Page 8 of SINS & Lies

Destroy her at her core. He will strip Kennedy Luciano of her soul before auctioning off whatever’s left.

And with Uncle Andre’s power and influence backing him, he’ll be unstoppable.

I try to convince myself it will only hurt if I allow it. That it’s not too late.

There’s still time to peel Kennedy away like a second skin...shed her before she scales my defenses, cracks open my chest, and pierces my ice-cold heart.

“Boss?” Striker asks, his voice tentative. “Do we keep going?”

The realization hits me like a bolt of lightning, sparking a volatile mixture of rage and desperation. “Fuck,” I grit through clenched teeth.

“Someone’s coming!” Striker whispers urgently, his voice barely audible over the rustle of leaves. His eyes beg for direction, silently asking what I want to do next.

Disgusted, I shake my head. I know what must be done.

Without hesitation, I gesture away from the approaching footsteps and point back in the direction we came.

Confused, Striker furrows his brow. “Huh?”

Annoyed, I roll my eyes and snap, “Go!”

CHAPTER 4

Kennedy

“Come on out, little girl,” Rocco chuckles, the sound sending shivers down my spine.

My heart races in my chest as I stumble over leaves and slippery rocks. My eyes strain against the darkness, desperately searching for any sign of hope.

A way out.

A place to hide.

A weapon.

Just to be clear, I am not exactly what you’d call a wilderness girl. My idea of camping involves shoving a stick through a marshmallow’s butt and toasting it over an open burner. So, stumbling blindly through the darkness can only mean one thing: I’m hopelessly lost.

“You’re only making it harder on yourself.” His voice grows louder.

The bastard’s getting closer, and it takes every ounce of willpower I’ve got to shove aside the suffocating fear and muster the strength to keep going.

I try to quiet my hurried steps, attempting to calm the loud, frantic rhythm of my breath, but it’s no use. The snap of a twig beneath my foot assures me there’s no way he can’t hear me.

No way he won’t find me.

Rocco’s ominous voice echoes through the trees. “I’ll just send the dogs in the morning.”

Dogs?

Morning?

I envision a horde of ferocious dogs, their growls and howls echoing through the chilled morning air as they tear into my frozen solid fingers as the dawn breaks.

I shiver again. I’ve got to get out of here.

The ink of night begins to thin as I tread toward what seems to be an opening. Suddenly, my footing slips on a slick, mossy bed of leaves, and I crash down. “Damn it.”

“I hear you, little bug,” he bellows with a chuckle.

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