A Promise of Torment (A Violent Agenda)

Doing everything I can not to grind my teeth down the phone, I chew the inside of my lip instead. “Just meet me in the old derelict church in Whitechapel at 8 p.m. I want Lily back and Jude protected. In exchange you get your niece back safe and sound.”

“That’s two for one. That won’t fly with Kristian. He doesn’t care about my niece.”

“But you care about her? Make it worth his while.”

“But Kristian—”

“Kristian can go fuck himself,” I snap. Dante’s words echo in my mind. Make him useful. I suck in a breath and offer Griffin a deal in exchange for putting his lot in with me. He wants Kato’s gun business. I can give him that once I’ve gotten rid of Adrien and Kristian. Dante is always telling me I need allies.

“Fine,” he says gruffly. “I can get you Lily in exchange for my niece. I’ll tell Kristian we’re making a trade with Kato. He’ll buy that.”

“And Jude?”

“I’ll speak to my boys.”

After I hang up, Pascal looks at me, her eyes brimming with what look like tears.

“You’ll be going home soon,” I say.

“That’s just it. I’d rather die than go back to my uncle,” she says dramatically, and then runs off into the middle of the sports pitch. She’s fucking fast too for a fifteen-year-old.

For fuck’s sake. Why can’t I catch a break?