Page 77 of Run, Little Rabbit

“I quite enjoy that you’re instinctively violent,” Cillian says, that grin showing his pearly white teeth. “But you don’t need to stab me.”

“He’ll enjoy it, anyway,” Conor quips, and I do find that surprising. Always thought Cillian was the more sadistic out of the two of them. I guess this little interaction is making me more aware that I actually don’t know them as well as I thought I did.

“Anyway,” Cillian says, dragging our attention back to the fact that they’ve been undermining dear ol’ Dad. “We’ve been making inroads with some of the lower ranks of the Volkov men, slowly working our way up the food chain.”

“Must be going well for you if we’re on the brink of war,” I drawl.

Conor tuts. “Quite the opposite, in fact. War was never our end goal, but we didn’t account for the Volkov men kidnapping you.”

“How did that even happen?” Cillian asks, his tone curious.

“I broke Max’s nose.”

The pair of them stare back at me blankly.

“I didn’tknowit was Max. He was wearing a mask, and he was rude.” The twins still don’t say anything, and I’m starting to feel like I’ve got something on my face. “What?”

“Max?” Conor draws the syllable out, and I realise what I’ve done. A blush heats across my cheeks at my slip of the tongue.

Cillian’s grin is wide and menacing. “Awfully friendly of you to call the head of the Bratva ‘Max’.”

I swallow, suddenly conscious of the fact that I’m staring at two sadistic predators. They stare me down, but I’m not going to crumble under the weight of their gaze. I’m sure their victims found it oppressive and intimidating, but I won’t. I straighten my spine and stare straight back.

“Interesting,” Cillian mutters, and Conor hums his agreement. “What an unexpected development.”

“It does explain why both Kai and Veon are miserable,” Connor adds, a possessive little glint playing about his blue eyes.

“I’ve moved on from Kai, and Veon can’t see past his duty. He also doesn’t like to share.”

Both the twins’ eyebrows rise simultaneously at the word ‘share’. Dammit, my mouth is running something fierce today. I blame it wholly on the tequila and not on the fact that I might be slightly preening over getting all sorts of reactions out of the twins.

Ooh, maybe I could make a game out of it. I bet Niki would play it with me. Maybe Angel too. They definitely seem like the type to enjoy terrorising their victims. I could make it a points-based reward system. The bigger the reaction, the better the reward.

“Why do you look like you’re about to kill someone?” Conor asks.

“No reason,” I reply with a sly smile and giddy with excitement. I’m going to have to think of a name for my new little game. The twins aren’t going to know what hit them. “So, what are you going to do about your little plan to undermine dear ol’ Dad now I’ve spoilt the original one?”

“War was never what we wanted to achieve, but we knew that Father would push for that if he could,” Cillian states. “War isn’t good for profit, and we would rather build an alliance than an enemy.”

Well, that is a surprise. “I thought you were as bloodthirsty as Dad.”

Conor smirks. “We are. We’re just not idiots.”

Cillian stands and puts his black tailored suit jacket back on. “And we want to rule. Father is old and weak. We have the support of the men; we’re smarter, and we have many fingers in many pies.”

“It’s time for a new era,” Conor says as he follows his twin’s lead, standing and preparing to leave. “Gone are the days of brutality and erstwhile ventures. We will move with the times, with technology, and we will build the Quinn empire into something far more wide-reaching. The world will know of the Quinns, Echo.”

“And with you and the Volkovs, we will be unstoppable.” Cillian finishes, and there’s a magnetism to the pair of them that has me wanting to join the fight. I’m drawn in, like a moth to a flame, I know it’s going to hurt, but the idea is as beautiful as that fucking fire, and I don’t give a damn about the pain.

“Lucky for you, I’m hoping to see Max to make a deal.” I jump up from my seat and stick my hand out. “I’m in.”

The pair of them shake my hand, and for the first time since we were children, I actually feel a connection click into place with my brothers. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy on the inside. Is this what having family is supposed to feel like?

Conor tilts his head to one side, his gaze assessing me from head to toe. “Up until a year ago, we always pegged you as the pampered little princess you portrayed yourself to be. Unworthy of our time and beneath our interest.”

“Turns out, you’re a vicious little serial killer with a cult following, and we are impressed. Please say we can be there when you tell Father.” Cillian hits me with the puppiest of puppy eyes, and I bark out a laugh.

“Are you trying to manipulate me?”

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