Page 72 of Kill Me Sweetly

“You’d be wise to not make that call.” Her voice lowered, and the real witch started to appear.

“Or what? You’ll whip me? Burn me? What’s punishment look like in your eyes, Cruella de Vil?”

She chuckled darkly. “I think we’re done here.” She grinned.

“I think you’re right.” I turned around to walk away and came face-to-face with a big, scary dude. “Excuse me.”

“You need to come with me, Mr. Columbus.”

“No, thank you. I’ll be leaving now.”

I faced Mason, who had his own large man by him. I knew Noel and Nick could hear and hoped they were getting a message to Gabe.

“It’s not a choice.” He gripped my arm painfully.

“Fine, I’ll go.” I turned to Mason. “Sweetheart, please tell Conner I’ll be a while.”

Mason’s eyes widened at the realization that I was asking him to leave. He’d fight me but the truth was, Mason couldn’t handle being locked up again, and I had no idea what these people had in store for me. Fear threatened to choke me but more so for Mason than myself.

“No, he’ll be coming too,” the guy said.

I snorted. “Do you think Conner is going to sit and wait? No, he’ll rampage. He’s more than a driver; he’s our protection.”

The large man waited for Penny’s instruction, and she curtly nodded. “Very well, Lewis can go tell his driver they will be detained. Ask him to come back later.”

That was all I needed. Once Mason was near Gabe, he’d be safe.

My best friend’s face fell, and tears welled in his eyes. He was conflicted, but the only way out of this was for one of us to leave, and it had to be Mason. I couldn’t lose him to the darkness like before.

“See you in a bit, dear.” I winked, faking confidence but Mason knew me. I was anything but confident right now.

His smile was weak, but he followed the big man out. As soon as he was in Gabe’s reach, I was sure he’d get Mason out of there and raise holy hell. I could hold on for that long.

“Bring Mr. Columbus, would you please, Jim?” With a painful squeeze, he tugged me and practically dragged me out of the room.

Right before the doors closed I lifted my eyes, and every single girl in the room was regarding me with a blank stare.

What the fuck did I get myself into?

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

SHEP

Angeland I were able to get Wes to the basement without Four or Max noticing, which was likely for the best. We weren’t sure how Four would react to seeing someone from the consortium in person.

He was strapped to a bed and elevated into a more upright position. Angel was monitoring his vitals since GHB was no joke. We needed answers, and dead men told no tales.

“When will he wake up?”

Angel shrugged. “When he does. Everyone reacts to GHB differently.”

The door to the basement opened, and someone came racing down the stairs.

“Shep, thank God.” Noel winced once I faced him.

“What is it?”

“We have a problem.”

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