I DIDN’T KNOW what to do. I didn’t know where to begin. I should have gone to Kenny’s right when he asked me. Now all of our lives were in danger and it was because of me.
“Don’t, Creena,” Brogan snapped.
My gaze flicked to hers.
She shook her head. “Don’t think that shit.”
I looked at my feet. I was stronger than this. I was trained by the best. Although my father had trained us both, I was who he focused on.
“It’s a difficult world, Creena,” my daddy said. “I need you strong. I need you to be able to handle your brother when the time comes. He has a darkness that would make our enemies shy away. There will come a time in your life where you will be against each other.”
“We’re brother and sister. That can’t happen.”
My father cupped my cheeks, kissing my forehead. “Sweet girl, yes it can.”
My father’s words had stuck with me since. Even after he died. And now was the time for me to channel everything my father had taught me.
“So, are you still not going to come with me?” Kenny asked, scratching his temple with the end of his pistol. “I’m kind of enjoying this cat and mouse play.”
Everyone around us was waiting for me to make my next move. To give instructions. To just do something. But with Stone on his knees and guns aimed at my friends, I was lost. Thrown into a situation I never knew was possible.
“Fine,” was all I said.
Kenny grinned, nodded once, and that was when I heard it. The man looming over Stone cocked his pistol, aiming the gun at Stone’s head.
“What the hell, Kenny?” I screamed. “I said I would go with you.”
“No,” Stone yelled. “Don’t you fucking dare.”
“Kenny,” I pleaded, ignoring Stone. “Please. Just take me and let everyone else go. I’m all you came here for.”
“You see” —Kenny made his way to Stone, pointing his own gun at his head— “I want to hear you say it.”
I swallowed hard, shaking my head.
Voices sounded around me, yelling and arguing, but I couldn’t make out who said what. All I could focus on was the man I was in love with on his knees and the other man I thought I trusted with his gun at his head.
I shoved the men holding me back but they kept their grip tight on my arms. Nails dug into my skin, fingers bruised and marred my flesh. This was it. I fell in love and it would be taken away from me. All because I let my heart get in the damn way.
“Creena,” Kenny demanded, shoving the pistol against Stone’s head. “Say it. Better yet, get on your knees and say it. That’s what you do for him, isn’t it? You switch personalities like a psychotic bitch. Get on your damn knees.”
I was shoved to the ground. A boot kicked at my back, shoving me forward. I grunted, a slice of hot pain traveling up the length of my spine.
“Get up, Creena,” Kenny demanded. “Kneel for me.”
Stone growled, keeping his gaze locked with mine.
“Please let everyone go,” I begged. “I’ll do anything.”
“Kneel,” Kenny yelled.
I pushed to all fours, sitting back on my ankles. “What do you want me to say?” I asked, swallowing past the bile threatening to escape my mouth.
“Say you don’t love him. Say you’ll come home with me and forget all this. These people. Him.” Kenny’s eyes were wild, zeroing in on me but they looked right through me.
My heart sped up at what he was demanding of me. I wasn’t sure why, I didn’t even know what the hell he was talking about. He had been good with letting me do my own thing. Why the change of heart all of a sudden?
“Say it, Creena,” Kenny said, his voice raising.
I locked eyes with Stone. “I’m sorry,” I whispered, letting my gaze fall to my hands in my lap.
“No.” Kenny charged for me. He grabbed a fistful of my hair, forcing me to look at Stone. “Tell him you don’t love him.”
“I-I don’t love you,” I confessed, my voice cracking.
“Tell him he bores you,” Kenny murmured, his lips caressing my ear. “Tell him it was fun but you’re moving on.”
“Kenny,” I whimpered, ashamed of myself I was allowing him to get to me.
“Tell him,” he demanded, his hold on my hair tightening.
“Everything we’ve done was because I was bored.” Gasps and muffled curses sounded around us but I only continued, “It was fun but I’m moving on.”
Stone didn’t say anything. No emotion showed on his face but I saw that look in his eyes. Love and pain. It was a toxic combination. He knew I was lying. He had to know.
