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Chapter 36
She really is as thick as shit. I can see nothing's changed there. I nod to Laney so that this all goes perfectly. Valentina just gave us the main bit of information we needed for Evie, but now we need to let everyone here know why they should choose our side instead of hers.
Laney clears her throat. “Excuse me.”
The way she feigns that polite tone and innocent manner is adorable. Truly. This woman has a gift.
Valentina looks at her with a confused expression and lets go of Havoc. “Yes?”
“Yeah, so remember how we were saying that you’re really just a stuck up control freak who has no real power in this world? Who uses her position to convince others she’s worth fighting for when we all know you’re really just begging for scraps?”
Her tone is sickly sweet as she mocks her, and Valentina has no idea what to say.
“Anyway,” Laney carries on, “I thought it was only fair that if you want to brag about all of the ways you’ve contributed to the crime world, we should add your best one yet. After all, it’s legendary.”
“What do you think that is, child?” Valentina crosses her arms over her chest in a power move. Laney pays it no attention.
“How you lied to everyone here.” Valentina pales because she’s finally catching on. “How you really recorded them after stalking them. Brought them to a fake police station, where you had them cornered, and had some of them beaten just to make them weaker before you offered your deal…”
Valentina moves forward, attempting to slap Laney the same way she slapped me. However, the man behind Laney raises his gun at Valentina. She freezes, holding up her hands with an exasperated look on her ugly face.
“Go on,” Garrett says. Valentina tries to back away, realizing she’s been caught. Except, more of her people stand in her way as Laney does what she does best, talks.
“It was quite genius how you called some of their families too. You were careful and selective, making sure each one of them was vulnerable in a way you could exploit. If they had partners you didn’t like, you would lie and say they were already sent away. When in reality, you had them killed and blamed it on a corrupt system.”
A gun cocks somewhere in the room. This time, when Valentina tries to move, a red dot appears on her chest.
“It’s not true. You’ve all known me for years. She’s lying.”
Her voice is trembling, but my contact, Garrett, removes his jacket and lays it over the chair next to her before taking a seat.
“No, Valentina. I think it’s time you stopped playing this game. Klara has been two steps ahead of you for years and knows all of your secrets. I think it’s time more people knew.”
I had met Garrett when I was in hiding. He had a shady past but was very good with numbers. Someone killed his father, leaving him an orphan because his mother left when he was young. Turns out, that someone was Valentina. We hatched a plan together that’s finally unfolding before us. Now, we both get to watch her world fall apart.
I stand, finally dropping the fake binds we pretended to be attached to. Beau, Arrow, and Laney stand along with me, showing her she’s already lost.
“I warned you,” I say, closing in on her as fear shines through her eyes. “I said if anything happened to those boys I would make sure whatever life was left for you was hell on earth.”
“Please,” she tries to beg, but Havoc silences her with his hand in the air.
“That’s not a good look on you, Valentina.”
“Beau,” she tries to plead. “I’m your mother. You would really let them do this to me?”
Arrow tilts his head to the side. “You were never a mother to me. Klara was, Marta was. But never you. For all I care, they can make you choke on burning sulfur.”
Laney grins, clapping her hands together.
“Oh my goodness, we forgot to tell her the best part.”
Havoc smirks as he throws an arm around her shoulder, and Arrow takes her hand.
“You tell her, baby girl.” He nuzzles her neck, and she preens at the affection.
“Okay...you know how we all sat here and talked to you for a while before showing our cards? Yeah, well there was a reasonfor that. You see, my best friend, Evie, believed Adrik started up a sex trafficking ring before he tragically met his end with her blade. Anyway, she knew someone was pulling the strings after his death and sent my other bestie to investigate. We had a strong feeling it was you, but you just confirmed it for us.”
I think Valentina might pass out. Her hands are shaking, sweat beading on her brow. She looks terrified, but not nearly as much as Amor probably was when he met his end, so my work here isn’t done.
