Page 39 of High Stakes

My mouth drops open and Hayden barks out a laugh beside me. Silas rounds on him next. “Don’t even get me started on your browser history. Why do you even need to know the suction capability of the latest shop vac?”

I choke on a laugh and we all just stare at each other in stunned silence. Then I pull my twin into a tight embrace, squeezing gently. “I’ve fucking missed you.” I look up to see Hayden trying to sneak away. “No you don’t.” I reach out and grab him too, pulling him into the embrace.

Hayden stiffens for a brief second before one of his arms snakes around me, the other around Silas. “Don’t ever fucking do that again, Si. I mean it.”

I let them go and step back, my eyes immediately going to the corner of the room by the door. “So, about that elephant.”

“Lizard!” Silas calls as he walks over to his bike and drags the tips of his fingers along the sleek, black metal frame. Hector did a great job of getting it back to its former glory. There’s not even a scratch on it.

Hayden stalks over to the corner and gathers the giant thing up. It’s so large that it makes holding it and trying to look around it awkward. “It’s clearly a Cubone,” he snaps and stuffs it under his arm, revealing his scowling face. “And it’s for Emelia. It’s her favorite.”

I chuckle and roll my eyes as he marches the giant stuffed Pokemon into the house and slams the door behind him. I’m basically trying to keep toddlers alive at this point, and it’s even harder because they know how to use lethal weapons.

18

EMELIA

1 YEAR AGO

“Do what you have to do,” I say and drop a duffle bag full of hundred dollar bills onto the desk. The dull thud echoes through the otherwise quiet office. “I found some new leads and I want them dealt with quickly.”

He looks into the bag with a disinterested expression. “These things take time. I will, of course, need to do my own research. Confirm the intel. Only then will I make a move. How many did you find?”

I nod slowly and drop three manilla envelopes onto the desk beside the bag. “Of course. Here is the information. I’ve been watching them for a while. They’re good, but we’re better.”

He regards me with an emotionless stare. “You’re never going to let this go, are you?”

I raise an eyebrow and level him with a glare. “Are you?” I counter, my tone deadly.

“Fair point well made,” he states with a thick Irish accent. He opens the first envelope, pulls out the contents and starts flipping through the pages.

“They took almost everything from me. My family is dead because of them,” I say through clenched teeth, my fists tightat my sides. I can feel the anger and anxiety rising, like it does every time I think about that night. I take a deep breath to calm myself. I’m going to have to get a grip if I want to pull this off.

“As is mine,” he reminds me softly. “Well, some of it.” He fingers through the other two packets of papers with a thoughtful expression. “How would you like to proceed?”

“You bait the trap,” I say as a slow smile creeps across my face. “I’ll finish them off.” I’m aware of how sadistic I must seem. A woman with a suitcase full of cash making deals with mob bosses, exchanging dollar bills for souls.

He nods slowly without looking up at me. “How about an inside job? You can watch them closely, figure out how you want to do it. How to make it count. I want suffering. I want pain. I want begging for lives.” His voice has a low edge to it as he finishes. My skin prickles from the venom in his voice.

“That is my specialty,” I state and clap my hands together. “It’s settled then. You lead them to me. I don’t care what you have to do. I’ll make sure they don’t make it out of the Black Crown alive.”

“Deal,” he says and holds out his hand. I wrap my fingers firmly around his and shake, sealing their fate. “Your Godfather would be so proud,” he says with a smirk. “He taught you so well.”

I nod and bite the inside of my cheek, trying to keep my emotions from ripping me apart. Some wounds never heal, and it seems that the holes my family left in my heart are the worst ones. “Thank you. I’ll be seeing you,” I call over my shoulder as I turn and walk away, knowing I’ve just sealed the fates of three more souls.

“Goodbye, my little Banshee,” he calls after me, and another grin splits my face as I disappear down the hall.

Never have I felt more like an Angel of Death than I do in this very moment.

“Change of plans,”I say as I walk into the room, my heels clicking against the tiled floor. “Some new information has come to light and I would like to propose some amendments to our current course of action.” My voice is stern, leaving no room for arguments. Not with this. I turn and look at the faces in the room.

Hector leans against the wall next to the closed door. His eyes never leave mine as I tilt my chin up and continue. “It has come to my attention that some of my information is outdated and incorrect.”

Tobias leans forward and places his elbows on the table. “What kind of information? Can you trust the sources?”

I pull my gaze away from Hector’s and my stomach dips. Can I actually trust these sources? “I’m choosing to trust them.” I’m not treating this like some miscommunication, grudge-holding, stomach-churning romance novel. “And that’s why I’m changing the plans.” I refuse to second guess my gut and churn this information in my mind like a fucking washing machine.

“Alright,” Tobias leans back and ushers me to continue.

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