Page 86 of Crown of Lies

“Remember,” Nico calls out, his voice cold and steady. “Every second of pain you’re feeling right now? That’s just a taste of what’s coming if you or your friends ever cross us again.”

The guy doesn’t respond, just continues his agonizing crawl toward the exit.

My eyes flick to Nico, a question forming on my lips. He catches my gaze and nods, understanding without me having to say a word.

“He’ll make it back to his people,” Nico says, his voice cold and matter-of-fact. “The message will be more effective this way. Pain has a way of making things a little more memorable.”

It’s vicious. Ruthless. But I can’t help but respect the calculated cruelty of the move. It’s a good reminder of why he’s the leader of the Princes.

Atlas grunts in approval, while Killian’s eyes gleam with a dark satisfaction. We all know this isn’t just about sending a message. It’s about vengeance. For me. For us.

“We should move,” Atlas says, breaking the tense silence. “Cops will be here soon.”

Killian nods, then pauses. His gaze sweeps over the bodies littering the warehouse floor. “One last thing,” he mutters, pulling out a wicked-looking knife.

I watch with horror and grim sense of satisfaction twisting in my gut as Killian methodically moves from body to body. With each stop, he brings his knife down in a savage arc. Hands fall to the ground with dull thuds.

“A reminder,” he growls, “of what happens when you touch what isn’t yours.”

We leave the bodies in the loading dock, a gruesome warning to anyone who might think of crossing us again. As we prepare to leave, I realize I’m still in the tattered remains of my earlier outfit.

“Here,” Atlas says gruffly, tossing me a bundle of cloth. It’s one of the dead men’s shirts, several sizes too big but better than nothing. I slip it on and roll up the sleeves.

As we’re about to leave, Nico turns to me, his brow furrowed. “Where’s your car? We need to get you out of here.”

I swallow hard, the memory of earlier events flooding back. “It’s… abandoned. By the side of the road somewhere. My people… they’re probably still inside. I can’t imagine these fuckers bothered to move the bodies.”

Nico’s eyes widen. “Shit. I’m sorry.”

I take a deep breath and nod. “I need to go there. Before we head back.”

Nico shakes his head immediately. “No way. It’s too dangerous. We need to get you home, get you safe.”

“I can’t just leave them there,” I argue, my voice rising. “They’re my responsibility. My people.”

“And you’remyresponsibility,” Nico counters, his tone hard. “Ourresponsibility. We’ve already pushed our luck tonight. Every minute we’re out here is another chance for something to go wrong.”

I feel my temper flaring. If the circumstances were different, I would probably appreciate the gesture. Even then, I’d tell him to fuck off.

“I’ve told you before that I’m not some damsel in distress. I can handle myself. What would you do if you still had guys lying out there dead on the side of the road?”

“That’s not the point,” he growls, frustration evident in his voice. “We just took out a chunk of the Young Killers. They’re going to be out for blood. We need to lay low.”

“And what about my gang?” I snap back. “They need to know what happened. I need to deal with this.”

We glare at each other, neither willing to back down. The tension is palpable, and I can see Atlas and Killian exchanging uncomfortable glances.

Finally, Atlas clears his throat. “Look, I think Quinn’s right. We can’t leave her people out there. It’s not how we operate.”

Nico’s jaw clenches, but I can see the fight leaving his eyes. “Fine,” he says after a long moment. “But we’ll help. And we do this quick and careful. In and out. No unnecessary risks.”

“In and out,” I agree as I head for Nico’s vehicle while Killian and Atlas grab their bikes.

When we arrive, the scene is just as grim as I’d feared. My stomach churns at the sight of my fallen men, still sprawled where they were shot.

“Let’s make this quick,” I say, my voice steady in spite of the turmoil I’m feeling inside.

We work efficiently, loading the bodies into the back of Nico’s SUV. I try to detach myself from the task, but it’s impossible not to recognize the faces of people I’ve known for years. People I was responsible for.

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