“Now it’s settled,” Kenny said, releasing me.
“If you want me” —I rose to my feet— “take me out of here and leave my friends alone.”
“Your friends?” Kenny barked a laugh. “You don’t have any friends, Creena. You don’t deserve to have these people. Remember your training and your sole purpose in life. That’s all you’re good for.”
***
(Stone)
She didn’t love me. She said the words and I knew she was lying but they still hurt like a bitch.
Her brother made her say it and with all the training Creena had over the years, her lies were truths falling on people’s ears who didn’t actually know her. But I did. I knew everything there was to know about this woman standing only a few feet away from me.
If only Creena was aware that the man she had looked up to for years was not in fact her brother. When Greyson had brought this information to me a couple days ago, I knew I had to get her out of his clutches.
While her and Kenny argued, all I could focus on were my surroundings. Angel kept Jay behind him. Dale gripped Max’s hand tight in his. Asher looked like he was ready for a damn brawl now that his girl was pregnant with his twins. But although the guys would do anything to keep the women safe, these girls could hold their own. And Coby looked like he wanted to skin these fuckers alive with the help of his girlfriend.
I was in awe of their bravery. These women didn’t need to prove that they could survive in a man’s world. They owned this shit.
“Let them go,” Creena demanded, rising to her feet and heading toward her brother.
I tried with everything in me to will her to stop. Kenny was unstable. I wasn’t sure how Creena didn’t see it but his eyes were glassed over. He was high off of something. I had quickly debriefed Vice-One on him but it wasn’t enough before the girls showed up. Creena would be pissed I never told her but I didn’t give a shit. Keeping her safe was my main goal. And her brother was a fucking monster. But I couldn’t wait to dance with the devil.
As if they could hear my thoughts, the guys shifted. With the gun at my temple, I was useless.
“Let them go,” Creena repeated. “Please.”
My stomach twisted at hearing the submission in her voice. I didn’t like it and I would praise the day I could make her brother pay for it.
Kenny looked from her to me, back to her again before crouching down in front of me. “You know who I am,” he said, his voice low enough for only me to hear. “Maybe I should tell your little girlfriend you know all about her brother and didn’t tell her. How do you think she would feel, you keeping that information from her?”
“Fuck you,” I muttered.
“Fuck me?” Kenny laughed, looking above my head. “Hold him.”
The guys at my back grabbed onto my arms, holding them tight behind me. I struggled but couldn’t break free.
“I heard you’re looking for someone.” Kenny cupped my jaw, digging his fingers into my cheeks. “How would you feel if I told you he’s right in front of you?”
“No.” I shook my head. “That’s not possible.” The guy I had been hunting down looked nothing like Kenny.
Kenny laughed, slapping my cheek. “It’s all a ruse. Everything is a fucking ruse. The guy you thought you were looking for was nothing. He was a pawn. He did the dirty work for me.”
“How would you feel if I told Creena it was your family who started this human trafficking shit and how her father was trying to get out of it?” I threw back at him. “Think she’d still go with you?”
Kenny’s jaw clenched. “Kill him.”
I laughed but was shoved forward.
“No,” Creena screamed, rushing toward me. “I’ll go with you. I’ll do anything but don’t you dare hurt him,” she pleaded, gripping her brother’s arm.
He shoved her off, glancing back at me. “Anything, huh?” His gaze flicked to Coby. “Move one more inch and I’ll kill him where he kneels.”
I met Coby’s gaze, giving my head a small shake. I appreciated where they were coming from but this was a battle no one was going to win if we didn’t follow Kenny’s rules. I knew how men like him worked.
“All right, my dear sister.” Kenny nodded to the guy standing behind me.
They switched places with her brother now pointing his gun at me.
Kenny leaned down to my ear. “How’s your sister?”
My stomach fell to the ground beneath me.
He chuckled, raising back up to his full height. “All right, Creena. Show me what you’ll do to make sure he lives.”