Page 36 of Callum

I hear Grant mumbling about having just gotten stains out of his shirt as he bends to heft the body over his shoulder again. A large glob of congealed blood slips from the hole in Rita’s chest, landing squarely on Grant’s thigh before sliding to the ground. Thankfully, his dress pants are black, so you can’t see the deep red stain we both know now tracks the entire front of his right leg.

He turns narrowed eyes on me, and I lean back on instinct. “I’ll buy you a new suit.”

“Yes, you will.”

We move in unison toward the headlights, hearing multiple doors open and close in quick succession. I know what to expect before we even step into the clearing, so I’m not surprised to see Ginetta flanked by her two favorite lackeys.

“Ladies,” Grant calls from the shadows, causing all three women to look up at once. Kyler is the only one who can pinpoint exactly where the sound came from, her mismatched eyes zeroing in on Grant before we even step into the light. “I believe we have something that belongs to you.”

He punctuates the words by tossing Rita’s lifeless body into the dirt at his feet. Harlowe’s eyes widen, and I hear a strangled cry force its way out of her mouth before she can stop it. Harlowe’s wild gaze snaps to Lista the moment I step from the tree line and her relief is palpable. There’s a nasal split over the bridge of her nose, and I can’t help but think Rosalind is responsible for it.

“Friend of yours?” I ask as gently as I can, knowing that Harlowe always reacts best to the softer sides of a person. Harlowe’s eyes snap to mine as she shakes her head violently, causing the long blonde curls to bounce around her face.

Before I can ask any other questions, Ginetta cuts in with a snapped order for Harlowe to step away from the body. The leader of the GiGi’s glare is downright vicious, her lips curling in a sneer. “Why did you kill one of my Girls?”

“Because you sent her into my home,” I keep my tone casual as I pull the knife from my back pocket, quickly slashing through the duct tape around Lista’s ankles. “Along with this one.”

I shift the squirming woman off my shoulders, steadying her with a hand on each arm when her feet hit the ground. Lista turns quickly, making a break for Harlowe, who is still watching her with wide, pleading eyes.

Grant catches Lista, pinning her against his chest with one arm. All three GiGi’s move simultaneously. Harlowe takes a step forward, Ginetta reaches a hand out to stop her, and Kyler pulls a knife from a sling on her side.

My eyes cut to the blade in Kyler’s hand, and my blood boils. She smiles wickedly when she sees me staring at the knife, spinning the weapon in her hand until the steel blade rests in her palm. Kyler wiggles the handle in my direction as if prompting me to “Come and take it”. The look on her face clearly relays the challenge, but I’m not dumb enough to step within arms reach of the Silent Killer, especially when she’s expecting me.

“Why did you send them to my home, Ginetta?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Callum.” She spits my name back at me, and I can’t help the dark sound that comes from my chest at her blatant disrespect. I’m going to make her death long and painful.

“Actually,” stepping forward, I raise my right hand to my face, using my thumb to wipe along my lower lip. The silver skull glints in the headlights of Ginetta’s Jeep, drawing the eyes of all three women. “It’s Consigliere to you.”

“Got yourself a promotion, then? I didn’t think there was room in the MacAlister hierarchy for all five Brothers. Unless something has…changed?” She raises one perfect brown eyebrow, flashing her teeth in what I think is supposed to be a smile. “Something you want to tell me, Consigliere?”

“You first.” I point to the woman still locked in Grant’s arms. “Why did you send her to my home?”

“I didn’t.”

“Stop fucking lying, Ginetta, or I’ll kill her.”

“I don’t care what you do with her.”

“Great,” I smile, turning toward Grant. “Can you remove her gag for me?”

Grant doesn’t spout any smartass quips about me bossing him around, but I know I’ll get shit for it later. The moment her gag is removed, Lista starts whimpering loud enough that I nearly have to shout to be heard over the sound.

“Lista, sweetheart,” I bend to the side, imploring her to look at me. The moment her eyes lock on mine, I give her an encouraging smile. “Did the GiGi’s tell you to come to my home?”

“N-n-no.” She whines, still trying to shove her way out of Grant’s arms. He doesn’t move, even when I see her left knee strike dangerously close to his balls. After a moment, I hear him growl something that makes the tiny woman freeze. She turns wide eyes in my direction, intentionally not looking at Ginetta or Kyler. “They’re going to kill me.”

“Why would they kill you, Lista?”

“Because I failed,” her voice is barely more than a whisper, but I know it carries far enough to be heard by the GiGi’s based on Ginetta’s fingers twitching toward the knife at her side.

My attention stays on Lista, knowing Grant has my back if Ginetta gets too jumpy. “What did you fail at?”

“R-Rita,” her voice breaks around her dead friend’s name, and for the first time, I feel a bit bad about killing the other woman. “Rita and I were supposed to get evidence that Red was at your house.”

“Why?” Grant’s harsh tone makes Lista jump, but she answers him immediately.

“I don’t know.”

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