Page 59 of Bonds of Obsession

“Fuck no.” Quinn and Nico speak in perfect sync, and I almost smile.

Almost.

Zoey’s lips curl up, like she’s been waiting for this. She raises two fingers, and movement catches my eye as a shadow seemingly detaches itself from behind one of the bikes.

The silence stretches out for a few seconds, and I force myself to stay calm and ready for whatever is about to happen. Even the Tyrants seem to hold their breath, watching Quinn. They know exactly whose face is about to step into the light.

My hand finds Quinn’s lower back, steadying her. Warning her. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Atlas shift his weight,ready to move even with all of his injuries. Nico has gone deadly still, the way he always does before the shit hits the fan.

We finally get a good look at the person walking up from the shadows, and everything goes sharp and cold.

Emmett. The fucking traitor who nearly got Quinn killed. The man who sold out his own club for a quick buck. The man who’ll die screaming if I have anything to say about it.

“We found this stray.” Zoey’s voice drips with smug satisfaction. “Poor thing needed a new home after burning all his bridges.”

Quinn goes stiff as a fucking board under my touch. The anger and pain that flashes across her face makes me want to peel Emmett’s skin off strip by fucking strip. I’ll take his hands first—the ones that gave information to Ambrose. Then his tongue, for all the lies he told. Then his eyes, so the last thing he sees is me coming for him.

“The Twisted Tyrants have graciously offered me protection.” Emmett’s voice wavers slightly as Quinn’s hand drops to her gun. Smart man, showing fear. He should be fucking terrified. “Since my previous… employment ended badly.”

Previous employment.

Like he didn’t betray the people who treated him like fucking family. Like he wasn’t indirectly responsible for Atlas being tortured. Like Quinn didn’t give him a home, a purpose, everything he had.

I’m already planning exactly how I’ll find him. How I’ll make him suffer before he dies. He thinks the Tyrants can protect him? I’ll stack their bodies like firewood to get to him. I’ll paint the streets with their blood. I’ll tear down every building in Detroit brick by fucking brick until I find where he sleeps.

Some people deserve more than death. They deserve to be unmade. To be torn apart so slowly they forget who they werebefore the pain started. To serve as an example of what happens when you betray family.

And I’m very, very good at unmaking people. And maybe it won’t be today, but by the time I’m done with Emmett, there won’t be enough left to identify the body.

21

QUINN

SeeingEmmett’s face hits me like a slap to the face. All the betrayal, all the pain he caused surges up inside me until I can barely breathe through the rage. The memory of the raid on my shop, of Atlas’s blood, the sound of his screams over the phone—it all crashes through me at once.

“You entitled piece of shit.” My voice comes out as a snarl. I shrug off Killian’s steadying hand and stalk forward. “What, you couldn’t handle that I didn’t want you? That I chose someone else?”

Emmett takes a step back, and the fear in his eyes just pisses me off more. Fucking coward. Always has been, hiding behind others, playing the victim.

“You betrayed your entire gang. Your family.” There’s no stopping the bitterness in my tone, and I’m not even trying to hold back. Fuck that. Fuck him. “Got Atlas tortured. Almost got me killed. All because your fragile fucking ego couldn’t handle rejection?”

“You think I owed you something?” My fists clench so tight my nails break skin. “Think because you wanted me, I was supposed to want you back?”

“Quinn.” Nico’s warning comes a second before his arm wraps around my waist, holding me back. Good thing, because I’m about to rip Emmett’s throat out with my bare hands.

“I gave you a home.” My voice rises with fury. “A purpose. My trust. And you threw it all away for what? Money? Revenge?”

“You don’t know shit.” Emmett’s voice is shaking, but he straightens his spine, protected by Zoey’s wall of muscle. “You’re the one who betrayed us. Spreading your legs for our enemies, letting them into our territory?—”

“Careful.” Killian’s voice promises violence.

“What?” Emmett’s lip curls. “Everyone knows she whored herself out to all three of you. The mighty Quinn Kent, on her knees for the Princes of Carnage. Your father would be ashamed?—”

The mention of my father snaps something inside me. I surge forward with a scream of rage, and it takes both Nico and Killian to hold me back. My vision blurs red as I fight against their grip.

“Don’t you dare talk about my father,” I snarl. “You’re nothing. A jealous little boy who couldn’t stand seeing someone else get what he wanted.”

“Keep telling yourself that.” Emmett’s eyes drop to the spot where Nico’s arms are locked around my waist. “Even now, it’s obvious where your loyalty lies. Isn’t that why you brought these three formerPrinces”—he spits out the word—“rather than anyone from your so-called family at Enigma?”

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