Page 106 of Heathens

“How about we rule together, as a team?”

He doesn’t even miss a beat.

“I want my own territory,” I seethe through clenched teeth. “Nothing more, nothing less.”

He scowls.

“What for? We’ll be working together.”

“Because I’m worried about you running this entire city into the ground, and me getting me nothing for my efforts. We haven’t known each other for that long, Dom, and I might hate Rene Deschamps enough to sign up for your batshit plan, but I want some kind of guarantee that this is going to go down the way you promised.”

“I’ll give you loyalty,” Dominic whispers. “And power, money–”

I poke him in the chest with one finger.

“And you’ll turn meandgive me half the territory. No bite, no land, no deal. You get me, Duncan?”

His jaw ticks.

“You’re tenacious.”

I grin.

“Have to be in my line of work.”

He takes my hand, squeezing it gently.

“We have a deal, Miss Fournier.”

“Glad to hear it. Oh, and I also want Ruby on board or there’s no deal.”

He blinks and shakes his head.

“What? No. We just shook on it, you can’t just add new terms.”

“Yes, I can. I want to get her looped intonight.”

“I said no, Sofie.”

If he can negotiate, so can I, and if he wants this done, he’s going to do it my way. He’s been fumbling in the dark this whole time, and I’m confident that I can get him to bend. He might be charming, but I actually know what the fuck I’m doing.

“Look, Dominic, I can’t make the formula alone. I know blood, but I’ll need some extra hands. You want your power? Earn it. Learn to cooperate for once in your fucking life. You can start by driving me to Nox and getting Ruby on board.”

He blinks, standing completely still. He doesn’t seem to know how to react.

“Why her?”

“She was a nurse, and she knows pharmaceuticals. She’d be a hell of a lot more valuable than me for something like this. Honestly, if you had any idea what you were doing you’d have kidnappedher.”

He pinches the bridge of his nose, and I pat him on the shoulder.

“Okay. Alright, you win. Let’s go to Nox.”

I’m beaming as he looks up, and he catches my eye instantly, his mouth curling into a warm smile. So long as he doesn’t fuck me over, this could be the start of something good between us. An actual partnership.

I bring his knuckles to my lips and kiss the skull ring that adorns his index finger.

“Thank you, Mr. Duncan.”

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