Page 58 of Seeds of Sorrow

“Y-yes, Ms. Adis.”

“Good.”

Hadina maneuvered her way through the tables and situated herself in a chair positioned to face the rest of the restaurant. Her team scattered themselves across the other tables, Zelina waiting behind a back door with Peyton and Harris. They had to look as inconspicuous as possible at first, but it didn’t mean Hadina was foolish enough to leave her best players behind.

Her ability to remain calm and patient was truly a gift. They had arrived early to make sure everything was in place, and had been waiting an additional twenty minutes since. She tapped her long nails against the table, wishing she had Peyton’s comforting presence beside her.

“So sorry to have kept you,” Demi said as her guard opened the door, keeping a step in front of her. He moved aside to reveal Regina herself, a beautiful fiend. With curled blonde hair and a statuesque face with sharp angles and strong features, Demi looked like a painting. Even the pinstriped pantsuit she was wearing made her look fierce and dangerous.

But Hadina Adis was the fiercest and most dangerous of them all. She would not be intimidated.

“Nonsense,” Hadina said, waving a hand in the air. She smiled, hoping that it showed off all her teeth. “I’m just grateful for you agreeing to meet with me.”

Demi snapped her fingers and all her team ditched their weapons on the table. Disbanding across the restaurant, each of her guards taking a seat beside one of Hadina’s. Demi moved and sat in an empty chair next to Hadina, which was a smart move. It was silly to turn your back on enemies, even under the ruse of a truce.

“In my family, it’s tradition to have a drink for good luck and a successful business venture.” Hadina motioned for a waiter to come over. “A glass of the 1811 Chateau d’Yquem, please. And iced water for my team. Please bring out some hors d'oeuvres as well.”

“I’ll take some of the finest whiskey you have. Water for my team would also be appreciated.”

The young waiter bowed his head and walked through the doors to the kitchen. Once he was out of view, Demi turned her gaze to Hadina. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Hadina.”

“I’m sure.”

Demi barked out a laugh. “Ah, are we disposing of the false pretenses so quickly? I do so love openness.”

“You say that, but your operation has been running in the shadow of my company. I wouldn’t call that open, would you?” Hadina tilted her head. “Oh, and should I call you Demi orRegina?”

The woman’s answering grin was nothing short of predatory. “You heard of my little nickname, then? I did think it was a nice touch.”

It took everything in Hadina not to jump across the table and rip theputa’sthroat out with her teeth. “Cut the shit, Treyva. Tell me what you want.”

Demi pretended to ponder for a moment, opening her mouth to speak when the waiters brought the drinks and food out on trays. The waiter who took their order placed Hadina’s glass of wine down first, then Demi’s, and set a charcuterie board between them. Hadina picked up a cube of cheese and bit down on it, looking at Demi expectantly.

“I want what all women like us want. Money, power, freedom.”

“And you think that pushing drugs and abusing children is the way to go?”

Demi sat her glass down on the table without taking a drink. “I think you’ll find that I never laid a hand on any children.”

Hadina rolled her eyes, taking a swig of her wine. “You don’t need to put hands on someone to be an abuser, Demi. Besides, it’s the people on your orders and your payroll doing it—in my eyes, your hands are just as dirty.”

“You’re a tad too sensitive to be the leader of the great Adis & Co., in my opinion. What happened to that pretty sister of yours? She was certainly boss material.”

Growling in warning, Hadina gripped the stem of her glass tighter. “Do not disrespect me. Inviting you here was a courtesy that you didn’t deserve. I won’t be kind enough to let you make a mockery of me.”

Demi shrugged. “You allowed me to do that the moment you let things slip between your fingers. I’ve been using Adis resources and staff for months, and you’ve done nothing to stop me. You’ve made a mockery of yourself, Hadina.”

Hadina smirked, the deafening silence making Demi uneasy. A spluttering cough from one of Demi’s men broke the quiet, his face turning a bright shade of red. Demi turned around in panic, just in time to see him fall from his chair.

“What the fuck?” she yelled, smacking her hand down on the table. Chuckling to herself, Hadina took a sip of her wine and watched as all the guards choked, passing out where they sat. Demi pushed to her feet, her face pinched up into the picture of fury. “What the fuck have you done?”

At that moment, Zellie pushed through the door and swaggered to their table, a smug look plastered on her face. “Precautions. You didn’t really think we’d trust you at your word, did you?”

“Ah, did you need your big sister to come save you?” Demi spat at Hadina, throwing a glare at the two sisters.

Zellie took a seat beside Hadina, swiping the glass of wine and gulping the remainder down. Hadina rolled her eyes, shaking her head at the lack of manners and decorum. “I don’t need anyone to save me, dear. But I figured it was only fitting that my sister be here since you two havehistory.”

“You better not have killed my men or I’ll gut you where you sit!”

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