Page 173 of Delightful Sins

I turn around, unsure what to expect. Her features soften from the ruthless woman she usually is. Her hand on my shoulder is reassuring.

“I’m proud of you,” she says. “Really. Thank you for working so hard on the van.”

I take in her words, but it’s difficult to be nice back. That’s not the kind of relationship Kay and I have anymore. She fucked it all up by not believing me. By ignoring what happened to me.

I can feel anger bubbling inside me, ready to burst out like a volcanic eruption. But instead, I express myself calmly. It’s kind of annoying to see Elliot’slessonsin talking about my emotions have worked.

“This doesn’t change anything between us.”

Her brows furrow, her own anger appearing. “I’m extending a hand here. You still fucking stole from me and ran away.”

“Please,” I snort. “You know I never took that money. Whoever did it is still in your ranks and that’s a you problem. Once we’re done with this job, I’m never dealing with you again.”

“Don’t fucking lie to me, Jade,” she hisses, coming closer. “I could insist on you giving me that money back. Where are you hiding it?”

I step forward too, tilting my head up. Facing her head-on. “It’s always been easier for you to call me a liar and ignore the people poisoning the Kings from the inside.”

Her face twists with confusion, her head tilting to the side. “What are you talking about?”

Because I’m not here to play dumb, I give it to her once and for all. “I. Am. Not. Lying. But someone in your crew is.”

It takes all of me not to scream that I’m not a liar. That they’re the ones who let me down, and I was just a teenager who didn’t know what to do.

But I swallow it back. Breathe. Screaming and breaking things never got me anywhere. What does help is spending time with Elliot and Ethan. It’s laughing with them, listening to music together, the sex, the limits we push through, discovering each other.

I smile to myself. “I’ll never forgive you for what you did,” I explain with a calmness I didn’t know I had inside me. “Ordidn’tdo.”

I ignore the pretense of her confusion, and, not waiting for an answer, I turn around and jog to catch up with my two men.

I hear her shouting she has no idea what I’m talking about, but I’m above that. Above her. I’m flying high with Ethan and Elliot as I take them into my arms.

“Alright.” I tap Elliot’s back. “Let’s win your money back.”

“Maybe there’s been enough damage for one day,” he chuckles.

“Do you even know me? There’s never enough damage. Did you drive my car?”

“I did, Mi Cielo.” Ethan throws the keys at me, and I catch them with a smile on my face.

“Now watch what a real car can do on these roads.”

“Na, Na, Na”by My Chemical Romance has never felt so freeing. I only did a drag race with the van, but I’m doing a proper race with my baby.

When I press the gas pedal, my hate for the Kings and the North Shore stays back while I speed across the asphalt. My opponent eats the smoke I let out as I drift the corner, leaving skid marks behind. As my body hits against the side of the car, I scream with joy.

I accelerate back to the finish line, cheers exploding as I hop out of the car. Using the side as a step, I pull myself up and tap on the roof. “Show me the money, fuckers!” I shout at the crowd, getting myself some more cheers.

I throw up two middle fingers at everyone, sticking my tongue out, before jumping back down. Thrumming with adrenaline, I wipe my sweaty hands against my ripped blue jeans. I wore them with large fishnets and a chain going from the back to the front. It’s Ethan’s chain, and I fucking love wearing it on my clothes. Especially knowing he likes to hook it to my collar when we play together.

“Jade!” A tornado of pink hits me right in the chest, wrapping her arms around me. “You were such a queen out there.” She pulls away, keeping her hands on my shoulders. “You’re so badass,” she giggles.

It makes me laugh. If only she knew hownotbadass I am.

“And you’re delusional.”

“I couldn’t believe it was you when you came out of that van. Someone like you doesn’t lose.” Her eyes light up with pride. “And then you raced with your car and…whoa.” She giggles, shaking me. “That wascrazy!”

Her contagious smile gets to me. “Thanks. Are you here alone?”

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