Page 62 of The Kat Bunglar

Kat shook her head incredulously. “Absolutely not,” Kat became distracted as she spotted Christian’s mane of curls. “That’s her.”

“Great,” Gabriel bit out as he parked a hundred feet away. “Does anyone see the police? We’re only here to observe, right? Make sure the right people get taken away in handcuffs.”

Kat peered through the window at Christian. “Something’s not right. Why are Joseph and Smoke pulling out crates? Joseph was just supposed to give him the money and leave. And now they’re nudging Christian toward the SUV. What the hell?”

Before Laila or Gabriel could stop her, Kat jumped out of the car and ran toward Christian. Muttering a curse under his breath, Gabriel unbuckled his seatbelt and turned toward Laila. “Whatever you do, do not get out of this car. I can’t have anything happen to you. Do you understand?”

Laila nodded, her eyes wide with fear as Gabriel ran behind Kat, trying to slow her down.

Kat Kar

The ground felt uneven beneath her sneakers as she sprinted toward the docks, her heart pounding. She spotted Christian almost immediately, her familiar silhouette unmistakable.

Hearing a second pair of footsteps behind, she realized Gabriel had joined her. He quickly grabbed her arm and stepped in front of her. “Stay behind me,” he warned.

Smoke snapped at Joseph, irritation clouding his voice. “What the hell is this? A fucking tea party? Why you got all these randos showing up?”

“She isn’t going anywhere with you. Let her go,” Kat shouted from behind Gabriel.

Smoke looked at Kat in bemusement. “Let who go? Her?” He then pulled Christian into a chokehold, pressing the barrel of his gun to her temple. Christian cried out in fear, looking to Joseph for help.

“Easy, easy,” Gabriel raised his hands to show he had no weapons on him. “No one needs to get hurt. We just want the girl to come home with us, and you guys can keep the money.”

Smoke curled his upper lip and laughed. “I was planning to keep the money all along. Why not add the girls in for a bit of fun, eh?”

Joseph started to walk toward Smoke, his voice shaky. “C’mon man, that wasn’t part of the plan—”

Before he could finish, Smoke turned, fury flashing in his eyes. He swung his gun toward Joseph, landing a brutal punch to his face. Joseph stumbled back, blood spilling from his mouth.

“Shut the hell up,” Smoke spat out, turning back to Gabriel and Kat. “You, the little spunky one. How about you get in the car with me, and we’ll see what that mouth can do, yeah?”

Kat stiffened, but before she could respond, the faint sound of police sirens wailed in the distance.

Smoke turned his gun on Joseph once again. “Did you set me up, you little bitch?”

Joseph cried out, his bottom lip split in two. “No, it wasn’t me, man. You gotta believe me.”

Before Smoke could pull the trigger, Gabriel tackled him from behind. Wrestling him to the ground, Gabriel desperately clawed for the gun.

Kat quickly grabbed Christian, trying to figure out which way to go, when she saw Laila’s car come screeching to a halt in front of them. “Get in, girls,” Laila demanded.

As the girls clambered into the car, they all heard a gunshot ring out.

Laila Malik

Laila’s heart froze as she saw Gabriel’s face go blank with shock. Ignoring Smoke as he pushed past her to get away, she screamed Gabriel’s name and ran toward him, her legs moving faster than her brain could comprehend. The world became a blur around her.

Cradling his head in her lap, Laila felt the warm, thick blood soaking through his charcoal blazer. Panic gripped her chest, but she forced the words out. “We have to stop meeting like this,” she stammered, her voice breaking, as a sob fought to escape.

Gabriel let out a strained laugh, wincing as his body shifted. “What can I say? I’m a sucker for a pretty face,” he groaned, his voice slightly slurred and labored. His eyes fluttered, clouded with pain. “You didn’t listen, did you? I told you to stay in the car.”

“I’m fine,” Laila whispered, her breath hitching as she tore off her scarf and pressed it firmly to his wound. She could feel his pulse beneath her trembling fingers. Her hands shook so violently that she struggled to keep pressure on the gash. “I’m so sorry. You were right. We never should’ve come. We should’ve turned this over to the police. Oh my God, Gabriel. If anything happens to you...” Her voice faltered, her chest tightening with guilt.

Gabriel’s smile was faint but real. “I love you too,preciosa.” His words were soft, a dreamlike whisper before his eyes closed, and he slipped into unconsciousness.

Laila froze. Had he really said that? Was it a fleeting moment of delirium, or was there something deeper? Her mind raced, trying to grasp the truth of it.

As the paramedics arrived, Laila clutched their hand, her voice pleading. “Can I go with him? Please. I need to know where you’re taking him.”

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