Page 122 of Killer Confections

He huffs. “Yeah, come on in.”

He walks ahead and as soon as it’s just the two of us, I turn to my capture. “Oh, fuck you. I hope Atlas shoots you in your pretty face.”

“Awe, you think I’m pretty?” She asks sweetly.

I roll my eyes. “You’re fucking gorgeous, but you’re really pissing me off.”

She sighs. “I hope we can be friends after this. If you can find it in yourself to forgive me, that is.”

I tilt my head. “Oh, I don’t know. There’s one deciding factor. If I’m stillalive,then I’ll consider a spa day. Maybe we can discuss your next plan of betrayal over fuckingMani-pedis!”

Her face softens with a gentle smile, and it stops me in my rant. Her features become delicate and thoughtful. “I can see why Atlas likes you. You seem sweet on the outside, but you bite like a motherfucker.”

I blink, stunned by her compliment. “Thank you?” I hate to admit it, but I enjoy Blondie’s company. Even if she is leading me straight to my death, there’s something alluring to her. Like she can draw just about anyone in with her headstrong attitude.

In another life, we would have been great friends…

But in this one, I want to punch her in the damn neck.

She drags me into the warehouse and my nose crinkles at the structure. The inside is cleared out, save for a few fold out tables and chairs littering the dirt floor. There’s surveillance equipment set up on one table, with a few people surrounding it as they watch footage on a handful of screens. Others are cleaning weapons or just lazing around before attention snaps to me. One by one, they all pinpoint me and myfriend as we saunter into the center of the room.

I feel a cold sweat break out on my brow as I silently beg for Atlas to hurry.

Blondie makes a show of it, using my shirt to shake me back and forth and I shoot her a, ‘Go to hell,’ look over my shoulder.

“Alright!” she announces. “Come out, Kai! Unless you’re too much of a pussy to face me.”

Light murmuring and a few chuckles come from the crowd surrounding us before the man from the restaurant steps through the open back doors of the warehouse. He has a brown Denham long-sleeve on and blue jeans, but his ensemble isn’t what I’m concerned with. It’s the gun he’s holding tightly in his right hand that has my hackles rising as his eyes skim over my features.

“Yup,” he drawls in the eerily silent space. “That’s her, alright.” He twirls a finger in a circle and four men move towards me. I instantly back away, my head darting around and eyes unseeing as they close in on me.

“Wait!” Blondie booms with authority before turning to face the Southern leader. Everyone backs off and I shuffle closer to her. “Reinstate me. Now.”

Kai’s lips tip up before he laughs. “What makes you think bringing the girl is enough to give you an in?”

She sniffs. “You know? I really thought Jane’s death would have knocked some sense into you. You can bring a horse to the water, but you can’t make it fucking drink.”

Kai’s face darkens, his mood quickly souring as his eyes turn pained and unforgiving. I see the deep-rooted loss in them. “Don’tfuckingtalk about her!”

“I won’t,” Blondie chuckles as she observes her nails on her free hand. “I’m here for one thing.My title. Reinstate me, and you can have the girl. If you don’t, I’ll kill everyone in this room.” Her face falls, eyes zeroing in on the man across from her as she lifts the gun and aims it at his head. “Starting with you,brother dearest.”

Brother?

Dom’s words from a few days ago run through my mind.

This would be so much easier if Bailey had taken over the South syndicate instead of her cuck of a brother.

This woman is Bailey.

I glance between her and the South leader, taking in their drastic differences in appearance. They look almost nothing alike. Of course, I couldn’t tell who she was.

“Half brother,” Kai corrects. “And not even the half that matters.”

Bailey’s jaw ticks as her grip tightens on the gun. “Mom should have swallowed you.”

I roll my lips in, covering my snort with an awkward cough.

But Kai doesn’t seem to appreciate his sister’s joke as his pale neck flushes with anger. “You think insulting me is gonna get you reinstated? Are you fucking dense?” He lifts his gun, aiming it at her. “You don’t know what the fuck I’ve been through. My wife isdeadand my only ticket to revenge is right next to you. What’s stopping me from popping her right between the eyes?” he aims towards me, cocking the gun and I feel my heart plummet as I back away. “The answer is fucking nothing, you cunt. I’m going to kill this bitch and then you’re going to go back to being a goddamn housewife for some douchebag surgeon like you always wanted. Stay a fucking quitter and stop trying to be a hero, Bailey. It doesn’t suit you.”