Page 52 of Killer Confections (Syndicate Killers #1)

Loxley

This is just wonderful. My new hot friend brought me to the middle of nowhere to kill me.

As we roll down a beaten gravel path that leads to a dilapidated warehouse thirty minutes outside of Columbus, I take note of the vehicles parked in front of the structure.

It looks like quite a few people were invited to my murder party.

Yippee for me.

“So, what’s the plan?” I ask as Blondie rolls up to the side of a lifted truck and parks. “Do we just walk right in?”

She doesn’t answer me as she opens her door and steps out of the car. She slams the door before holding her gun out to her side and walking around the hood.

I whip around to Blair. “I trusted you! She’s gonna murder me!”

The girl winces. “I promise she won’t! And I’ll explain once everything is over, but she’s about to pull you out of the car.”

“Wait what—”

My car door is ripped open before Blondie grabs the collar of my T-shirt and hauls me out of the seat. I stumble, catching myself on the door as I rage at her. “What was that for?!”

She points the gun towards the warehouse’s open doors. “Move.” She controls me with my clothes, pushing me in the direction of the entrance before whispering in my ear. “Just follow my lead. ”

My hands flex at my sides and I try to stomp down my shaking as much as possible.

In the end, I don’t think they’re going to care that I’m frightened out of my mind and I keep reciting prayers my grandmother used to make me read before bed.

They want my fear. They want Atlas to hurt.

And this blonde bitch is bringing me right to them.

Our shoes crunch on the gravel and a man with dark scruff steps out of the warehouse with his hands in his pockets and his stance wide.

“If I die, I’m haunting you,” I whisper.

Blondie fights her grin before schooling her features. “That’s a fair trade.”

My lips thin as I narrow my eyes at her. “Is it really?”

“No.”

Well, I can appreciate her honesty…

The man in the doorway smirks as he scratches at his scruff. “Damn, didn’t think you were serious about coming back, B.”

Blondie, who I’m beginning to think is actually named Blondie, cocks her wide hips before pushing me forward. “I am. I brought the girl. Now, where’s Kai?”

The man looks down at me, rolling his tongue along the inside of his cheek as his eyes roam over my figure. A slimy feeling clings to my skin and I quickly shoot Blondie a, ‘Don’t leave me alone with this guy,’ look and she returns it with one that screams, ‘Don’t be a pussy.’

“He’s in there,” the perv throws a thumb over his shoulder before snagging my bicep in a tight grip that has my teeth grinding. “I’ll take care of her.”

Blondie grabs his hand, bending his fingers back until they almost touch his wrist. He helps, pulling out of her grasp before shaking his wrist.

“No one takes her until I see Kai,” she barks, flailing her gun around. “Get him or I take her back.”

Oh, my god.

She’s handing me over to them ?

This cunt!

My eyes widen as I hiss in a whisper, “You said I wouldn’t get hurt!”

Her gaze flickers to me, silently begging me to shut the fuck up before she focuses on the perv. “Well?”

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 still alive, then I’ll consider a spa day. Maybe we can discuss your next plan of betrayal over fucking Mani-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 my friend 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’t fucking talk 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 is dead and 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.”

She’s utterly unfazed by her brother’s words as they have a stare down in the middle of the warehouse.

No one moves or breathes as a slow malicious smirk spreads on Bailey’s face.

“Time’s up. As much as I’ve enjoyed this family bonding moment, I’m going to enjoy watching your brains splatter even more. ”

Kai’s brow twitches before all hell breaks loose.

From every doorway, Midwestern syndicate members filter in, guns raised as they shout commands at the South members.

The Midwest easily outnumbers the South guys, but that doesn’t stop some of them from fighting back.

One lunges for Ross, who I’m thankful is alive, before they get into a fight.

Both guns are knocked aside as the redhead straddles the cowboy below him, delivering punishing blow after punishing blow.

I eventually have to look away when blood begins to mix with the dirt and the Southern member goes still.

Dom and a few others fight, and gunshots echo through the building.

“Get down!” Bailey yells over the chaos. I crouch before her hands find my back and she pushes me forward. “Get somewhere safe! Find Atlas!”

She doesn’t have to tell me twice as adrenaline sizzles in me and I push to the other side of the building. All around me, dirt is kicked up and blood is splattered. Screams of the dying touch my ears and I try to block it out as I shout for my husband. “Atlas!”

“Stay low, Loxley!” he yells before a gun fires. “Get somewhere and take cover!”

I listen, falling to my stomach before army crawling to one of the white fold out tables. I use my legs to topple it, sending the expensive laptops and monitors to the ground as I crowd behind it. I stay on my stomach in case someone gets the wild idea to aim for my hiding spot.