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The woman sobs. “They told me to drive to the port and not to stop for anyone. If I got caught, they’d kill me.”
“How do I know you’re not lying?” I snarl.
“Kai—” Ro lowers my gun ever so slowly. “Do you know who the guys are who asked you to drive the van?” She shakes her head wildly.
“I was picking up my daughter from school, when they stopped right in front of me. Dragged me inside, held me at gunpoint and threatened to kill me if I didn’t drive this van to Elizabeth Post as soon as possible.” Ro lets out a long sigh. Then he looks my way.
“They must have played us when we turned around. Used a second van, or whatever. Fuck.”
“So where’s All Saints?” Samuel grumbles.
“Not here,” Logan grinds his teeth as he looks around us. “We were supposed to meet here today.” He bites his lip, looking around with a terrifying scowl. “But it seems that those fuckers played us like the low-class scum they are. Made sure that we were all here, so they can bethere.” He throws his head back and spits out a humorless laugh. “Too bad for them, I kinda felt like they were going to trick us. Call it my gut.” Austin rolls his eyes at me, but Logan continues on a mumble, “They won’t even see it coming. Burn, baby burn. Come on boys, let’s go back to Brooklyn, to the X- Ring and watch the show.”
ChapterSeventeen
PHOENIX
Present day
Cigarette smoke hangs around the bar like silvery fog, around bottles, stools,people. There are so many of them out here today. Their long hair in loose buns, and their thick arms decorated in tats. Chatter dissolves into folk music, the air filled with excitement. The velvet curtain’s closed tonight, but right now, right here, we’re about to start a different kind of entertainment.
“Phoenix.” Nate hisses from across the table. “Your mom loves you. She wants what’s best for you.” I want to tell him to shut up, to stop stabbing me with the knife of his words, but I can’t get myself to do it. I’m lost in my own head, mind still somewhere in Kai’s arms, although my body’s very much in the present. In the X Ring. All Saints’ headquarters, and the place I’ve been trying to avoid for weeks, ever since this whole thing started. Right now, I can’t even bring myself to be afraid. I’m just… here. A far cry from the person I once was. Because when I don’t blink, I’mthere. Wherever I want to be in my fantasy. Right now, that illusion is comforting. It takes me to wherever I want to be.
Who gets to chase you?You.
Who gets to catch you? You.
Who gets to fuck you?You.
You. You. You.
“She never meant to hurt you!”
“Then maybe she should have been more present,” I mutter to myself, flicking my eyes to the other guys around the table. I see things crystal clear now, despite the fog around us. Mom was right about one thing—we were never close. Dad wanted the kind of son who played football and would be prom king. I was always going to be a disappointment to him, only I failed to see, too busy trying my best in getting good grades and staying out of their fights. Too busy creating No One.
It’s time for you to leave. To disappear back into the shadows.
“Nate, my man.” Damon’s voice booms loudly through the room, his bulky, leather-clad frame approaches making random chatters dim to the background. The revolver dangles from his fingers, and it fills the air with anticipation. Licking the sweat from my upper lip, my heart rattles in my ribcage. “Thanks so much for being here tonight. Boy, do we have some great things to celebrate.” No one makes a sound. “We’ve had a few rough weeks. First we had this pretty boy here, who failed to deliver.” Damon clacks his tongue as he slowly spins on his heel, taking everyone in, before his gaze is back on mine. “The Business surely has good taste, don’t you think?” He pats my head and I dive away with a scowl that makes them laugh. Then he lowers himself to look me in the eye, a dangerous glimmer in his. “How long have you been fucking him? Laughing at us behind our backs, hm?” Before I can reply, he’s back onto his feet, the revolver pointed toward Nate, who flinches. “Tell me, Nate, since you wanted to protect this traitor, what’s the punishment for treachery?”
Vengeance.
Nate hesitates. “Death,” he mumbles. “But he didn’t… I didn’t—”
“Shut up.” Nate doesn’t finish his sentence. “That’s right. Death it is. But—” He turns to the crowd, showing the revolver around his finger until they cheer and howl. “I’m in a good mood, y’all,” he roars. “Because we’re about to ship off a container with a street value of over two hundred million dollars!” He shouts. “You can all buy your ladies a few nice dresses.” He gestures with his hands, sweeping up the cheering crowd. “That’s right!” Then he holds up the revolver in the air, and the noise dissolves. Turning back to the table, he slowly paces around it as he talks. “Four traitors, and only one single round. That’s pretty fair, don’t you think, guys?” My eyes flick back to Nate, as the smell of booze, cigarettes and leather invade my nostrils. Around us, members are starting their bets.
“Your mom loves you, Phoenix,” he begs again. “And I know, she’s ill, and addicted, but that’s because she’s sad. She’s heartbroken. We’re gonna get outta here, Phoenix. We’re going home, to your Mom, okay? We’ll fix her. We’ll—”
“Since you are the cherry on the cake, you get to choose who goes first.” Damon growls and kicks Nate’s chair. It’s not enough to make him fall, but it shows who’s in charge. “And you better choose carefully.” Nate’s wrinkled eyes are on mine, his lips firmly pressed together.
Tuning the conversation out, I look around me. Gang members are dotted all over the dark place, the only light coming from the tiny light bulb above the table. People are smoking, but with my next breath, my nostrils pick up on a different kind of smog—burning wood and ash. It makes goosebumps rise and my eyes sweep my environment, until they suddenly linger on a lonely figure standing far away. He’s wearing a Venetian mask. I blink, and someone sobs at the table, followed by the click of the pistol, making me hold my breath. Nothing. I exhale on a shudder. Lucky fucker.
The guy with the mask is gone, and I’m losing my mind. I try to bring back Kai, but I can’t summon his delectable image, too afraid of the danger. Kai was right—true danger is being out there, all alone. Another guy starts begging at the table. There’s definitely that different smell of smoke, different from cigarettes. I pick up on it, and it’s a little powdery, even through the sharp smell of urine.
The pistol clicks again, and my breath chokes in my throat, but again, no blow.
“This is going to be interesting,” Damon laughs. And then something changes. Panic rises and people start moving, and we’re no longer their main point of interest. Something’s up, and I try to stand, but Damon’s oblivious to what’s happening around him and still looms over us.
I want to go home. The thought grabs me by the throat, slashing its claws right through my guard and nestles deeply inside my core. I want to be back in Kai’s arms. Would he come looking for me? Or did he think that this was part of our game?
