Page 44 of Branches of Betrayal

“You’ve seen what we can do. What wewilldo. You, Eddie, are worthless compared to your comrade. So, I’m sure you can imagine what we’ll do to you if you don’t do what we ask. Correct?”

He nodded, a slight movement against Harris’ tight grip. “I u-unders-s-s-tand.”

“I really hope that’s true. Because what happens next determines your future.”

Clasping her hands behind her back, Hadina began to pace. “We’re going to give you a car and the body of your deceased friend here.” She nodded to where Hernandez was slumped over in the chair, his blood a pool beneath him. “And you’re going to take him directly to Demi Treyva.”

“But I don’t know where she is!”

Hadina rolled her eyes. “She’ll find you,pendejo. You think she doesn’t know that her entire team has been wiped out? The second she realizes that you’re the only one left alive, she’ll want to meet you to question you.”

“Just kill me! She’s going to do it anyway,” he sobbed.

Hadina slapped him across the face, hard enough to see the welt forming on his cheek. “You don’t get to make requests or tell me what to do. You’re right; she will kill you. But if we kill you first, we don’t gether. And then all of this will have been for nothing. I will get Demi Treyva and if you fuck this up for me, not even death will prevent me from destroying you. I’ll makesure that there won’t be any sort of afterlife for you. Are we clear?”

Poplar nodded again, his lips pressed in a firm line.

“What are you going to do to her?” he asked sheepishly.

“I’m going to make her feel so empty and worthless that she’ll be begging for forgiveness. For mine, for Peyton’s, and most importantly, God’s. Her maker may forgive her, but that’s not up to me. I’m just the one who’ll be arranging their meeting.”

Chapter 24

Peyton

Sitting at the kitchen island,Peyton rapped her fingertips on her mug of coffee. Hadina had been away for hours already, and she could only assume what she was doing to Derick Hernandez. So, instead of focusing on how scared she was, she was texting back and forth with Kaira. Not that it was helping any.

Kaira: You doing okay?

Peyton: no. Im freaking tf out

Kaira: H knows what she’s doing

Peyton: True. But im still getting used to this life. What if shes in danger

Kaira: *eye roll emoji*

Kaira: H can handle herself. And she’s got Harris with her

Peyton knew that Kaira was right, but it didn’t ease her nerves. It wasn’t that she thought Hadina couldn’t handle things herself—she most definitely could—but Peyton secretly hated the fact she wasn’t with her. That everything was happeningbecause ofherand instead of being part of the action, she was sitting at home so that she wouldn’t be scarred further.

“Honey, I’m home,” Hadina called out, the sarcasm dripping in her voice. Such a sweet, gentle greeting and both women knew it didn’t fit them or their lifestyle.

Jumping off her stool, Peyton ran to the hallway to see Hadina standing in the foyer, her clothes covered in blood. Even her face was marked with crimson.

“Hadi! Are you okay?” She ran forward, taking Hadina’s face in her hands to check for any wounds or signs that she was harmed.

Hadina nodded, taking Peyton’s hands and pressing a chaste kiss to them. “I’m okay. It’s not my blood.”

Peyton blinked. “That’s a lot of blood. Tell me it belonged to Hernandez.”

“It does.” Hadina grinned, all teeth and viciousness. It sent a flutter through Peyton. “We got him… Poplar is on his way with a car and body. Adrian has the tracker, so he’ll be trailing him. Shouldn’t take long for Demi to realize what’s going on.”

“So, what now? We just sit around and wait?”

Hadina shrugged off her jacket, revealing an extra bloody shirt. “First, I need to take a shower. And then I have to sleep. What comes next… Well, we’ll need all the energy we can get. You should get some sleep too,tentadora.”

Peyton trailed after Hadina as they made their way to their bedroom—formally Hadina’s, but Peyton spent most of her time there now anyway. Slowly, she peeled off Hadina’s bloody clothes, depositing them in the laundry basket beside the door. Then she turned on the shower, adjusting the heat until the temperature was perfect.

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