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I fire up my bike. “I got called out.”
Kyrin turns his head over his shoulder. “When?”
“Told her I’d be there tomorrow at noon.” I roll up to where he’s sitting, since the loud twang of our two-stroke engines is almost too much.
“You know who it is?”
“Do I care?” I ask, looking out to the distance.
Past
Twelve years old
The first thing I learned when I picked up a gun was realizing that I didn’t want to use one. I was ten, so that’s saying something.
My father moved behind King’s dad, as they both stared down at all four of us. “You are Kiznitch soldiers, but you’re more than that,” King’s father said, walking back and forth with his hands buried in his pockets. “You come from a line of Brothers. An even smaller family unit than Kiznitch. You will learn how to take a life, give a life, and fuck the life out of other women. You will perform, give people what they want, and learn how to master your skill. Killian, telepathy is your forte, but you can all practice. You are all gifted.” The office door opened, and he stopped talking as we spun around to see who it was. King’s mom walked in with Cartier dragging her feet behind her, her bright blue eyes peering up at King’s father. I’d always felt protective over her, but I was pretty sure we all felt that way. She was the only girl out of The Brothers’ line, we had to protect her. It was pure, natural instinct.
“What is it?” King’s father said, looking between Cartier and his wife.
“I’ve got to take her,” she whispered into King’s father’s ear. She probably thought we couldn’t hear, but we did. We just didn’t care because it was Kiznitch, and everyone was safe in Kiznitch as long as you were. “They’re asking questions and I fear—” She stopped talking when she realized we were all watching her.
“Just go,” King’s father said, brushing the doorway. “She needs it.”
King’s mom nodded and then dragged Cartier out the door. Cartier spun around at the last minute and her eyes collided with mine. Her smile spread wide, her little cheeks turning cherry red. She made my body feel weird, and I kind of hated her for it.
“There’s an organization that operates behind Midnight Mayhem. We don’t get the show without them. They’re all Kiznitch, and they’re all loyal, but what they want goes, and their personal soldiers?” He made a point to stare directly at all of us. His office was vast, filled with modern furnishings and a large chandelier, but right now it felt small. As if there wasn’t enough air for us all to be here. “Are you four.”
Present
The music is loud, and I cut the bike off, saddling her near the lake house. People are coming in and out carrying drinks and food. Cartier has been back for less than thirty minutes, and she is already throwing a party.
I step through the front door and instantly see Kohen and a couple of other girls in the lounge, playing on the Xbox. The floor-to-ceiling glass windows give a direct view to the bed of the lake out the back, but the sliding doors are opened out to the patio, where people are surrounding a fire pit that’s lit inside an old barrel. Cartier isn’t stupid, and she’s not thirsty. She’s Kiznitch, but she’s smart, so she knows not to throw any of the parties that are usually hosted on Village grounds.
“She’s outside.” Maya steps up beside me, handing me a full glass of whiskey. “You may need this.”
“Why?” I swirl the liquid around in the glass, watching as it creates a small tornado in the center.
“Psshh.” Her head jerks back, hiding her smile behind her glass. “Because it’s Cartier and you always need a drink when it comes to her.” I don’t know if Maya is being coy and finally picking up on the back and forth that Cartier and I do, or if it’s just that obvious that the girl is a headcase.
“Thanks.” I leave Maya and make my way through the doors, but not before calling out, “Don’t drink too much of that shit. We’re on the road tomorrow night and, well, you’re you.”
She flips me off, tipping her head back and shooting her drink back like a fucking college student.
I laugh, passing the people surrounding the fire and making my way to the swing that’s connected to the tree down near the water. Kyrin put it in when Cartier was four years old and demanded to have one to fly into the water. Her words.
“You know, people are starting to notice…” Cartier says, pushing the swing a little higher the closer I get. She’s in the same clothes she was in earlier, only now she has a glass of whiskey dangling between her fingers.
“Notice what?” I tease, grabbing the rope and forcing her to a stop by standing directly in front of her.
She tilts her head up at me, squinting her eyes against the burning orange of the setting sun. “Your little plaything inside is going to notice too, you know. Which, by the way, I—” I wrap my fingers around her chin, forcing her mouth to widen by pressing my thumb down on her lower lip inside her mouth.
“Shut up. Jealousy doesn’t look good on you.”
Her eyes narrow, and I smirk when I notice that same fire put her in a chokehold. I release her mouth so she can speak. “First of all, I’m not jealous. I’m glad someone else is taking your… wrath that isn’t me.” My finger twitches. “Which by the way, this party could go both ways and I’m not responsible. Everyone is Kiznitch and horny.”
I kneel down in front of her so I can watch her reaction. I need to know what she knows, and it’s obvious that she’s hiding shit. I don’t care about her bratty antics. The bitch is mine, and she damn well fucking knows it. “Do you know about Eli?”
Her face turns pale, and I watch as her mouth straightens to a flat line, her eyes drift over my shoulder. “No.”
