Page 32 of Lawless God

“What the fuck are you talking about?” There’s a warning in her voice that matches the look in her eyes.

Doesn’t she understand I’ve never been scared of her? Never been scared of NSC. Especially not when a bigger predator is in the room, holding her back.

“Come on,” I snort. “Your dad and his friends wanted to see if you deserved to be a full member of NSC. They took me after school, and they tied me to a chair in your fucking living room. Surely, you can’t forget that.”

She rolls her eyes, faking annoyance. “You think I remember every single interaction I’ve had with you, Kay? Please, stop thinking yourself more important than you really are. All I know is if I kill you right now, I won’t have to deal with you ever again.”

I nod, which brings a sharp pain to the back of my head. My eyes flutter closed before I can focus again. “Right. So you don’t remember when they put a gun in your hands and told you to kill me to prove yourself?”

I smile wickedly. “And you don’t remember when you started shaking and crying. Poor girl couldn’t even hold the thing in her hands, let alone keep it pointed at me. ‘Dad, it’s too much. Please, I can’t do this.’” I imitate her voice.

Her hands curl into fists at her sides, and it’s all she can do to control herself. “I was fucking twelve,” she hisses at me, taking a threatening step closer.

Looking up at her, I fight back the screams from my body. “And I was eleven. Still, I was stronger than you. I didn’t flinch one bit when your dad pointed his gun at me. I didn’t cry when you ended up beating me up because you didn’t have the balls to end me. And I’m still here. Bet you wish you had killed me now, bitch, because I’m still fucking here and I’m still standing.”

Her whole body is shaking; she can’t hide it. She’s about to lose her shit, ready to pounce on me, when a hand lands on her chest.

Sam’s.

He doesn’t say anything to her. A simple look from his black eyes is enough to make her step back. She takes a deep breath, and the high might have been short-lived, but it was enjoyable. Now I feel ready to negotiate.

She clearly is too, because she stands taller in her platform shoes. The girl is fucking tiny. She’s wearing a pink leather skirt and a top that could be a bra under her jacket. I bet she’d love to gouge my eyes out with those acrylic nails she always sharpens into claws.

“You’re not still standing, Kay,” she sneers. “You’re tied to a chair in a basement the day after your crew lost a fight in the Death Cage. I don’t think you can fall any lower than that. Now, if you don’t mind, I only came here to tell you the spots NSC will take over so you can relay the information to your soldiers.”

Her eyes dart to Nate. I know he’s standing right behind me because his mere closeness brings goosebumps to my skin. He must give her a silent go-ahead because she continues with renewed confidence.

“We’ll take back the road through the woods and the convenience store by the highway.” Those are always stolen back and forth between the two gangs, so I’m not surprised she’s reclaiming them. “You can’t deal at the Silver Moon Motel either, or send any of your girls there.”

Nate’s hand comes to my shoulder, assertive. He puts pressure there as he says, “That’s fine.”

“What the fuck?” I snap. “That’s not fucking fine. The motel has never been a one-crew zone. It’s for sex workers who want a safe place to work.”

“It is now.” Emma’s voice hardens as she crosses her arms over her chest. “If you have women who want to work there, they’ll pay us a fee.”

“You’re losing your fucking mind,” I bite back. “I’m not agreeing to this shit. I’m not going to send my girls on the streets to get snatched up by the Wolves or whoever will send them to be sex trafficked.”

She shrugs, her bleached blonde hair shifting on her shoulders. “Then I guess tell them to pay the fee.”

“They’re independent workers, Emma.” Could this girl give me a bigger fucking headache? “They don’t pay cuts. It’s the whole fucking point of them not having a pimp.”

“They pay you.” Her disgusted tone makes being tied up a million times worse. I could really decorate her face with a few punches.

“They pay me for protection, you fucking idiot. I don’t take a cut on the jobs they do. They could have a million clients a month, and I’d still take the same amount to protect them.”

“Look at you. A fucking angel. Well, they can keep paying you for protection. They’ll pay me to work in my territory. Unless they want to switch crews.” She shrugs. “NSC girls won’t have to pay to work from the Silver Moon Hotel. So, I guess it’s up to them.”

“You’re a cunt.”

“I’m a businesswoman. Just like you.”

I open my mouth to talk, but Nate’s grip on my shoulder tightens, forcing me to bite my lower lip so I don’t cry out from the pain it causes.

“I said it’s fine. Move on.”

Emma nods at him before addressing herself to me again with even more audacity this time.

“Your dealers can’t deal at North Shore High. Even if they go to school there.” I open my mouth, but she cuts me off. “Yes, that was a neutral zone. Not anymore. Xi had enough guys there to control the whole place anyway. You may take your shit-ass dealers somewhere else.”

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