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ClayandIsitcrouched on the overhead walkways in the center of the factory. According to our intel, Le Manchot has arrived right on schedule. Our men have taken out enough of the enemies to give us an advantage. No one suspects a thing so far. The sound of Aries’s voice comes over my earpiece. “Boss, another car just pulled up and you will not believe who just climbed out of it.”
“Just tell me, Aries. I don’t have the patience for guessing games today.”
The silence in my ear is unnerving. I’m about to go find out myself for fear that someone discovered him, but then Aries respondes nervously through the earpiece, “Quinn is with him. Quinn is with some of our guys.”
Clay motions for me to cut our mics. “Christian, you need to remain calm after l tell you this. I told you about how I suspected a traitor.” He gulps. “Well, I sent the two guys I suspected to the safe house and tipped off Selena. I know you aren’t going to like this, but I can promise if they are feigning kidnapping victims, then the girls have everything under control. I shouldn’t have involved them without your permission, but I knew we would fare better if the girls were here armed and dangerous instead of whatever else Le Manchot had planned. At least this way, we know they have weapons. Christian, you need to trust me. Quinn and Selena can take care of themselves. At the very least, just give them a chance.”
“If anything happens to Quinn, you won’t be worried about forgiveness. I’ll tell you now, it won’t ever come should any harm come to her. A single drop of her blood will be avenged, starting with your death.” I snarl as my knuckles turn white with anger. I thought I could trust Clay. How dare he put my most prized possession in danger by using her as bait to expose a traitor among our ranks. I will punish him for this act of defiance.
I don’t have time to continue my threats. Seconds later, Quinn comes strolling through the doorway, escorted by one of my drivers and another ranked member of Arkham. My blood goes from boiling hot to cold. I reach for my custom .50 caliber Desert Eagle, intent on watching him splatter, but Clay’s hand stops me and he nods his head towards the other door. Le Manchot is standing there. It’s a clean shot, I could take him down. But the first thing they would do in retaliation is take out Quinn. So long as they have her in their clutches, we are locked in a stalemate. I’m forced to stare on with melting nerves, ready to give Quinn a fighting chance if she needs it.
I feel helpless. I can only watch as Quinn sways in front of me dangled like bait, inviting me to bite. Le Manchot is looking her up and down in a way that makes me want to cut his eyes out. He licks his lips before croaking, “Quinny, my offer still stands. Forget all about Christian and join me. Together, we will destroy this city. Side by side as equals the way you deserve to be treated. Unlike him, I recognize your superiority and I can appreciate a woman in crime.”
Quinn throws her head back, laughing with disgust. “What makes you think you have anything to offer me? What makes you think you are worthy of my affections? You don’t see me as an equal if you still look at me as some prize to be won. The only equal I have is Selena, and she wants you dead more than I do. I think, once more, I will have to pass on your offer. You still disgust me, unfortunately.”
Selena spits at Le Manchot and Quinn flips him off. That’s my girl, I think to myself, proud of the way she told off Le Manchot.
“Alright Le Manchot, we brought them to you. Now pay up,” the traitor mumbles.
“Half now, and half after Christian’s cold, lifeless body is lying at my feet. My men will take them from here. You two can go play lookout. Let me know immediately if you see Christian arrive or if you are given any more orders from Arkham.” He hands over a wad of cash, then waves them off with his gun.
Le Manchot turns to the men next to him. “Tie them up and watch them. I will need her alive to lure Christian out.” He walks off in search of me. Down below, Quinn and Selena exchange some silent plan as they make eye contact, while the men move towards them with a rope and chains.
They both allow the men to get close to them and then all bets are off. Selena stabs her guy right in the throat. Blood oozes forth and covers the ground with a slosh. He gurgles and falls lifeless to the ground. Selena kicks him over with her boot. “Apologies, darling. We only need one of them alive and that one used to work for me. Try to be more careful with your mark than I was.”
“No problem,” Quinn laughs, easily subduing her man while Selena comes in for the assist. They use the rope to hog tie the man. Quinn grabs the chains from the bloody mess on the ground and flings it over a pipe. They work together to string the man up like a pinata. I’m sure Clay has noticed I am grinning from ear to ear, but I can’t help it. I am so damn proud right now. I’m tempted to pop out and surprise her, but I am enjoying watching her work.
“Look what the cat dragged in. Either you’re going to squeal like a little piggy or you’re going to die. Shoot, you might die either way, but if you cooperate, there’s always a chance we might spare you.” Selena circles him like prey, plotting her next move. On his other side Quinn flips open a knife and drags it across his cheek.
“Look Selena, he’s smiling because he’s having so much fun playing this game.” The two of them giggle as Quinn passes off the knife. “Do the other side,” she says. “Make his smile bigger. Carve him up nice so I can show Christian.”
Oh mon amour, watching you work is invigorating, I can’t wait to tell you how proud I am, I think silently.
Iwatchonasmy little lamb turned lioness tortures and interrogates Le Manchot’s man. When Selena and Quinn grow tired of the game, they slice his throat. Trying to get anything out of their prisoner was pointless. He had no interest in spilling the dirty bird’s secrets. He was wasting their time at this point.
I can’t contain my excitement anymore. I rise from where I am crouched and offer up a slow round of applause. Quinn looks up. Our eyes connect, and it’s like nothing else matters. We stare at one another, hopelessly lost in the other’s eyes for several moments and then I speak.
“Mon bijou,my jewel,I’m so proud of you. I should have listened to you. Instead of sending you away, I should have kept you close.“ My eyes search hers for the forgiveness I so desperately seek.
Quinn beams at me. The words were long overdue. “Come down here and apologize with that filthy mouth of yours,” she purrs at me seductively.
“You don’t have to ask me twice,” I reply, my mouth longing for hers. “I’ll tell you all the ways I plan to worship you tonight.”
I hurry down the metal staircase. My eyes remain trained on Quinn as I take the steps two at a time, within moments Quinn’s soft body is melded into mine. “Mon amour mon ange, my love, my angel, the way you torture a man,” I growl. “You nearly had me coming undone.” My mouth claims hers before she can respond. My tongue commands her attention. Quinn sucks my tongue in, devouring my mouth, tempting me to show her just how sorry I am in front of our growing audience. However, we are interrupted by one of the Arkham traitors.
“Well, look at that. Just the traitor I was hoping to run into,” I snarl. The traitor has the audacity to smile at me as if he’s won. He tries to back up, but runs right into Selena. She slices him across the back.
“Bring him to me,” I say in a flat, emotionless tone.
“You heard him,” Selena barks.
He trudges toward me, where certain death awaits him. “Tell me, why did you betray me? Why did you betray Arkham? Why have you traded your life to help Le Manchot?” I ask him as I hold my gun to his head.
“That’s why it was so simple to deceive you, Christian. You never once questioned my allegiance to Arkham, but you should have. You should have done more digging—“
Clay interrupts his boisterous bragging. “He may not know, but I figured it out and set you up.”
I give Clay a puzzled look. He smiles and continues his epic revelation. “Christian, let me introduce you to Le Manchot’s nephew.”
