Page 41 of Seeds of Sorrow

“Hadina!” Peyton shrieked, throwing her arms over the other woman’s shoulders. She glanced at the door, expecting Don to reappear at any minute. “Your dad might see us.”

“ThenPapiwill see his very adult daughter openly expressing some emotion for the first time in years. Now hush and let me use those pretty lips to wash away my worries.”

Hadina didn’t give Peyton a chance to respond, crushing her lips against hers in a hungry kiss. Peyton groaned, pushing herself against Hadina’s body while pressing her thighs into the other woman’s waist. She could taste a hint of bitter coffee as she explored Hadina’s mouth while her hands roamed.

Shivers skittered up her spine as Hadi slipped her palms under Peyton’s shirt, her fingertips brushing across the soft skin of her lower back. Peyton closed her eyes and let the sensation run through her body, heating her from the inside out. A low groan escaped her mouth when Hadina moved to pepper kisses along her jawline, dragging her teeth down the column of Peyton’s neck. Then she stopped at the dip of Peyton’s collarbone, sucking softly on the skin.

“We have so much work to do,” Hadina mumbled against her skin, “But I’d much rather spend the day showing you places in the city that make me feel like home.”

Peyton heard a surprising softness in Hadina’s voice that took her off guard. Pulling back slightly, she tucked her fingers under Hadina’s chin and tilted the woman’s face up to eye-level. “What does that mean?”

She watched as Hadina slipped her mask back on, blinking away the softened demeanor that slipped through momentarily. “Nothing. It’s not important.”

Peyton shook her head and slid to her feet before standing. “It’s important to me. Don’t start with that cold bullshit again. What did you mean?”

Hadina stood too, looming over Peyton’s average five-feet-two height. “Thatcold bullshitis me, Peyton. I said it’s not important right now.” She brushed past her, making her way out of the kitchen. “Come on. Let’s get to work.”

* * *

The driveto Hadina’s downtown apartment was filled by the sound of Peyton’s voice asking a thousand questions about the training plan, while Hadina answered in short sentences that brokered no more querying. Peyton persisted anyway.

“I just want to know what we’re going to be doing,” Peyton said as she slammed the passenger door shut.

Hadina rolled her eyes as she pressed the lock button. “We’re literally about to find out. Why do I have to tell you?”

“You suck.”

“And I do it so well, baby,” Hadina retorted with a smirk. Peyton turned away to hide her own smile.

Her lack of stamina was cause for concern as Peyton trailed up the stairs in the building after Hadina, wheezing as they passed the second landing. She eyed the elevator on each level, silently cursing Hadina when they went through the key-carded door on the third floor. While she was a breathless mess, Hadina looked as though she had just stepped out of a photoshoot, not a hair out of place or a bead of sweat to be seen.

Hadina watched Peyton with an amused smile, motioning for her to follow her. She stopped them in front of apartment thirteen, the silver number glinting beneath the stream of sunlight shining through the window at the end of the hallway. A keypad was mounted on the wall beside the door, as well as a card-swiper above the handle. Peyton thought it was a tad overkill as Hadina swiped her card and then keyed in her combination before unlocking the door.

“Doesn’t the crazy security make your neighbors suspicious?” Peyton asked.

“No,” Hadina said as she pushed open the door. “Anyone who has this much security isn’t someone you want to fuck with.”

Stepping to the side, Hadina gestured her head for Peyton to go first. There was a tugging feeling in Peyton’s gut but she took a deep breath, brushed past Hadina—her fingers deliberately skimming the other woman’s—and entered the apartment.

“What in the unholy fuck?” Peyton barked out with an incredulous laugh.

She walked around, examining the living room in fascinating detail. Lining the walls and any available surface was an array of weapons. Knives, guns, fuckinggrenades. Hadina had it all on full display. The white walls were covered by shelves holding AR-15s, pistols, daggers with every length of blade possible. Peyton knew her mouth must have been hanging open as she spun in a circle, unable to comprehend the amount of weaponry amassed in one place.

“This is… Hadina, what the fuck?”

Hadina eyed the girl, almost like she couldn’t believe why Peyton was so confused. “What?”

“What?” Peyton mimicked, gesturing around the room. “I get why you have all these. But why do you have themhere? You just sleep in a shrine to artillery?”

Shrugging, Hadina took a seat on her sofa and kicked her legs up onto the coffee table, shoving a revolver out of the way with her heel. “Well, I spend most of my time atPapi’sso it was logical to store them here. Besides, it makes for easy access. The apartment is right in the middle of the city.”

Peyton swallowed. “Do you actuallyuseall of these?”

“Yes and no,” Hadina answered honestly. “I knowhowto use them all, and I keep myself trained, but I have my personal favorites. Everyone usually has something they feel most comfortable handling. But it’s useful to be able to adjust in a high-stakes situation.”

“Speaking from experience?”

Hadina raised an eyebrow at her. “Perhaps.”

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