Page 40 of Little Bird (Advantage Play 3)

My jaw flexes until I’m sure I’ll crack a molar, but I know I’m on thin ice right now. I can feel it in my bones. If I mess up this conversation, it’ll be the end of everything.

“Answer the question,” Kingston pushes. His eyes are laser-focused as he waits to see who I truly serve. Whether it’s him or his sister. And it’s in this moment that I realize if I ever want to call his sister mine, then I need to earn his trust first. I just hope it doesn’t gut Regina the same way it guts me.

“Dex,” I grit out.

“Just Dex?”

“Yes.”

Tapping his chin, Kingston leans forward. “And why is that?”

“Because my father didn’t claim me,” I growl, unable to hide my frustration at the asshole in front of me, who is now my fucking boss.

“No. He didn’t. You’re nothing but a bastard. Regina Romano is so far out of your league that you’d be lucky to clean the shit off her shoes.”

He’s not wrong. I know this. He knows this. Pretty sure anyone who has ever laid eyes on Regina would know this. But it doesn’t stop him from twisting the knife in my chest, now does it?

“Kingston, please—” Regina interrupts, her voice cracking as she attempts to beg for her happiness. Kingston cuts her off with a cold, hard look.

I’m not surprised in the least.

“Regina, I know you have feelings for him, but have you ever considered the possibility that those feelings are based off who you perceived him to be when you didn’t have anyone else? You barely know him.”

Shiiit.

He’s right. What if her feelings for me aren’t real? What if they’ve been woven together out of desperation and self-preservation?

“It doesn’t matter, King. I know that I—”

“Stop!” he shouts, cutting her off.

My entire body tenses, every muscle pulling tight, ready to be released on my enemy as the overwhelming need to protect Regina pulses through me.

Yell at her again, and I kill you, I silently challenge him, but I keep my mouth shut. It doesn’t matter if he’s my new boss or that he’s her brother. It doesn’t matter if her feelings for me are real or if they’ve been fabricated. She’s been through enough over the past two weeks and deserves a little respect. And if he doesn’t start giving it to her, I’m going to put a bullet in his skull.

Regina’s quivering lips pull into a thin line, but she doesn’t respond.

“Regina, you’re dismissed,” Kingston orders. “Go to your room and wash up. Dex, if you’d still like a place here as a soldier, I’ll give it to you. You’ve earned it. However, if you plan to pursue my sister, I’ll tell you right now that you’ll be gutted for it. Understand?”

Regina storms off without waiting for my response, and I’m glad she doesn’t have to witness me bending for her brother. I just pray that by the time this is all over, she’ll understand why.

“Kingston—” Ace interrupts in an attempt to soothe him. He gives her a pointed look that dares her to continue. She doesn’t finish her sentence.

“Not now, Ace. I’m not going to change my mind, but if you’d like to discuss it further, we’ll discuss it in private. Understand?”

She nods.

“Good. Now, next order of business. You.” He points to Q, who’s still busy clutching Ace’s hand like it’s a lifeline. “What’s your name?”

Like always, she doesn’t bother to answer him, so Ace does it for her. “Her name is Q.”

“I thought her name was Gigi?” Diece interjects, looking confused as hell.

Rolling her eyes, Ace clarifies, “Regina is my friend who went missing. She’s my Gigi. 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?”

Q keeps up her corpse-like behavior, staring blankly in front of her until Ace nudges her softly with her shoulder.

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