Page 108 of Queen Of WildCards

Andthe four men who held my heart forever in their palms.

Whowould grow to think of me as an enemy.

Abetrayer.

IgrippedAce'swrist in my hands as he leaned over me and shoved open the door at my back, and as several armed men approached the car,Imade one last plea to him, those traitorous tears finally slipping free of their moorings, spilling over and trailing down my cheeks in the ultimate betrayal of the way his actions were tearing me apart.

"Kohei,please—"

Heshoved me off of his arm and screeched to a stop, throwing me bodily on my ass from the open door before he threw it in reverse and turned to look over his shoulder.

"Kohei!"Iscreamed after him, struggling to find my feet and get my legs beneath me, but it was no use—the guards had caught up to me now.Astheir cold hands clamped over my biceps, a keening, heart-wrenching wail ripped free of my chest and echoed around the courtyard of the estate he'd dropped me at, trailing after his fast-disappearing car as it drifted around the next turn and out of sight.

Ifolded in on myself, limp and over life at this point, and waited for my end to come at the end of one of their guns.

Ofcourse, it wouldn't be that simple, and asIwas dragged into the house, a strange feeling washed over me, a feelingIhadn't had to worry about in years.

Surrender.

Morethan anything, right now,Iwanted to curl up and just die, his betrayal hurt so bad.

Apiece of me was gone; without it, it was likeI'dforgotten how to breathe.Likelife itself held no meaning but just to exist.Andsuddenly,Ididn't want to anymore.

Iwas dead, and it was all his fault.

CHAPTERFORTY-SEVEN

JOKER

"You'rea fucking idiot, man, butInever thought you'd be capable of this kind of traitorous, crazed bullshit!"

Spadewas busy shovingAceinto the wall repeatedly, and the fucking moron just let him, standing there like he hadn't just thrown our girl to the wolves.He'dbeen inconsolable ever sinceAcepulled back in with an empty, half-wrecked car and a look of shame on his face.

Ittook all of a half hour to get the asshole inSpade'storture room to turn over the details of the people who'd hired him, the ones who'd put a tracker in our girl's jacket when we weren't looking.Turnedout, there was more than one mad dash for power, and our earlier lead was right—theRizolliMafiahad hired squads to take a hit at both us and theKings—but theKingsplayed it smart, and intelligent men with a hit on their heads never left home.

Wewere so busy playing hide the sausage that we'd forgotten to watch our own backs.

Maybea part ofAcehad been right—Mallorywas a pretty distraction that we'd all let ourselves get caught up in—but damn it all, we fucking loved her, and this wasn't how decisions were made in our crew.

Acehad gone rogue for the last time.

"Ifthey kill her,Ace,I'llfucking make sure you suffer every single punishment they dole out to her just for breathing."Spadeslammed his fist through the drywall beside his leader's face, a grimace on his lips. "Ifucking swear to you,Ace, ifInever hear my name spill from her lips again,I'llhurt you untilIbreak my own rules and leave your corpse on the doorstep of the fuckingYakuzaas a warning."

Aceturned away, his eyes filled with regret. "I'llmake a call,Tyson, okay?"He'dstopped calling us by our code names whenBlackJackslammed his fist intoAce'sgut and declared theWildcardsno more untilMallorywas back with us, safe and whole.

IfAcewanted to stay alive, he'd fucking have to grovel at our queen's feet and beg her forgiveness.

Andeven then,Iwasn't convinced he'd be fit to lick the soles of her shoes.

Spade'showl of fury reverberated off the walls as he yanked open the door to the armory and began ripping guns off his shelves, strapping a number of knives to his person like he was preparing for guerrilla warfare on his home turf.

"Spade,"Imuttered, side-eyeing the man like he was going crazy.

Whichhe was.

Weall were.

Wewere certifiable and breaking apart without her, just as we had been before she showed up.

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