The Isle Of Sin And Shadows - Keri Lake Page 0,179

by the crushing grip of his fist, and in the next breath, a gun is aimed at my forehead.

At a click from behind, I throw a quick glance over my shoulder, where a second masked figure points another gun at my back.

I swing my attention back to the one holding my fist. Not the first time I’ve stared down the business end of the barrel, otherwise I’d probably be shitting my pants like every other normal person who hasn’t spent the better part of their lives spilling blood for the cartel. Unfortunately, I no longer have my gun handy to test his trigger speed. A stupid mistake brought on by the one thing to which I was trained to never succumb: distraction. Still, I’ve found only a small percent of the population can actually shoot a person at this distance when not provoked, and this guy definitely isn’t one of them, given the unsteady shake in his arm. He doesn’t want to shoot me.

“You’ll regret pulling a gun on me, friend.” The level tone of my voice is practiced. Honed. Intentional.

“Au contraire, Cous’. You da one who should feel regret right now.”

The air inside of me deflates.

Whatever defenses I put up a second ago crumble around me like a Roman monument.

Cold shock spirals through me, and I shake my head, not believing it.

The gun-toting man in front of me lifts his mask to reveal my cousin. Luc.

Blowing out a shaky breath, I frown, trying to make sense of this. “’The fuck?”

“All dese years I watched you go from a nobody to a somebody. Didn’ make sense dat we grew up in da same place. Same life. But den, I figured it out. Wasn’ your money. So I got in touch wit’ Aric, and he introduced me to a whole new world I never knew existed.”

Aric.

The only time Luc would’ve come in contact with the dirty fed was at the card games where he occasionally showed up. One of many faces who came and went throughout the night. “You’re a fucking lying traitor.”

“Am I?” Eyebrows drawn into a scowl, he lifts the gun higher. “Den, so are you. Cousin.” The yellowing bruises at his eye bring to mind the night that Aric attacked Céleste. The night he claimed he was ambushed. “You set her up. You told Aric where to find Céleste.” I have to push the words past teeth clenched so tight, it’s a wonder they don’t bust inside my mouth.

“Was my first official assignment, an’ I passed with flying colors. I admit, it woulda been a whole lot easier havin’ him come get her from my house, but I didn’ trust dat dirty fed t’know where I stay at.”

“Yet, you handed over Céleste, my woman, to him on a silver fucking platter.”

“An’ you snuffed him like water on a hot flame, so I guess we both win.”

“Why? Why would you do this?”

“Got tired. Tired of watchin’ everyone else get theirs. Tired of always bein’ sidelined.”

“Your business was doing all right.”

“It was failin’. I didn’ want to tell you an’ look like a fool. But it’s better now. So much better.”

Swinging my gaze back to Jude, I bite back the fury that’s kettled inside of me, ready to boil over. “Where’s Frannie? You told me you’d show me Céleste and Frannie.”

“Oh. Well, I was gonna show you Frannie, but you insisted on taking your truck. She’s been in my trunk for the last two days.”

It takes a second for me to process what she’s said. My brain’s so hell bent on pulling a trigger right now, my finger twitches.

“I assure you, it was a merciful end. Just upped her meds a bit, and she drifted right to an eternal sleep.” Tipping her head, she crosses her arms in front of her body. “Come now, Thierry. Tell me there isn’t a small part of you that’s relieved to unload that burden from your life. Hell, I’m her grandmother, and I couldn’t stand to watch it any longer. And after that outburst with Céleste about the babies? I couldn’t risk her saying something.”

“She knew? About this? About what you do?”

“It was a bit much for her, I’ll admit. She wasn’t particularly fond of the sacrifices.”

Inhuman rage rips from my chest as I lurch toward her, only to be yanked backward by my cousin. Twisting around, I hammer my fist into his ribs, earning no more than a quiet grunt for the effort. I slam another punch across his jaw, and he stumbles