เข้าสู่ระบบI push the white door open, and the rusty hinges squeak, and the sight of everything stops my breath.Pippa’s on a plastic chair, her head resting on the edge of the mattress. Diana’s flat on her back, eyes closed, her rest of the body hiding under the blanket.Seeing her like this, It’s a heavy, messed-up feeling that makes my heart ache. As I take another step, the door shuts behind me and Pippa’s head lifts"Cairo," she whispers, fixing jer messed up hair I'm still on the spot, looking at her. And for the first time, I do not know what the fuck to say to a person. Pippa just looks at me and understands everything without me having to say shit. She gives me a slow nod, reaching for her bag to give us space.As she starts walking past me, I catch her by the arm, dragging her back."You’re a real one, Pippa. I don’t know how to thank you for staying with her through this shit. And thanks for calling me.”"Don't do that. Diana’s my number one, and she would do the exact same for me
The car flies past the streets of Vegas like a madman is behind the steering wheel.Matteo keeps swerving around cars, and he doesn't dare slow down because he knows I'm counting every second.My right hand is holding down on the hole in Alec's belly. The dark, hot blood’s already soaked through my palm and into the gaps between my fingers, and it won't stop.I keep slapping his face with my left hand, and I'm not gentle with it. "Stay with me, Alec! Look right at me, damn it! Just keep your fucking eyes on my face!"His eyelids keep fluttering open and then shut.He's trying to say something, but what's coming out isn't words yet.I look down at him and panic boots me in the fucking chest.Why the hell did I turn that car around?We were already out. We had cleared the whole thing and gotten to the car, and Matteo was pulling away when I said stop.Because I couldn't leave knowing what was happening to a pregnant woman in that field behind us?And now Alec’s bleeding because I made
The two guys fly off Sienna’s body the second they hear the shot. They don't hesitate. They scramble backward into the grass, dragging weapons out of their waistbands and leveling the guns straight at my face. Behind me, I hear the clicks of Alec and Matteo, guns up and pointed at the targets.Luthor's still by the hood of his car, looking confused as hell. He leans his weight off the hood, head tilted sideways. I bet his brain’s having a hard time processing the fact that I just ran all the way back."I changed my mind, Luthor. I’m leaving here with the lady tonight. So tell your boys to lower their weapons and step aside, and nobody has to bleed out here in the dirt."Luthor stares at me for two full seconds, and then he barks a laugh like what I just said is the most ridiculous shit ever."The fuck did you just say, Arsher?" Luthor asks.He spits the cigar out of his mouth, letting it drop into the wet grass, and his right hand dives into the inner pocket of his charcoal coat.
"Cairo, please! Look at me!""I’m begging you on my knees, just let me live! I know I fucked up real bad this time, I know I did something terrible, but I swear to God I will change. I’ll change everything, Cairo!""I’ll never go anywhere near Diana again, I won't even look at her direction, I swear it on Skye's life! Just don’t do this!""Of course you wouldn't go near Diana. That’s exactly why I'm making sure of it tonight."I hear the groan of heavy engines from the tree line, and then two pairs of bright halogen headlights cast shadows across the grass. A couple of blacked-out cars crunch the grass, stopping about ten yards away.The doors fly open all at once, and two guys in heavy leather jackets step out first, their eyes sweeping the whole clearing like they’re checking for a threat.Then the back door of the first ride opens, and Luthor steps out of it.He’s wearing a tailored charcoal coat that looks completely ridiculous out here in the woods, his grey hair slicked back cl
~~~CAIRO~~~The headlights announce the arrival before I hear the sound of the car.I check my watch. 3:13 AM.I've been leaning against the hood of this truck for twenty minutes. The truck that's supposed to move her dead body to the cliff for a proper burial. Aside from smelling the blood I'm about to spill, I also smell wet glass, the cold night, and nothing else. No city sounds or traffic, just crickets doing their thing and whatever the hell is going on inside my chest that I'm not about to pay attention to.I look down at the gun in my hand. The cylinder's open. I've been staring at it for ten minutes.Just three rounds and two empty slots. I flip it closed. I've made up my mind and the math isn't complicated. She doesn't need more than one bullet, and I'm not here to make a point or put fear in her. Fear is for people who get to walk away after being threatened.This is just… finishing something.The problem is I can't stop thinking about Diana, and that's what's been eating
Gunna hits the main road and the tires screech like a motherfucker. I look back through the dusty rear window and that black car’s on our goddamn bumper, copying every single move we make."Gunna, step on the goddamn gas and move this piece of shit car forward! They're gaining on us, nigga!""I am pushing it as hard as it goes, lady! This ain't any sports car, it’s a standard sedan, so shut the fuck up and let me watch these mirrors!""Don't tell me to shut the fuck up when my entire life’s on the line, bitch! Listen to me! That is Alec and Matteo back there. If they catch my ass, I'm a dead woman. You don’t know what those psychos do to people who cross Cairo. They will throw my fine ass in a ditch before sun up, you feel me?!""They gotta catch us first, right?"Gunna makes a crazy U-turn down a dark, narrow side street to break their chase. The tires hit the asphalt hard as fuck, throwing a high jolt through my seat. I look at the dashboard clock, it's 2:16 in the morning, and a







