Blood Bonds(The Bonds That Tie #3)(69)

I can respect that.

I can respect a lot of what he’s said actually. If it weren’t for his last name, his parents, his entire upbringing, he’d absolutely be climbing his way up to my inner circle of people I trust.

I can’t do that though, not right now, and not with so much at stake.

I nod at him right as the doors open to reveal Black and Rockelle waiting there for us, both of them in full Tac gear. Heading out of the Sanctuary means needing at least three fully trained operatives per group, and there’s no one I trust more than these two.

Even if they are the mouthiest assholes on my damn team.

“So we’re not taking the harbinger of death this time?”

I already know Rockelle is attempting to stir shit about Oli, but I’m not going to let him. “North is dealing with the council bullshit as remotely as possible these days, so he’ll be here. Or did you mean Nox? He’s sleeping off a hangover.”

He grins at me and shrugs it off, easy and friendly as always. “Sure, those two Death Dealers were the ones I was talking about. I’ve already been warned.”

Bassinger stares him down. “Obviously it didn’t sink in.”

Black and I share a look. Bassinger is never going to make friends with the blunt and cutthroat treatment he gives everyone when Oli isn’t with him, but I’m also starting to figure out that he doesn’t really give a fuck either. He doesn’t want friends. The weird companionship he’s found himself in with Gabe seems like the only concession he’s been willing to make… that and the truce he just declared with North.

Anyone outside of our Bond Group is fair game to his acid tongue.

I motion for him to step in closer to the other two so that we can get this job over and done with. Rockelle is grinning at him with an edge to it like he’s itching for a fight. They’re as bad as each other, and I’ll need to remember to keep them apart in the future.

As we get within touching distance of each other, Black cocks his head at me before shaking it, clapping his hand onto my shoulder to transport me a little more forcefully than usual. “New cologne?”

My eyes narrow. “Don’t breathe a word. I have enough shit on you to bury you.”

He just smirks at me and motions like he’s zipping his lips shut, which is the biggest fucking lie because the asshole just thinks everything he would say, which is just as effective.

He knows how to send me information, has for years, and it’s been useful in our line of work, so I find him thinking in my direction. I’d call you a degenerate but… I guess you’re Bonded and it’s to be expected.

I answer out loud, “You shouldn’t call me anything as your superior and definitely not in Councilman Draven’s hearing.”

He has been friends with North almost as long as I have been, and I don’t have to say anything else for him to get what I’m saying, loud and clear. He snorts and shakes his head again. “They’re both as jealous as each other, and yet neither of them have figured it out yet. Fucking hilarious.”

Bassinger doesn’t like any of this conversation, and the smirk he gives Black is all sorts of venomous. “How’s your Bond Group treating you?”

Black has gone toe-to-toe with Nox for decades; Bassinger’s shitty attitude is nothing to him. “Well, there isn’t a Resistance snake in mine, so better than others for sure.”

Bassinger just raises an eyebrow at him and snarks back, “Are you so sure about that?”

No one here wants to think about the Riley and Giovanna mess we’re still attempting to untangle for Sage, or what doing so is going to cost us.

Black grimaces and transports us without another word, the pop loud enough to ring in my eardrums and scramble my head for a second once our feet hit solid ground again. He’s brought us to the underground parking space of the offices, right in front of the elevator to the basement. There’s no one else around us, nothing to say that anything is happening here that we’d need to worry about, and a pit of unease starts in my gut.

It always does when things go smoothly.

I don’t trust that shit at all.

As per protocol, no one else speaks or moves until I’ve cast my gift out to check for other Gifted around us. There’s no one in the parking lot or the first three upper levels of the building. The raid has made sure of that, and when I push my gift to its limits, I only find the prisoners and other Gifted we have held down in the cells.

“We’re clear. Let’s get this over with.”

Black nods and takes point, letting Rockelle fall behind and cover our backs. Bassigner watches their movements with keen eyes but keeps his mouth shut, following along with the rules and guidelines he’s been told about coming along today.

Nox had railed hard about having him here, still so sure that he’s a spy, but North and I had agreed. Whatever we need to do to get the upper hand on the Resistance, as long as it’s not sacrificing innocents, then we’re doing it.

Anything to get Oli clear of Silas fucking Davies.

When we make it to the lower levels and the doors of the elevator opens, Black and I both watch as Bassinger steps out and gets a good look at the cells. It feels a little like deja vu, like I’m back to a few weeks ago when Oli had been here for the first time and Carlin Meadows had gotten an eyeful of her.

Render.