“Well that’s just fucking great.” I finally released her. “I’ve got one man down for the count, and Hudson and I need to do everything we can to get him back on his feet again. Not to mention Haley—she’s not going to be able to work until she knows Saint’s out of the woods. We need more time, Gem. At least a week, maybe longer.”
She reached up to massage her throat, shooting me a dark glare.
Good. I hope it leaves a fucking bruise, traitor.
“Figure it out, demon,” she hissed. “Keradoc said two days. Nothing more I can do for you.”
“Nothing more.” I let out a bitter laugh. “Right. Nothing more than stabbing us in the back. Oh, unless you can find another place to stick a dagger, perhaps?” I gestured toward my bedroom across the way, where Saint muttered and twitched in his drug-induced stupor. “Pretty sure he doesn’t have an inch of unmarred flesh left on his entire body at this point, inside or out. But hey, don’t let that stop you. Clever woman like yourself, I’m sure you can find a way to finish the job, right?”
She glared at me, hands clenching into fists, her body vibrating with a dark rage. But then her gaze shifted over my shoulder, undoubtedly catching a glimpse of Saint, and all the fight leaked from her limbs.
When she met my gaze again, there was only sadness in hers… And fear. I felt it wash over me like a hot desert wind, fierce and all-encompassing.
“Is he… is he going to survive the night?” she asked, her voice suddenly timid.
When I didn’t immediately respond, her fear kicked up a few notches.
It made no fucking sense. What the hell was she afraid of? Saint’s death? It was her fault he’d been forced into Keradoc’s drug dens in the first place. Now she felt bad about it?
Correction. Now she waspretendingto feel bad about it. Saint may have believed there was more to the story of Gem’s betrayal, but I sure as hell didn’t.
She’d fucked us. Simple as that. And if she thought I had so much as ashredof sympathy for her, she was barking up the wrong fucking demon-tree.
“What’s wrong, Gem?” I taunted. “You worried Saint might actually live long enough to finally take his revenge on the woman who set us up for death?”
“Jax, I… It wasn’t like that. I didn’t…” She closed her eyes and shook her head, cursing under her breath.
“You didn’t what? Sell us out?”
In a flash, she lunged for me, swiping the dagger that was strapped to my hip.
She brandished it between us, pointing it right at my chest, but I was beyond fearing her. Beyond caring.
“You didn’t lay a trap you knew we’d walk right into?” I continued. “You didn’t convince us you were on our side—a friend—then pull the rug out from under us right when we needed you themost?”
“It’s complicated,” she said. “Keradoc—”
“Keradoc.” I practically spat out the name. “You can stand behind your warlord protector all you want. But after what you did to us?” I took a step closer. “To Saint?” Another step. “ToHaley?” I took the final step, ignoring the press of that dagger against my chest as I backed her all the way up against the wall again. “I don’t care who you were before all this went down. I don’t care why you’re doing what you’re doing. I don’t care that you’re a pureblood Midnighter who’s got Keradoc and a whole army of fae witches backing you up. You hear me, Gem? I. Don’t. Care. So if you feel like you need to shove that blade into my heart? Fine. Do it. But know this. Whether Saint survives the night is irrelevant to you. Because as long asIsurvive? You don’t have much time left.” Then, in a cold whisper that made her shiver, “I’m coming for you, Gem.Thatis my fucking promise toyou. And unlike you? Ikeepmy word.”
Gem shoved me away, but the gesture was just that. A gesture. Empty and useless, just as her friendship had been. With one last glare, she dropped the dagger and said, “Keradoc wants the first shipment packed up and ready to move in two nights. Make it happen.”
“Keradoc can go fuck himself, and you’re welcome to join him.”
Gem’s eyes narrowed. “Don’t forget who owns you,demon.”
Unlike her weak excuse for knife play,thatweapon actually hit the mark.
She was right. Keradoc did own me. For now, anyway. Because if I didn’t obey him, Haley would be paying the price.
And that wasn’t something I’deverallow to happen.
I blew out a breath. I’d have to get back to the facility first thing tomorrow. Maybe even in a few hours, assuming I could get Saint stabilized enough to leave him. In his absence—and after all the Dream he’d taken tonight—I’d have to work my ass off to pick up the slack. I had to make more. A lot more. Make sure it was packaged up and ready to move, no more incidents. No more fuckups.
The task felt fucking impossible. But if that’s what it took to keep Haley safe?
That’s what I’d have to do.
“Leave,” I ground out, hauling open the door. “Just fucking leave.”
