Page 6 of Klutch's Kryptonite

The implication hangs in the air. Valenciaga and the Cuban Cartel are rivals fighting for control of distribution routes across the Midwest. By aligning with the Saints, we’ve officially picked a side in a war that has been brewing for years.

A war that, up until now, had nothing to do with us.

“Great,” I mutter. “First day here, and we’ve already got the fucking cartel taking potshots at us.”

“Look at the bright side,” Beast says, slinging an arm around my shoulders. “At least we know who it was... sorta.”

I snort, shoving him off. “Yeah, that’s really comforting… sorta.”

“Get inside,” Denali orders before turning his attention to our tech man. “Titan, I want those plates run ASAP. See if you can get any clear shots of the shooters. The rest of you, stay alert. This might not be the last visit we get today.”

We file back into the clubhouse, the earlier celebratory mood extinguished. The attack has reinforced what we already know—we’ve made powerful enemies, but we’ve also made powerful allies.

As I step back into the main room, I catch my father watching me with an odd expression.

“What?” I ask, uncomfortable under his scrutiny.

He shakes his head slowly. “Nothing, mijo. Just thinking that life is about to get very interesting.”

Between our new alliance with the Saints, beef with the RBMC, and finding ourselves smack-dab in the middle of a cartel war, it’s more like things are about to get real fucking crazy.

Chapter Two

Demi

“Girl, I swear if one more person bumps into me, I’m going to lose my shit.” McKenna presses herself against the train’s metal pole as another commuter squeezes past us.

I bite back a smile at my best friend's dramatics. “It’s the morning rush, Kenny. What do you expect?”

She throws her arms up in frustration. “I don’t know. Some personal space?” She narrows her eyes at the man inching closer to where we’re standing.

His brows shoot up to his hairline.

“Don’t even think about it,” my bestie growls.

Holding his hands up in surrender, he slowly starts to back away.

Yeah, buddy. You’re barking up the wrong tree. My girl will chew you up and spit you out.

Kenny turns back to me and continues what she was saying like she didn’t just scare a grown man away. “You’d think people would have some decency to say ‘excuse me’ or ‘sorry’?”

I tilt my head from side to side. “True,” I concede. She has a point. It doesn’t cost anyone a thing to use some manners.

She nods her head as if saying,“Exactly.”

That’s my best friend for you. She’s a foul-mouthed ballbuster who doesn’t put up with anyone’s crap.

“This is us,” I say, steadying myself as the train starts to slow. “Ready?”

Kenny’s face lights up with a genuine smile. “Girl, I was born ready.”

Pushing our way through the crowd, we step out onto the platform at Meramec Community College. The sweltering July heat smacks us right in the face.

“Jesus. It feels like Satan’s armpit.” I fan my face with my hand. The humidity is so dang thick today.

“Can you believe we’re actually doing this?” McKenna links her arm through mine as we walk toward campus. “We survived four years of hell in that shitty high school, and now we’re finally here.”

“I won’t believe it until I’m sitting in an actual classroom.” I want to be excited, but I know better. Lady Luck has burned me too many times. Which is why I make it a point not to get my hopes up.

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