Page 8 of Savage Kingdom

I made my way to where Daph and Julian were talking, overhearing a bit of their conversation.

“So, you live in Chicago?”

The question seemed innocent enough, since that’s where Rivera was trying to settle his operation but couldn’t do it with Giovanny in charge, but that’s when I knew my petal was here on a different agenda from what Damian wanted.

I didn’t like the head of the Sekt. The Russian fucker had a God complex, and the few times I’d been in his presence, he had rubbed me the wrong way.

“Ah, Chicago, home to the best pizza.” I injected myself into their conversation much to their dismay. “I have fond memories of Chicago, don’t you, Petal?”

“Where were you?” Daphne raised a brow, annoyed with me.

“Miss me?” I asked, draping an arm around her shoulder.

“You wish.” She moved her shoulder, removing herself from my hold. “You’re like herpes—never fully gone.”

Cold.

“You’re like death—not visible but always around.”

She rolled her eyes and walked away.

I turned to look at Julian, who was watching her leave.

“She’ll kill you once she’s done with you.”

The arsehole looked at me and grinned. “Beautiful way to go. Maybe she will leave a flower by my bed tonight.”

Her calling card. She left daphnes as a warning that she was out for you. Like her, the flowers were beautiful but also carried poison. It was a rumor she cooked up most of the Sekt’s toxins. All the beautiful things had a madness to them; all you had to do was open our eyes and see it.

“Better sleep with one eye open,” I murmured.

I made my way to the back to one of the tents. When I walked into the tent they had assigned Daphne, I found her in the process of taking off her shirt. Her hands were gripping the hem of the blouse when she turned to look at me.

“What are you doing here?” she asked, fixing her shirt.

She wouldn’t get naked with me in the room.

“Aw, Petal, did you expect Julian?” I took out the Zippo lighter, making sure the ballerina that was engraved was hidden from her view just to fuck with her, and grabbed another cigarette. I felt her stare as soon as I lit the flame but ignored that for now.

“What are you up to, babe?”

“Don’t call me that.”

I grinned. “Do you prefer Petal?”

“I prefer you dead, but we can’t get everything we want in life, right?” She made a show of removing the small Glock behind her back before she turned to face me.

Slowly, I made my way to the chair that was in the other corner of the tent. I sat down, spread my legs, and took a drag of my smoke. Once I exhaled, I spoke.

“Want a quick fuck?” I wiggled my eyebrows.

She rolled her eyes. “I don’t have time for disappointment.”

“Petal, I’ll make you purr.” I rolled the last word, ther’s vibrating off my tongue. “But I think you’re scared you can’t keep up with me.”

Her head snapped my way. She hated challenges because she wanted to rise to them—to prove those who underestimated her wrong. Daphne gave me a smile that made me instantly wary. She strutted toward me, and I leaned back in response, watching her with avid fascination.

She leaned into me, her hands resting on my shoulder, and her body was straddling mine without putting her weight on me.

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