Page 39 of Redemption

I nodded at her. “She has been in a cage for almost a week.”

“So that’s why everything went upside down,” Jewel muttered.

“What do you mean?” Redemption asked her.

“Well, at the club,” Jewel said. “There was suddenly no one running it. Then some of the customers who come in were saying that her other businesses were falling apart. Like when she disappeared, her people were disorganized. Some of the other trashy places she ran closed down too.”

A groan sounded from the back part of the van.

Jewel looked over then her eyes widened as she scooted all the way up to the front.

Prophet looked toward the back of the van. “That’s the live one. I’m hoping Talon and Liv can get him to talk.”

“A-and the other one?” I asked.

Prophet shrugged and glanced over at his cousin.

Redemption shook his head as he admitted, “I killed him.”

“Hit the man right between the eyes,” Prophet informed us.

“And I would do it again,” Redemption growled.

“Y-you mean that other guy back there i-is dead?” Jewel asked in a shaky voice as her face had gone pale.

“Yeah,” Redemption said.

“Oh, wow,” Jewel whispered. “This means you now have targets on your backs.”

The two men looked over at her.

Redemption snorted. “We already have those. O had her men take our sister Glory.”

Jewel looked over at me. “Ohhh…So they will have to exchange her for O…” She shook her head. “Now I get it, Cin. I understand why you ran.”

“Why would this put a target on our backs though?” Prophet asked Jewel.

“B-because they are Deacon’s men,” she said.

“Wait up…” Redemption sat up straighter and asked her, “Do you know this Deacon?”

She nodded. “He came into the club after…” She paused. “The management changed. Grigori was running it then one night, he just left. After a few days, Deacon came in.”

“But you have actually seen this Deacon?” Redemption queried.

Jewel paused to stare at him. “Why are you so interested in the guy?”

I cleared my throat and said, “He is O’s son, Jewel.”

Again, Jewel looked spooked. “Oh, no…”

I knew this girl and she looked terrified now. “Why does that scare you, Jewel?”

She bit at her lip. “He… well, has been hitting on me and I—oh, my God!” Looking panicked, she dropped her head into her hands.

“What?” I called to her in concern. “What is it?”

“I told him off,” she explained. “I said just cause he was the boss didn’t mean I was up for grabs.” She sighed. “That happened just last night.”