Page 52 of Dark King (Advantage Play 2)

With a roll of my eyes, I try to clarify everything for him. “Regina is my friend who went missing. She’s my Gigi.” My heart hurts that she was dismissed to her room by Kingston, but I press on, knowing I’ll get a chance to talk to her when this is over. “We met at Dottie’s one night and bonded over coffee and breakfast food. Q is just an innocent bystander who got caught in Burlone’s crosshairs and ended up saving the day.”

Gaze narrowing in suspicion, Kingston addresses Q. “Speaking of which, what the hell happened in that room, and why did you do it?”

She stares blankly ahead, lost in the memory for a few seconds before I nudge her softly.

Clearing her throat, she answers, “You needed my help, and I was dead anyway.”

“But why help me?”

With a quick look at me, Q mutters, “I saw her walk in with you. I saw the way she willingly touched you. I saw the way you spoke to her. The way you treated her.”

“And that was enough to put your own life on the line?”

“What life?” she sneers. “I was in the middle of being sold as a sex slave. My life was already over, and it didn’t hurt that I could take out Burlone by backing your story.”

Her blunt honesty hits like a bull, making all of the grown men in the room pause to get their bearings.

After a few seconds, Kingston continues his questioning. “And what about now? You’re free, yet you’ve put a giant target on your back. Those men are all being arrested for human trafficking, but that doesn’t mean they don’t know people who are still on the outside. They assume I’m going to kill you because you outed yourself as an agent, but Burlone sent your pictures to a lot of bad men. Men who possibly already had another buyer set in place in case they won the tournament. Men who could recognize you. Who could place you as a fucking agent. Do you know what will happen if they find you?”

Her eyes are glassy, but she doesn’t bother to respond. Instead, she keeps staring straight ahead as if King isn’t five feet in front of her. As if he isn’t reaming into her for her mistake when, in reality, she brought our plan to fruition. Without her help, we could all be dead. Hell, I have no doubt that we would be.

Kingston keeps going. “If they find you, the last two weeks of your life will have been a walk in the park compared to what they’ll put you through. Understand?”

A single tear slides down her cheek, dripping off her chin. She doesn’t bother to wipe it away. And the sight kills me.

“Enough,” Diece barks, surprising me and everyone else in the room. I’ve never heard him talk back to Kingston. I’ve never heard him interrupt him or even question his methods.

All heads turn to him.

“Excuse me?” Kingston grits out.

“I’m pretty sure she gets the picture, Boss,” D says, his chest puffed up. “I think it’s time you mention the solution now.”

Anxiously, I wait to hear what the solution is too. Q’s hold on my hand tightens until I’m sure my fingers are purple, but I’m too invested in the conversation to look down and confirm my theory.

“My solution is for you to watch her, D. To take care of her until things calm down. Do you think you can do that? Keep her in hiding? Change her appearance? That kind of thing?”

Diece nods mechanically, his attention shooting to Q beside me. Ignoring him, she simply keeps staring blankly at the wall. Numb. As if her future isn’t being discussed a few feet in front of her. As if she doesn’t care what the outcome of her life will be because she’s already given up on it.

“Good. Ace,” Kingston addresses me. “You’re still living with me. Don’t bother arguing.”

I open my mouth to do exactly that before narrowing my eyes and crossing my arms. “Who says I’m arguing?”

With his lips tilted up in amusement, Kingston teases, “Good girl. Will you take Q up to the guest room across from us and make sure she’s comfortable? D and I have a visitor we’d like to have a little chat with.”

“Wait!” The mention of Burlone seems to light a spark in Q as she jumps to her feet. Her jackrabbit move scares the shit out of me, making me flinch. Placing my hand on my racing heart, I try to figure out where her burst of energy came from, and what she’s so passionate about.

Kingston tilts his head and assesses her. “Need something, Q?”

She swallows thickly as the wheels in her head start to turn. Hands shaking at her sides, Q boldly says, “I need a baseball bat and five minutes with the asshole who stole my life.”

“Me too,” I add, feeling as if I’ve found another soul sister. We both deserve retribution, and the possibility of being able to hurt Burlone is too good to pass up. Seeing him in that room refreshed all my childhood memories, and I want to make him pay for each and every one of them.

Snapping his fingers, King turns to Diece. “Take Q to the shed. Give her a bat. I’ll be over in fifteen. Ace, I need you to stay with me. You’ll get your time in a few.”

With his hands raised in the air in surrender, Diece approaches Q as if she’s a scared little deer. “Come with me. Seems you have some frustration you need to work out of your system.”

Then it’s just me and King.

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