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“Boss,” Prim squealed no sooner than they departed, gripping her stomach as she panted. “I swear it wasn’t—”
“I really don’t want to hear it, Prim.” He glanced back at Phantom then, nodding. “Wake him.”
Phantom drove his fist back and decked Sharkey across his jaw. His body jerked to life, his eyes searching everywhere and all around him.
“True or false,” Xavier asked sternly, cocking his head to the side at Sharkey. “You and Prim planned to kill Samara tonight.”
“Tr-true,” Sharkey’s voice shook.
“God damnit, Sharkey!”
“You told us Damien recruited her,” he explained, “which by default, makes her an Outlaw. We know you mean well, Boss, butthat girlisn’t one of us. She can’t be trust—”
“That girlis my daughter, so how about showing her some fucking respect.”
“Wh-what?” My heart pounded as Sharkey’s eyes rounded when he took another look at me, his busted and bloody lips parted. “She’syour daughter?”
“Yes,” Xavier confirmed proudly, bobbing his head. “Her full name is Samara Lucia Antolini.Sheis my rightful heir.”
“Why didn’t you tell us?” Prim asked. She offered me a small glance, looking like she was seconds away from getting sick.
“I was going to telleveryone,” he answered in a sharp, snipped tone. “After the trials were over. The crew is in the process of clearing out the civilians as we speak.” He took in a breath, his narrowed eyes volleying between Prim on the bench and Sharkey in the chair. “You killed an innocent girl. Someone whocould’ve been a valuable asset to our crew had she been given the chance.”
“We’re sorry, Boss,” Sharkey muttered, swallowing hard when Xavier’s glare grew impossibly darker. “We were only trying to do what was best for the—”
“Whatever uncertainties you seem to have overmyleadership should’ve been taken up with me personally.”
Xavier reached behind him and pulled a gun from under his belt. Shock pinned me stiff when he placed the gun under Sharkey’s chin and snatched him by his hair, forcing Sharkey to look up at him.
“Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t blow your fucking head off,” he callously sneered.
“Please don’t,” Prim cried out, hissing as she attempted to stand, her hands clutching her wound. She slowly inched over to them, her eyes wide and full of unshed tears. “We’re sorry, Xavier. Please don’t kill him.Please.”
“Tick, tock, Sharkey,” Xavier whispered, pressing the barrel harder under his chin. “I’m waiting.”
His middle finger landed on the trigger.
“Stop! Just stop!” The words poured out of me in a breathless rush, my heart jackhammering through my chest. I wasn’t sure what I was doing or why I was doing it, but all I knew was that I couldn’t let Sharkey die. Even if his and Prim’s intentions toward me tonight were impure, we couldn’t afford to lose more allies. We had to salvage as many reinforcements as we could if we wanted to win this war against Damien Reyez.
I expressed those same thoughts to Xavier.
“Fine.”
He offered Prim and Sharkey another nasty glower before finally, he released Sharkey’s head and put the gun down.
“I’m only going to say this once, so I suggest you two take what I’m about to tell you and brand this shit into your thickass skulls. My daughter” —he paused then and pointed directly at me— “is not to be harmed. Not by you, any member of our crew, fuckinganyone. Shit is going down and just like Samara wisely stated, we need all hands and weapons on deck for what’s coming. It’s my fault Samara is here and in the predicament she’s in, but I can assure you her intentions are genuine and that she is onourside. You have no idea how valuable her life is, but you will soon, and then you’ll understand. If she dies, we willlosethis war. Am I making myself clear?”
“Crystal,” Sharkey nodded, his breath shaky.
“Yes, Xavier,” Prim agreed, tears raining down her face. “We understand.”
“Good. Now get the fuck out of here and join the crew. And Samara,” Xavier said, locking eyes on me.
“Yeah?” I answered.
“I need you to stay put. I’m afraid it’s time.”
“Time for what?” I asked obliviously, my brows crumpling.
