Page 25 of Masked Darling

Kade clenched his fists, knuckles turning white. “And what if Warren’s plan fails? Because we’ve been cleaning up his messes for years. It’s not like he’s the best fucking horse to bet on,bro.What then, Jagger? More innocent people get hurt. You,” he points at Jagger’s chest and then at Sadie’s blonde form. “And your girl could get hurt.”

Jagger’s jaw tightened, and he slapped Kade’s hand down from where it pointed at Sadie. “You know I’ll never let anything happen to her. And if we don’t do it this weekend, they’ll have too much time to figure out what’s happening, and we won’t get another chance. We don’t have the luxury of backing out now.”

Sadie sighed and grabbed another stack of papers from behind the bar, along with a giant black hoodie that must have been Jagger’s, before taking her seat again. She spoke quietly as she pulled her limbs through the sleeves and popped her head out, tugging her hair out and to the side. “He’s right, Kade. I’m behind this one hundred percent, too. So don’t try to make me take your side here. “

Kade shook her off, stepping back from the bar. “You don’t understand,” he spat, glaring at Jagger. “You’re gambling with lives here. Our lives.”

“Don’t you think I know that?” Jagger shot back, his voice rising. “Every day, we’re risking everything! But sitting around won’t change anything. Those girls need us to do something now. Who knows how long this has been going on? How long they’ve been stuck with those assholes? When I met them in New York, there were only 6 girls and 5 men–it’s doubled and it’s only been about a month!”

Sadie slammed her hand down on the stack of papers and glared at the men. “Fighting among ourselves isn’t going to help anyone. And it’s giving me a headache. Knock it off, you two.”

Kade turned away, pacing the length of the bar, and glared at Scales and Gremlin as he saw them bring in some kegs from the parking lot. He stopped at the window, pulling the dark curtain away to stare into the parking lot and busy street of early morning commuters. His shoulders slumped as he let out a long breath.

Jagger watched him, tension still simmering under his calm exterior. He ran a hand through his hair again, frustration evident in every movement.

The silence stretched until Sadie broke it once more. “What’s the plan then? How are we going to make sure this goes smoothly?”

“We’ll kill them,” Jagger assured him, though his tone was more determined than comforting.

“Fuck, that’s discreet,” Kade echoed with a bitter laugh. “Fine, but I’m not doing this for you or Dad or any of your grand plans.” He jabbed a finger in Jagger’s direction. “I’m doing it for those girls.”

Sadie looked between the two brothers and then picked up her clipboard again. “Then let’s get to work,” she said firmly.

Kade returned to the bar and poured another beer, watching the frothy head swell and spill over the rim. The cold liquid splashed against his fingers, dampening the sleeve of his gray sweatshirt.

Sadie tossed a rag onto the bar without glancing up from her paperwork. The fabric landed with a soft thud next to Kade’s drink, and Jagger moved towards Sadie. Kade watched Jagger kiss her head before going upstairs to their apartment above the bar.

“Thanks,” he muttered, wiping his hand dry on the rag.

She still didn’t look up. Instead, she continued scribbling numbers on her clipboard, her pen moving swiftly across the paper.

“What’s got you so calm?” Kade leaned back against the bar, frustration bubbling beneath his skin. “You act like this weekend isn’t going to spectacularly blow up in our faces.”

Finally, she paused and raised an eyebrow, her eyes shooting towards him briefly before returning to her work. “Why are you here drinking for breakfast instead of studying for your finals this week?”

“Seriously?” Kade shot back, irritation seeping into his voice. “Because I can’t think about that crap right now. Not with everything going on.”

Sadie looked up from her sheets and gave him a small smile. “I think you should trust Jagger and Warren,” she said simply. “They know what they’re doing.”

Kade scoffed and didn’t care about the sneer that spread across his lips. He was angry, and it wasn’t just about the gang’s antics. Madison had him completely messed up, and he wanted to blame it on something else. “You think so? Last weekend was a disaster.”

“Last weekend was a learning experience,” Sadie corrected him, tossing a rag down the bar top without looking up from her paperwork again. “And we learned from it.”

Kade sighed heavily, leaning against the bar. “I just wish there was another way,” he muttered, rubbing at the damp spot on his sleeve with the rag Sadie had provided him with. “I don’t want to be part of this anymore. I’m supposed to graduate next week and get the fuck out of here.”

Sadie looked up at him then, her eyes serious and filled with understanding. “I know it’s hard,” she said softly. “But most gangs aren’t like this. Who makes it a point to traffic women and use liberating sex parties as a front?” She gestured towards the door with her chin, indicating the girls still out there, trapped in their dangerous world. “We can’t just sit back and let them suffer any longer.”

Kade’s phone buzzed next to Sadie on the bar top. She pushed the sleeves up on her sweater, glanced at it, and then at him. “Does ‘Madison’ know you’re leaving?”

Kade snatched the phone up, his expression darkening as he read the message. “She does as of last night.”

Sadie raised an eyebrow. “Well, that explains why you’re in such a pissy mood.”

Kade’s scowl deepened, and he gave her the finger without looking up from his phone. Sadie didn’t miss a beat, returning the gesture with a casual flick of her hand.

Kade grunted in response, typing furiously on his phone before shoving it into his pocket. He turned his attention to the rows of liquor bottles lining the shelves behind the bar, their colorful labels blurring together.

“Is she upset?” Sadie asked, her voice softer this time.

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