Wreaking Havyk - Faith Gibson Page 0,3

Hayden. In doing so, he taught Hayden how to blend in with any group of people. Part of being a good assassin was studying the mark. Getting close enough to whomever he was supposed to kill without getting caught. Not always looking like a roughneck biker. Little things like knowing which wine to order with dinner. What makeup to use to cover the tattoos when he needed to look like every other male in the room. When a suit and tie was appropriate instead of his normal jeans and a tee. Hell, Hayden even had a couple cardigan sweaters that aided in his boy-next-door persona.

Being Gryphons, they usually took out their marks up close with their claws instead of sitting on a rooftop across the street using a rifle. Hayden learned all about where CCTV cameras were located and how to avoid them. He now knew how to pick locks. He was proud of the work he did customizing bikes and the awards he’d won doing so, but the only time he’d felt prouder of himself was when Ryker gave Hayden his first solo assignment. Building a bike from the floor up was something he was good at, and he felt a sense of accomplishment after each one was handed off. Taking out the scum of the earth? That was a sense of rightness. Being a Gryphon was all about protecting humans, so being a mercenary was a step above being a shifter.

It was after eleven by the time they arrived at The Rooftop. They strolled through the front door after paying the cover charge. The first floor was already filled with bodies dancing and grinding. Kyllian led the way, and even with the tight crowd, people parted like the Red Sea, moving out of his brother’s way. Now that Ryker had found love with Rhiannon, Kyllian had taken over the roll as broodiest brother. He was like a chameleon, though. Kyllian had always been serious, but he could change his visage to be whatever he needed in the moment. In that moment, he needed to be a bull, charging through the throngs of dancers and partiers to make it unscathed to the stairway.

If Hayden had been alone, he would have stopped to speak to every female who tried to get their attention no matter how much the synthesized music got on his nerves. He would have stopped, not to get into bed with them all, but because he was a nice guy. Too nice most of the time. It was the one thing that had kept Ryker from training him for so long. He had been afraid Hayden didn’t have the stomach for “wet work.” Hay had no problem ending the life of a criminal. He did take issue with someone being a dick for no good reason. In ignoring the females, Kyllian wasn’t being a dick; he just knew Hayden preferred the quieter atmosphere on the roof, and he didn’t waste time getting them up there. As soon as they walked out onto the open floor, Hayden was glad his brother had taken lead. Hayden seriously hated techno music.

“You gonna spend some time with the girls while you’re in Texas?” Kyllian asked once they had a drink in hand. “The girls” was how Rory referred to their older sisters, even though all six of them were in their eighties with kids and grandkids of their own.

“Yes. There’s no way I’d travel so close and not visit them. I made sure to keep my schedule clear for the next couple weeks. Once I’ve dropped off the bike, I’m going to hang out with all of them for a while. Figure I could use the down time.”

“You want some company?” Kyllian didn’t have a job other than being a mercenary.

“Don’t you have some willing little kitten to tie up and whip, Master?” Hayden whispered his question. He was giving his brother grief about his chosen proclivities, but it wasn’t anyone else’s business what he did in the bedroom. Or dungeon. Hayden had visited a club with his brother once, but it was enough for him to know that wasn’t his kink. Hayden didn’t really have a kink. The women he’d gone out with lately had expected him to be a hardass just because he was a biker. They expected rough treatment and bad language. That wasn’t him. He wasn’t Jax Teller from the old biker show Sons of Anarchy.

“Kitten?” Kyllian’s grin was feral. “I have all the kittens lined up.