Page 24 of Shadow's Edge

“No more lies, no more bullshit.” My voice was a whisper, but the steel beneath it was unmistakable.

Her lips trembled, but she didn’t speak.

I leaned in closer, letting my breath ghost over her cheek. “Youwilltell me,” I promised, my tone soft. “One way or another.”

Her breath hitched, and I smiled because I wasn’tleavingthis room until I got what I wanted.

“Ahhh,Store,” I murmured, circling the chair she was sitting in, slow and deliberate. She was trying to act unaffected, her posture perfect, her expression neutral. No fear, at least, not yet.

I could change that, easily.

“What are you going to do,Kai?” she sneered, her lips curling in disdain.

Even now, she looked immaculate. Polished. As if she wasn’t sitting in the middle of a room filled with people who wanted nothing more than to break her apart. That would change soon enough.

We hadn’t been far when Jagger put the pieces together, tracking her to one of the MC’s other chapters. A couple of calls later, and we werehere. The chapter’s President had done his part, they’d kept her distracted until we arrived, ensuring she had no time to run. The element of surprise had been onourside, and it had beenfucking glorious.

“You know,” she drawled, voice laced with venom, “yourdaddyalways had a hell of a dick. How he madeyou, I’ll never know.” Her gaze flicked over me, smug and cruel. “But then, he always wanted aboy, didn’t he? Couldn’t stomach the idea of adaughter. So, he named you like a guy.”

For years, I’dhatedthis woman. The way she treated me. The words in my mother’s letter. ThetruthI had learned about what Preacher had done with thispiece of shit.

And what had happenedafter.

I inhaled slowly, keeping my expression carefully neutral, I wouldn’t give her the satisfaction of a reaction.

“That’s nice, Store.” I exaggerated a yawn, sitting back in my chair and stretching like I wasboredof her existence. “But here’s the thing—it’s notmeyou have to worry about.” I leaned forward slightly, voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. “See, mydaddy—” I barely swallowed down the bile that rose in my throat at the word “—has somethinghewants to say to you.”

Her lips parted, eyes narrowing slightly, but she recovered quickly.

“Probably the same thing he was saying to me two nights ago,” she taunted, her voice saccharine sweet, knowingexactly what she was doing. “The same thing yourbitchmother walked in on years ago… before sheblew her brains out.”

I stood in one slow, controlled movement, and then walked back toward her.

Standing in front of her, I watched her closely.

There. A flicker. She was good, but notthatgood.

Fear flashed in her eyes for half a second before she masked it.

“Oh, no, no, no,” Itutted, bending slightly so we were face-to-face. “See,Iknow exactly where my father was two nights ago, and itwasn’twith you.”

Her expression faltered and I smirked.

“In fact,” I continued, my tone dripping with amusement, “you’ve been anothingfor alongtime now, haven’t you?” Her face twisted in rage. I’d scored a direct hit. “That’s why you did it, isn’t it, Store?” I murmured. “Figured you’d get some payback because you weren’tlooked at anymore. Not in the MC, not by Preacher, not byanyone.”

I cocked my head slightly.

“It’s been a while since even theprospectswould touch you, huh?”

The snap was instant.

“Youbitch—” She lunged, spitting at me, but I was already moving, stepping out of the line of fire before she could do anything.

She was way too predictable.

Before she could open her mouth again, the door creaked open, and Preacher stepped inside.

Store stilled immediately.

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