Page 7 of King of Cruelty

“Shut up!” Madison ordered. It was hard to believe a short while ago, she was playing Lyla’s simpering minion. Of course I never suspected her of being the rat. I didn’t look twice at Madison James.

The guard patted me down a little too thoroughly. He snapped back when he hit my back pocket. “What is that? Take it out slowly.”

“Relax,” I said, rolling my eyes. “It can’t hurt you.”

I pulled out the tampon—my face effortlessly neutral. The stupid idiot grabbed and squinted at it like he didn’t know what he was looking at.

“You can confiscate the oh so dangerous tampon if you want, but between you and me, it’s about that time when I need it.”

He grimaced. “Whatever.”

I was still the kind of woman who didn’t share, but I seriously considered making an exception for Mackenzie Blaine when the fool put my tampon/tracker back in my hands.

“You will be allowed inside,” he began. “The rules are as follows: no vulgar language, no disrespect, do not speak before you’re addressed, do not sit unless invited to do so, do not make threats, do not speak positively of the tyrant organization known as the Merchants. Do you understand these rules?”

“Do I look like a preschooler? Go give someone else a fucking comprehension test and let me in the damn room.”

A hard blow struck my back, dropping me to one knee. I slowly twisted, burning her with a look that made her step back. “When I get out of here, you’re first.”

“You’re never getting out of here.”

“You,” I hissed. “Are. First.”

Madison pressed trembling lips together. Good. She was learning.

A knock sounded from the other side of the door.

“You may enter now,” said the guard. “Remember the rules, Merchant scum.”

And you’re second,I thought as he swung the door open.

I inched inside the front room. There was nothing else for me to call the space. Concrete gave way to hardwood floors topped with a small area rug, leather couches, an ottoman, and a coffee table. An entrance peeked from the other side of the furniture. I made my way to it.

“Good evening, Genevieve Hunt.”

Whipping around, I fell on a person reclined on an armchair in the corner behind the door, tucked inside the shadows.

“I’m honored you could join us.”

“Who are you?”

He stood, revealing inch by inch another face I didn’t know—though a pleasant one if you went for the sexy, silver-fox thing. Silver salted his not-so-pepper mustache and beard. The same gray streaks swirled through his locks, granting him a look both distinguished and fake. You could almost believe he dyed it to achieve that whirlwind of ebony and silver.

Light brown eyes tracked my retreat as mine tracked his approach. He wasn’t getting close to me until I was packing more than a tampon.

“We’re very happy to have you with us, Miss Hunt. Though you may not see it now, you’re going to help us free the chains around Cinco City and lead it to greatness.”

“That sounds great, Mister...” I trailed off pointedly.

He smiled like I amused him. “But of course, where are my manners?” The man bowed to me of all things. “I go by many names, but there’s only one that suits me within these halls.

“Call me Brother Abraham.”

Chapter One

Sunny drove like a madman, blasting Masie over curbs, whipping her around corners, and sideswiping every side-view mirror that dared to jump in his way. All of a sudden, he didn’t give a shit about the super-expensive first love-of-his-life. All that mattered was getting to Genny.

“Turn here,” I cried, jabbing my phone screen. “We’re half a mile away.”