Page 227 of Hate Mates

“This isn’t going to end well for one of us then, is it?”

“Put the gun down, son. That’s all you need to do. We’ll find you a woman you actually like, not loathe.”

“Maybe I’ve changed my mind about her. Maybe I don’t see her as the enemy any longer.”

“But she is. She’s your enemy,” he roars as I laugh harder, darker. I move my hand, point the gun at her father, and pull the trigger before aiming it back at my father. He turns, stunned by what I’ve just done, and looks at me. His gun is now aimed at her, a twinkle in his eyes.

“You’re my enemy. You’re the reason we were out that day. The day she died,” I tell him. I remember it. The day we were sent out to the market and then it all makes sense. He wanted it to happen. He set her up. “You … you set it up, didn’t you?” I ask him.

“And if I did? She was no longer useful to me after Patty. She didn’t want more children, and you were so odd I knew you wouldn’t work out to take my place.”

“Work out to take your place? It’s ironic now, isn’t it? I’m going to kill you both and have it all,” I tell him. His gun moves quickly, aiming at me before we pull the trigger at the same time. Cybil moves so fast I barely see her coming when she knocks me to the ground. My father falls across from me, and when I lookdown at Cybil, I see the blood blooming on the front of her white dress.

“Fuck. What did you do, Kitten?” I hiss as I move around and lay her on the floor.

“I’m okay,” she says as I rip the bottom of her dress off and hike up the rest. I glance down and see that she’s right; it just grazed her.

“You’re going to be the death of me, aren’t you, Kitten?”

About the Author

Connect with Erin Trejo by visiting her website: https://www.authorerintrejo.com/

Dangerous Liaisons by Faith Summers

KHARDINE GRAY WRITING AS FAITH SUMMERS

I never thought I'd see Cristiano Moretti again. Six years ago, he vanished without a trace, leaving nothing but my shattered heart and unanswered questions. Now he's back, appearing like a dark guardian angel just as I'm staring down the barrel of a gun.

With my sister being kidnapped by the Chicago mafia, I have no choice but to trust the man who destroyed me. Every touch, every look reminds me of what we once had—and what we lost.

He claims he left to protect me, that he never stopped loving me. But as we race against time to save my sister, I'm fighting a battle of my own: can I trust him with my heart again when the wounds of his abandonment still feel fresh?

One thing is certain—in the shadows of this dangerous world, where loyalty costs blood and trust can get you killed, falling back into Cristiano's arms might be my salvation... or my ultimate undoing.

Chapter One

PIPER

The package of money nestled in the middle of my messenger bag feels like it's burning a hole through it.

I guess that’s what a hundred thousand dollars feels like. Add in the fact that it’s illegal as shit and possibly drug or blood money and it’s no wonder my bag feels like it may combust.

Terror laces through every nerve in my body as I walk down the rain-slicked street, every shadow making me flinch, every passing car tightening the knots already twisting my stomach.

I shouldn't be here. This isn't me—I'm not a criminal.

But tonight, I can’t help but feel like I am becauseI'm a mule.

No different from one of those shady people you see on TV doing drug drops and all sorts of illegal things.

It's funny. You never know what makes a person do things like that until you find yourself walking in their shoes.

Maybe, like me, they were trying to save their sister.

Maybe their younger sister is just like mine and has a penchant for landing herself in the worst trouble imaginable.

That said, this time, Lana really got herself mixed up in the mother of all trouble. And dragged me in too.

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