Page 147 of Where Sinners Repent

Ash pinches the bridge of his nose. He knows this already but hearing it from Xavier just solidifies it. There are certain things you need for a gang war. Guns are at the top of the list.

We have the manpower, though.

And right now, all I can think about is exterminating the world of two certain Kavanagh boys. If Zeke wants to string me up like an animal again afterwards, I can deal with it when the time comes.

Things just got personal.

“Here is the plan.” Ash straightens, his face turning into the lethal president we know he can be. “We suspect the Kavanagh boys are making a play for president in Zeke’s absence. Roxy mentioned something about the freezer, their old safe house. If they aren’t there, we’ll keep looking. If they are, we set Kai and Kaleb on them. You guys can make them spill their secrets and dispose of them however you want.”

Kaleb smirks, sitting up straighter at the mention of free rein. I feel his excitement. It’s the same feeling stirring inside my chest.

“But we do it quietly,” Ash continues. “We can’t afford to lose any more weapons. And I will not fucking lose another Devil. Not this year.”

Leon nods along. It’s just us five. Matt and Griff are with Maddy, and my girl is upstairs sleeping. She was out cold when we left, and being down here by the entrances gave me enough comfort to run down here and plead my case.

And we won.

Leon stretches and cracks his neck. He starts bouncing on his seat, unable to sit still. I try to focus on Ash, but the kid won’t stop fidgeting. He watches Ash, but it doesn’t look like anything is sinking in.

“One last thing, we...” Ash turns to look at Leon, a look of exasperation pulling at his features. “What the fuck is your problem?”

Leon bites his lip. “Are you done with your thing? I’ve got news!”

For a moment, I’m glad Griff is upstairs. This overactive toddler interruption would burst his forehead vein.

Ash sighs, flapping his hand in the air. “Go ahead, Leon.”

Leon’s face breaks out in a smile. “One of Zeke’s accounts moved.”

All of our attention snaps to him.

“Are you fucking serious?” Xavier growls. “And you didn’t start with that?”

Leon drums his fingers on his laptop, shrugging. “If you’ve got good cards, you don’t show them straight away.”

“What the fuck does that even... You know what, I don’t fucking care,” Ash grits out. “Go on.”

“I’ve been watching his accounts like a hawk. There is most likely an offshore account, but the ones I’ve got here haven’t been touched since the night he disappeared. Until yesterday. Someone withdrew from it.”

“Where?” Kaleb asks.

“Still working on that,” Leon murmurs, clearly annoyed with himself.

“So it could be anyone,” Ash grumbles.

“Could be,” Leon shrugs. “But whoever it is has access to money Zeke has left untouched for months. Unless you’re a genius like me, it’s actually incredibly hard to do.”

Ash scoffs, but I can see his mind whirring.

“He might be closer than we think,” Leon adds, before falling back into his chair.

“Keep watching it,” Ash demands.

The conversation continues, but I hear something. Barely anything. Just the sound of wood shifting, so faint that it’s most likely the building shifting. My attention snaps to the wall it came from. Nobody else seems to hear it.

Everyone’s voices fade as I strain my ears to listen. I don’t hear it again. Still, every hair on the back of my neck rises. An unsettled sensation settles under my skin.

Something feels fucking wrong.