Page 58 of Ride with the Devil

She grins at the group assembled. “Okay. Hi. I can sense the tension in the air. Get the feeling none of you like me and, hey, I get it. Wouldn’t like me, either, if I didn’t know how fucking awesome I was.”

Cross huffs louder.

Rolls gives him a warning look.

The rookie cop whispers something to Burns.

Kylie ignores it all. “Okay. I’ve heard stories about the Devil of Springfield’s infamous temper and just how short it is. Luca’s too much of a sweetheart to tell me that there’s a good chance I’m not walking out of this room alive. I get it. I understand it. So let’s not waste any time. Yes, I am the Hummingbird. Yes, I was hired to burn down Sinners and Saints tattoo studio and kill Carlos ‘Cross’ da Silva. Yes, I obviously failed, but my track record speaks for myself. He’s the only one who’s survived the Humminbird, so when I tell you that I can get Johnny Winter, I fucking mean it.”

Like Devil, Damien is wearing a suit. Unlike the head of the Sinners Syndicate, the other man’s suit is impeccably tailored to suit him. Devil looks like a big brawler poured into a suit,muscles bulging against it. Damien—with his silver-streaked hair and piercing blue eyes—seems like Hollywood’s idea of a gangster.

Until he speaks in his no-nonsense, slightly accented voice, and you wouldn’t mistake him for anything other than the threat that he is.

“And how exactly do you plan on doing that? Enlighten us, if you would.”

“Simple. By killing Lincoln Crewes first.”

Okay. I know Kylie’s plan. She ran through the outline of it for me before I brought it to Devil in the first place. I guess I just thought that the boss would’ve at least filled the others in before we met them at Sinners HQ.

From the reaction she gets, I’m thinking he might have forgotten to mention that part.

Rolls has his Beretta out, aimed right at Kylie. Savannah’s stiletto knife appears in her hand as if by magic; considering I got to know her well enough when we were both undercover in Hamilton, helping to save Genevieve and Cross, I’m not surprised, though I’m no less impressed than I was the first time I saw her handle a blade. Damien has his own gun out. So does Officer Burns.

And Cross. He’s pulled a weapon on Kylie, and of everyone gathered, he looks the most ready to pull the trigger.

I know better than to believe he wouldn’t. Maybe before I saw what captivity had done to him, I might’ve. But then I spoke to one of the other guards—Noah, the one that Genevieve was forced to shoot and kill—and he told me how Cross bit a guy’s cock right off.

At the time, I couldn’t help but think: it’s always the quiet ones you have to look out for. I mean, I get why he did it. If someone put me on my knees and told me I had to suck dick, I might bite down, too. But hard enough to sever the tip?

He’s dangerous. All of us Sinners are, but he has the most reason to want to see the Hummingbird grounded after Devil.

I don’t even think. Letting go of her hand, I step in front of her.

If my brother is going to shoot the woman I need more than my next breath, he’ll have to go through me first.

Cross swallows roughly.

Devil crosses his arms over his chest, watching the whole scene closely.

Kylie clicks her tongue. “Oh, for fuck’s sake. Drop the weapons. I wasn’t being literal.”

Devil tilts his head in her direction. “So you’re not going to kill me.”

“No, and I know you already know that because Luca told you. But since the rest of your squad here is obviously out of the loop, let me rephrase that. I’m going to let everyonethinkI killed you.”

“Think that’s a smart idea?” calls out Burns. “The city’s been on high alert since the vice mayor’s body was found in the downtown, covered in bullet wounds and signs of torture.”

“Fucker deserved it,” mutters Devil.

“He was allowing the Snowflakes to sell their dirty Eclipse on my territory,” cuts in Damien. “I kept seeing their mark, but I couldn’t understand it. Collins was their mule. I’m with Lincoln. He deserved worse.”

“I get that, but that’s not what I’m saying. Sarge has us roaming the streets in pairs. It’s been like that all holiday season. Christmas might be done, and we all know Harrison doesn’t give a fuck, but the department can sense trouble brewing.”

His partner nods his head in agreement. “Even those of us not on the take… with New Year’s coming, we’re expecting something to pop off.”

“That’s my point,” Kylie says. “It will. At least if someone here can get their hands on some explosives before the thirty-first.”

Rolls gives her a speculative look. “I can get anything.”

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