Page 59 of Cruel Revenge

Chapter Fifteen

SKYLA

Kalani standsin the doorway of the laundromat, the color drained from her face and a tight smile stretching her lips. She gives a slight shake of her head as I draw closer, and a pit opens in the bottom of my stomach.

What the fuck is happening now?

I take a deep breath, stuffing my hands in my pockets and trying to look relaxed.

Even though the police have closed the investigation and the laundromats are about to reopen, it doesn’t mean that they’re not following us and watching our every move.

That bastard, Logan, is probably leading the charge.

Kalani pulls her hair over one shoulder as I get closer. “I was wondering when you’d get here. Hot husband keep you up all night?”

“Something like that.”

I have no idea what is wrong with me, but I care more than I’d like to admit that things haven’t been as comfortable since theconfrontation in the hall about Logan. Or since the warehouse burned.

And with all these confusing feelings and this weird pull, I guess I should be thankful that he is avoiding me just as much as I am him.

The last thing I want is to fall for him, though I suspect it might already be a bit late for that.

Kalani pushes the door open and holds it while I follow her inside. When she shuts it behind us and locks it, my heart rate speeds up.

I don’t know what the hell is going on. I thought I was just showing up for a normal day at work, to prepare everything for the reopening, but apparently not.

“Is there something I should know?”

Kalani pulls out a gun and points it off into the corner.

I turn and look at the little alcove where the front windows are.

Zoe smiles and crosses one leg over the other as she leans back in the armchair. “I thought it was time we met and talked about that negotiation your family is trying to put on the table.”

I stand stiff, glancing toward the door.

Aiden is supposed to be here in about an hour to discuss the last details, but if he catches her here, all hell will break loose.

There’s no way he’s going to let Zoe live after everything her family did to ours.

And now that Noah’s dead and Gia is with Royce, Zoe is the one in charge. She’s the one that will pay for her family’s sins. She might only be Noah’s half-sister, but she is just as vicious as him.

I remove my hands from my pockets, leaving the knife in my jeans. “Why do you want to talk to me instead of my brother?”

She gives me a wry smile. “You know why.”

It’s always me over Aiden.

I don’t know what’s given people the idea that I’m the easier one to talk to. They all seem to think that coming to me will save them from his wrath. Not a single one of them realizes that I’m the one they need to be worried about.

And now here we are, another person underestimating me.

But I can use this to my advantage.

As I walk closer to her, I take a look around the laundromat.

There isn’t anyone else here.

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