Page 7 of Little Bird (Advantage Play 3)

I have to give him credit, though. He doesn’t back down. Shoving me in the chest, he keeps his voice low. “I’ll have no choice but to tell Burlone that his men aren’t happy that one of the job’s biggest perks is being threatened by his goon.”

“You think Burlone will be happy if the fruit spoils?” I push back.

“I think Burlone doesn’t give a shit about the apples, yet you’re treating them all like passion fruit. Give my men—”

“They’re not your men.”

With a smirk, Sei looks up at me with his beady eyes. “I think you’d be surprised.”

My forearm is pressed against his windpipe before my mind can catch up with my actions.

Sei doesn’t even blink, though his face turns red from lack of oxygen. When I finally relieve the pressure, he coughs. “Let them have their fill of all the other fruit, and they won’t touch your passion fruit.”

“And if I don’t agree to that?” I ask, my hand clenching at my side.

“Then it’ll be interesting to see which ones make it to the tournament without any damage. You forget, Dex. I was the one who brought them here. I was the one who saw how sweet and ripe they were for the picking. In fact, I think it might be fun to take a small bite of each of them, just so they remember what it’s like to be eaten alive by a real man—”

My fist connects with the side of his face, and his head goes swinging to the left.

Shit, that felt good.

Pressing my full weight into Sei’s neck one last time, I crouch lower until my breath fans across his face. “Be careful how you threaten me, Sei. You might think I still have a heart, but it’s long gone, and I’ve lost any shred of mercy that I might’ve had under different circumstances. You touch the passion fruit, and you deal with me. Now get the hell out of here before I don’t give a shit about how much it pisses Burlone off when we fight.”

I release the pressure and watch the rage in his eyes take over until he’s vibrating with it. Then, like a chameleon, it dissipates. Cocking his head to the side, he gives me a slimy smile then walks to the closest door that doesn’t belong to some passion fruit’s cage and shoves it open.

“Hello, Apple,” he greets the girl locked inside the room. I’ve only seen her once. There isn’t anything particularly special about her. In fact, I’m not sure I’d even bat an eye if I saw her on the street, but that doesn’t mean she deserves the hell Sei’s about to inflict on her. The door closes with a loud thud that shakes me to my core. And all I’m left with is the knowledge that I pissed off a rabid weasel then let him loose on an innocent hen.

Chapter Seven

Little Bird

The sound of low voices in the hallway wakes me from my restless sleep. Staying in my crouched position in the corner of the room, I listen for anything distinct, but it’s too muffled to make out what they’re saying.

Seconds later, something slams against the door. Hard. I jump back and press into the rough cinder block wall. My breathing is staggered as I wait to see if whoever is on the other side of the door will go away, or if my nightmare will finally come to fruition in this awful place, and I’ll be used like a freaking object. I’m shaking like a leaf when the door squeaks on its hinges to reveal a dark, shadowed figure. When I see Dex’s face, I release the breath I’d been holding, but it doesn’t stop my quaking.

“You okay, Little Bird?” A cautious Dex assesses me in my corner.

Currently, my knees are tucked into my chest with my arms wrapped around them, hugging them close as I peek up at him. I don’t move a muscle, but he can read the terror written on my face, regardless.

With as much reassurance as he can muster, he adds, “They’re not going to touch you. As long as I’m here, you’ll be safe. Okay?”

“Is that what the loud noise was? Someone wanted to get in here?”

His silence is loud enough to answer my question.

“And what about when you’re not here?” I ask, licking my chapped lips.

I watch as his gaze falls to the ground, but he doesn’t say anything. I guess he doesn’t really need to because we both know the answer.

“Get some rest, Little Bird. I’ll be right outside your door.”

There’s something about the way he says it. The resolution to my depressing future that’s mixed with a little bit of defiance too. Like maybe…just maybe…he might be willing to keep an eye out for me while I’m here. And I need all the allies I can get.

Chapter Eight

Little Bird

The next time he comes, I’m ready. I’ve been pacing the room with anticipation, but it doesn’t stop my heart from jumping into my throat when the door opens, and Dex appears with a bottle of water in hand.

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