The Queen Of Bad Things (Book 2)

Chapter 17. Have We Met?

 We walked into the study. All the boys were still here, and Carlos sat beside Luis on the couch. They looked at us warily. I wondered if they knew already.

"Spill it, Benny. We're dying here," Joey muttered. Joey shifted in his seat impatiently.

We all sat down except for Benny. Benny stood in between us and the desk. "You guys are probably going to freak—"

"Spit it out, Benny!" All of chorused.

"Okay, okay, but you need to know that I'm a hundred percent sure of this. . ." Benny trailed off.

We all leaned forward. Joey looked as if he were ready to strangle Benny; if we didn't get the answer to the question. All of us had spent months wanting to know who sent the bomb. We were sure the Aryan brothers helped, but we were also convinced there was more to it.

"The council sent the bomb," Benny said. "At least, one of them did, but if I had to guess they—"

"They were all in on it," Abel finished Benny's sentence.

Carlos looked the most skeptical out of all of us. "Benny, that's ridiculous. It's a huge accusation—"

"Sir, with all due respect, it isn't an accusation. I said that I'm certain of this. I know that it sounds crazy, and I didn't want to believe it either, but I'm not an idiot," Benny said. He set his chin stubbornly.

"I believe him," I said.

"You do?" Benny, Aria, and Carlos chorused. They all looked stunned by what I said.

Benny is the one I looked at as I responded, "Yes, I do." My gaze locked with Carlos. "You weren't here when things went down, and had you been; you probably wouldn't be quite so dismissive of the idea. They were likely all involved in it. They hated the thought of Aria running things, and they wanted me to do it. The council nearly got what they wanted. If that isn't motive, I don't know what is."

Everyone stared at me as they let what I said sink in. Carlos mashed his lips in a straight line. Aria sighed and ran a hand through her hair.

"They won't get away with this," Carlos said. His eyes grew vengeful.

"Agreed," I said. My eyes flickered to Aria. Anger lingered in her eyes, but behind that anger was strength. "It wasn't just Nicolas who had the insight. The council gave them the information they needed too. It makes the most sense. The council knew we were getting married and knew that I wasn't home. It was their best opportunity to try and take you out," I said.

"Those bastards," Aria spat through her clenched teeth. She got up and walked around her desk. She sat down and pulled out a small address book. "They won't get away with this. I want every last one of them." Aria grabbed a pen and started to write down addresses.

"What are you proposing we do?" I asked.

"We have plenty of Propofol. We'll use that to knock them out and bring them here. Once the anesthetic wears off, we will question them. They may be able to give us more insight about what the Aryan brothers are doing, and then we kill them," Aria said.

"I'll get the drugs," Austin said and wiggled his eyebrows. Austin danced his way out of the study.

I chuckled at my brother's enthusiasm. "So, who gets who?"

"Abel and Luis can get Antonio and Ray. Austin, Benny, and Joey can grab Juan and Pedro. You and I will get Alejandro and Fernando," Aria said to me.