Page 119 of Cruel Debts
"I think they should both work for the Guild. It's the only thing that makes sense."
I choked on the air I was currently breathing in. "What?"
"No way," Mistwood spat, glaring at his ex-wife. "I would never?—"
"I'm not a criminal," Keehn muttered, his eyes on the floor, then on his sister. "Tee, how could you even suggest?—"
"They're not criminals, Keehn," she muttered, looking at each of us in turn. "Less than twenty-four hours ago, they rescued an entire house full of girls being sold off to the highest bidder. Before that, they signed on as protection for a girl they didn't know, who was the target of a kidnapper and sex trafficker. They protect this city in their own way. In ways the police can't."
Hearing her defend our actions was heart-wrenching. If Hawke didn't drag her off for some appreciation the minute we got upstairs, I just might.
It reaffirmed that we were doing what we'd set out to do—some good. It reaffirmed that we were exactly what we thought we were. Deliverers of Justice. Vigilante justice, but justice all the same.
"I'll consider it," Lilly said finally, her eyes on Trinity, "if they'll consider it, as well. Otherwise, the only option is to eliminate one, and let the other one live under the name they've been sharing unawares for years."
"You'll have to get through me to lay a hand on my brother," she said quickly, her eyes on Lilly's blade. "And I've been practicing. I'm a pretty good shot."
"You still practice your shooting I taught you?" Keehn said suddenly, looking over at his sister in awe. "You've always been so good. I'm glad you keep your skills sharp."
She already knew how to shoot?
"Oh, Trin, I think you and I need to have a little talk," I muttered, my eyes raking up and down her body. "You didn't tell me you couldshoot."
Hawke burst into laughter as Lilly opened the door and ushered us out of her office, her eyes still on her ex-husband in the center of the room. When we were all back in the dorms, though, instead of a reunion, Keehn slammed his hand on the door, turned the lock, and reached under the coffee table, yanking out a gun he couldn't have possibly known was there.
He really did get his memories back. Otherwise, he wouldn't have known about my habit of sticking a gun under at least one surface in every room.
"Before we go any further, I think you three and I need to have a chat about mysister."
"Keehn," Trinity started, but he waved her off, holding a hand out to keep her out of range of the gun.
"Which one of you is fucking my sister on the side? I wanna make sure I shoot the right man."
"Keehn—"
"Man, you don't wanna do this," Hawke pleaded, earning him a warning shot.
"Oh, I think I do." He leveled the gun at me, scowling. "Is it you, Liam? You've always had a thing for her. A soft spot." The gun swiveled to Hawke next. "Or you? They say there's nothing better than hate sex, and you've pretended to hate her since high school." Now it pointed at Asher. "Or you, you sappy asshole. I didn't miss how you manhandled her onto your lap."
"Keehn," Trinity growled, her hand out in a demanding move. "Give me the fucking gun, and I'll tell you who I'm sleeping with."
His eyes narrowed. "I'll give you the gunafteryou tell me."
"Before."
He shook his head. "No dice."
Trinity pulled the gun out of the back of my waistband, cocked it, and pointed it at her brother. "Gun, Keehn. Now."
So she had been holding out on us.
He frowned, sulking as he handed over the weapon. "You'd shoot your own brother?"
"No, I wouldn't," she admitted once the weapon was in her hands. "But you'd definitely not hesitate to shoot your friends, and I can't have you taking them out when I just got them to cave to my demands."
"Your demands?" Keehn had never looked so worried in his life. "Trinity, what?—"
"They're all mine, Keehn," she giggled, her hands on her hips. She turned the safety on the pistol in her grip and turned it toward me to take. "All three. And unfortunately for you, and for Mother and Father, I plan to keep them all."
