Page 47 of Masked Darling

Jagged nodded slowly as he felt Kade’s pain like a gut punch. “I know, brother. I know. You did good. You got her out of there without any more trauma.”

“And Sadie–She’s absolutelyinsane. Did you tell her to go up there and dance?”

“No.” Jagger snapped. “I actually forbid her from going up there and you see how well that worked out.”

“She saved us up there,” Kade whispered as he remembered how scared he was. Knowing in those moments that he wasn’t able to perform for them if it kept going. Not being able to continue would have gotten them killed.

“She’s never killed before,” he muttered, more to himself than Kade. “Seeing her take a life…Fuck, it’s going to mess with her head.”

Kade placed a hand on his brother’s shoulder, giving it a firm squeeze. “She’s strong as hell,” he assured him. The sounds of crying from the men around the pole as Warren worked them over began to cut into their conversation so they moved towards the back entrance. When they opened the door, several Dregs and Rebels stood there with cleaning supplies, body bags and murderous expressions.

“Let ‘em in!” Warren yelled from the stage.

The brothers held open the door as they swept in and began cleaning up the mess.

“Maybe you’re right about moving away, getting a fresh start.”

“I know that now more than ever, thank you very much.” Kade’s smartass remark was simply met with a very serious expression from Jagger.

“I’m talking about me.”

Kade’s eyes widened in surprise but he stayed silent, allowing his brother the time to gather his thoughts.

“I think I’m gonna offer the bar to Camille and take Sadie to New York with me when my book gets published this summer.”

“That might be best for you both,” Kade acknowledged as he gestured to the bloody bar and men in different gang apparel moving bodies around like nothing. This wasn’t a thriving environment for any kind of romantic relationship. “A new beginning. It’s not like you didn’t try to make the best out of this place, Jag. Sadie, too.”

Jagger just nodded again, his face blank.

“I’m tired.”

Kade sighed heavily as he looked at his brother. He stood there, cuts and bruises down the side of his face and blood-soaked from head to toe. If he wasn’t in all black it would have been an even scarier sight.

Those two words tugged at Kade because it wasn’t just the events of the night he was talking about. It was an entire life of trying to do better than what was expected of them. Be better. Make the right choices.

It didn’t help the fact that even when they were doing good things, it still ended in bloodshed.

Just like their mother.

“I’m tired, too.”

They took a moment to calm themselves before agreeing that once the bodies were gone, they would go get the girls out of the office. But now that the dust had settled, Kade shook with the realization that he would have to face Madison as someone who not only put her in harm’s way, but was the cause of it tonight as well.

He only hoped she would let him explain so he could tell her he loved her.

Kade and Jagger stumbled into the office–exhaustion couldn’t even cover how worn out they were from dealing with everything that night. The bar looked untouched, and bodies had been disposed of thanks to the Rebels and the unexpected aid of the Dregs.

“It’s weird that those guys showed up,” Kade muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. “I mean, I know we needed the help, but still...”

Jagger waved a tired hand at him. “If Camille and Jazlyn are together, it makes sense that their crews would team up. Besides, I’m too old for this shit. Let them figure out their loyalties. I just want to be done.”

Kade nodded, his eyes drifting to the back of the room before calling out, “Mads? Sadie?”

There was no answer and Kade’s mouth ran dry.

“Shit,” Jagger sighed and led the way to the hidden closet, only to find it empty.

Kade’s panic rose, his eyes darting around the little room. “Where the hell did they go?”

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