost daring him to do something. “Now that Dream’s been safely located and recovered, it’s been decided that Charlotte’s Web is going to resume the original operation. And we need you to play your part.”

Haze kicked the table, startling me. “I said no. Indi isn’t going anywhere, especially undercover at one of Kief’s fucking clubs,” he growled. “It’s too dangerous. And I’m not letting her out of my sight. Not after everything that fucker has done to all of us.”

How did I know he was going to say that?

My twin looked from Spider to Felix. “Forgive me, hermano, but you let your woman out of your sight. And because of that, you almost died. Both of you.” I looked at Felix, and he looked as though he wanted to murder Haze. “I don’t care what you, Charlotte’s Web, or anyone else says…Indi isn’t going anywhere.”

I looked between my brothers, instantly feeling anxious at the growing tension. Their inherited tempers were both beginning to show, seeping into the air like a cloud of smoke as they glared at one another.