Page 50 of Crown of Lies

Instead, I pull rank.

I straighten my spine, squaring my shoulders as I meet Emmett’s accusatory glare. A surge of anger rises in me, hot and fierce. Who the hell does he think he is?

“That’s enough,” I snap, my voice as sharp as the crack of a whip. “You’re way out of line, Emmett.”

He opens his mouth to argue, but I cut him off with a raised hand of my own.

“No. You don’t get to question me like this. I’m your leader, not some young blood you can push around.”

Emmett’s eyes widen, as if he’s taken aback by my sudden shift in demeanor.

“But Quinn?—”

“But nothing,” I interrupt, taking a step closer. “You seem to have forgotten who’s in charge here. Let me remind you: it’s me. I make the decisions for this gang, and I don’t answer to you or anyone else.”

I can see the protest forming on his lips, but I press on, my voice low and dangerous.

“I’ve led us through worse shit than this, Emmett. I know what I’m doing, and I hope you’ll trust me, but I sure as hell don’t need your stamp of approval.”

He flinches at my words, finally seeming to realize he’s crossed a line.

“You don’t have to like my methods,” I continue, “but you’d damn well better respect them. And more importantly, you’d better respect me.”

Emmett’s shoulders slump, the fight draining out of him. He looks away as if unable to meet my gaze.

“I’m sorry,” he mumbles, his voice barely audible. “I didn’t mean to?—”

“I don’t care what you meant,” I say coolly. “What matters is what you did. And right now, you’re questioning my leadership. That stops now.”

He nods, looking properly chastised. “It won’t happen again,” he says, his voice more steady this time.

I blow out a breath, feeling some of the tension ease from my body now that he’s backed off.

“Look, I get it,” I say, softening my tone. “This… isn’t exactly something I expected either. But you have to understand—things change. Plans never go exactly the way you expect them to.”

Emmett’s eyes are still downcast, but he nods slightly, encouraging me to go on.

“My dad always used to say that the only constant in life is change,” I continue. “No matter how much you plan, you’ve got to be ready to adapt. That’s what I’m doing. It’s what I’ve always done.”

I take a deep breath, steeling myself for what I’m about to say next. “Since the moment I agreed to ally with the Princes, nothing has gone the way I expected. But that’s my job, Emmett. To make the best decisions I can with the hand I’m dealt.”

I glance at him from the corner of my eye, gauging his reaction. He’s listening, his features schooled into a careful neutrality.

“I’m doing what’s best for Enigma, even if it doesn’t seem like it,” I go on. “Even if it’s messy and complicated. I’m making these calls because I have to. Because it’s my job.”

I let out a shallow breath, feeling a weight lift from my shoulders as the words spill out. It’s the truth—a truth I’ve been carrying alone for too long.

“I’m trying to navigate this, just like you,” I add, my voice quiet now. “I’m trying to do right by everyone, but it’s not easy. Plans change, and I have to change with them.”

Emmett’s shoulders slump as he processes my words. The anger in his eyes has faded, replaced by a mixture of concern and resignation.

“I hear you,” he says slowly. “I don’t like it, but… I trust you. Just be careful, okay?”

“I always am.”

He gives me one last long look before turning away. I watch as he walks down the street, his steps heavy and slow. When he reaches the corner, he pauses for a moment, as if debating whether to look back. But he doesn’t. He rounds the corner and disappears from sight.

I let out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding, my shoulders sagging. The adrenaline from our confrontation begins to ebb, leaving me feeling drained and uncertain.

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