Page 4 of Warrior

This could’ve been their plan all along. Get close to us, get Artemis’ guard down, then attack when we’re vulnerable.

An uncomfortable feeling takes root in my chest.

Just how far has Kade gone? Both in his deception and… otherwise.

But part of what Reese is saying doesn’t quite make sense, either.

“Why would he need revenge against her?” I ask. “She wasn’t running the place.”

“No…” Reese continues out the door, his hand on his rib cage. “No, she wasn’t. But she still carries a lot of guilt about what happened to him.”

There’s something he’s not saying, but there’s no time to piece it together. I dial Antonio’s number again and swear when it goes straight to voicemail.

Something isn’t right.

“Do you have your car?” I ask Kade.

The stony-faced man nods once. I haven’t revealed his involvement with the Cyclopes, but that can wait. If he’s helping us now, the accusation could only make him abandon ship.

I’m functioning, and so is he, but Reese…

Reese limps along faster, glaring at us when we’re too slow. We take the elevator down to the parking garage, and he finds Kade’s vehicle faster than me.

They know each other. I need to keep reminding myself about that fact, because it means there’s a potential alliance there. They could choose each other over me. It sounds like Kade already made his decision regarding Artemis…

A laugh bursts out of me.

They both look at me oddly, but I just shake it off. Reese and I had this conversation. The burning-building question. He said he’d save Kade.

And I picked Artemis.

I will continue to pick Artemis… I just have to make sure she knows it.

We pile in the car, me in the back, Kade at the wheel, and Reese hunched in the front seat. Our drive to Bow & Arrow seems to take hours, even though in reality we arrive inminutes. The club, at this time of day, is not yet active. Even the restaurant isn’t open.

But there is someone loitering, and my brows furrow.

“One of the waitresses,” Kade says.

We park and hop out, and he approaches her. “Mel, right?”

She nods.

“What’s going on?”

“Tem was supposed to meet me to go over the schedule.” She shrugs, then fumbles a lighter out of her pocket. A cigarette follows. “I think she’s going to fire me.”

Not helpful. Minus the fact that she hasn’t shown up, and I don’t think Tem has ever ducked a meeting with her staff. It’s not her way, not when Bow & Arrow means everything to her.

“Did you call Antonio?”

“He didn’t answer.” She sighs. “I am really getting fired, aren’t I? It’s because I like to go over to the Hell Hounds’ clubhouse sometimes. It’s not my fault?—”

“Save it,” I snap.

We need to get into the building. A tug on the front doors confirm that they’re locked, but there’s another entrance in the alley. It’s where Tem usually parks, and the kitchen staff enter that way. They have direct access to their work stations on the top floor.

Reese heads in that direction, and we follow.

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