Page 6 of Queen of Spades

Kane has over a foot in height on me, but more than that, he’s stacked with lean muscle. Even if I tried to run, I’m fairly sure he’d tackle me within ten feet. My main advantage is that he wants me alive. I need to get the gun on my way by. Not even the switchblade would be a guarantee. He could disarm me before I got the chance to do any real damage.

My heart pangs as my chest gets tight.

Poor Charles and Eddie.

Kane grabs three huge duffel bags and tosses another at my feet. “Sorry, princess. You’re going to have to help. We’ve got to move. The neighbors aren’t close, but there are five bodies lying around the yard. If even one person is out walking their dog, we’re fucked.”

I stand up, grab the bag, and toss it over my shoulder without saying a word. We have to pass Eddie to make it to the hallway, and my stomach rolls uncomfortably.

Kane watches me closely, so I ignore the gun. The go-bags have their own stash of weapons, but I have to catch him unaware.

I don’t think it’s safe if I ever go back to my hometown. So, how am I supposed to tell Vanessa her father is dead? Elijah is one of the guys who does security for my mom. Eddie was like a surrogate father to him…and he’s dead because of me. Charles lies slumped against the kitchen cabinets, and the puddle of blood has grown. He must have died shortly before I walked in. We only live minutes from my school. They must have come in immediately after Kane left to pick me up.

Or he let them in.

“Strip down,” Kane says when we enter the laundry room. This room has an attached bathroom with a small stall shower. It’s a convenient feature when your family is involved in organized crime. You don’t have to track blood all over the house. Doing my best to ignore him, I quickly strip out of my clothes.

I make it into the shower and scrub my hair and body as fast as possible. My hair is the worst part, but I do the best I can.

I come out, wrapped in a towel, and Kane nods to the convenient piles of clothes that he must have set out.

I grab mine and hop into them still wet before wrapping my hair up in a messy bun. Kane drops his bloody clothes and aims for the shower. I wait until the water turns back on and bolt to the living room, grabbing the gun.

Kane is in and out of the shower in two minutes. He comes out with a towel wrapped low around his waist and my gun pointed directly at his heart.

“Why’d you do it? Why would you sell us out?”

“You’re a fucking mess.” He rolls his green eyes. “Put the gun down. I didn’t have shit to do with this disaster.”

“Don’t lie to me!” I scream as my hand shakes. “Are my parents really gone?”

Kane’s blondish-brown hair falls over his forehead as he gives a clipped nod. “They are, but I didn’t have anything to do with that, either. I work for Ranger. He’s the one who placed me here with you.”

My jaw falls as my hand shakes so violently that I’m afraid I’ll drop my gun. I bring my other palm up to support my wrist. The edges of my vision go hazy.

“We were on the way here when I got several 9-1-1 calls from your brother, but I couldn’t exactly take them with you in the vehicle. I didn’t make it two minutes down the street before I turned around. Ranger is alive. I need to bring you to him. I cleared the exterior of the property, praying you were alive.”

“My parents are dead,” I repeat.

“But you’re alive.”

“How do I know you’re telling the truth about Ranger?”

“He said if I ever needed to prove that I work for him, to tell you he’s still sorry for locking you in that shed.” His green eyes roll, like he can’t believe he’s even answering me.

My hand wavers, and the gun dips to point at his stomach instead. “My brother hasn’t experienced guilt a day in his life. He’s physically incapable of feeling that emotion.”

“Yeah, well, I’m not about to dispute that, but my job is to get you to him. Ranger is going to keep you safe. I need to put some fucking clothes on, so we can bail.” Kane tilts his head, studying me carefully.

“No,” I croak, shaking my head. “No. I’m not doing this again.” My voice comes out much firmer as conviction pulses through my system. Each go-bag has twenty grand in cash, a few more in prepaid untraceable gift cards, and replacement fake IDs for the four of us. “You can go back to my brother and tell him that I’m officially done with this family.”

“You know I can’t let you walk away. Ranger would kill me the second I made it back without you.”

I grab the bag and move toward the door to the garage, stretching a hand back to turn the handle. “He can kill you or I will. I’m serious, Kane. Don’t follow me.”

“You’re every bit the pain in the ass he promised you’d be,” Kane growls, taking a step forward.

I pull the trigger with zero remorse. He staggers back as blood splatters the wall. Okay, maybe I feel a little guilty as he groans, clutching at his side.

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