Chapter 21

Hadina

Telling Peyton her truth—everything she’d been through and done to herself while Peyton was missing—had helped Hadina in a profound way. Somehow saying the words aloud had helped her take the first real step in healing. Peyton knew who she was, what she’d done, and she was still choosing to stay by Hadina’s side.

Hadina didn’t deserve her.

But she would keep trying so that maybe one day, she would.

They’d fallen asleep, fully dressed and all talked out, on Hadina’s bed around midnight. Now, the sun was shining through the curtains blindingly, and Hadina threw her arm across her eyes.

She groaned, smirking as Peyton stirred beside her and laughed at her dramatics.

“You really are not a morning person, huh?”

Hadina rolled over, nuzzling herself into Peyton’s neck, drowning out the light by using Peyton’s hair as coverage. “I can be a morning person when I need to be. But when I have the opportunity to lay in bed, be lazy, and caress the woman I love…I’ll curse the morning sun for ever showing its face.”

Peyton chuckled, batting Hadina’s hands away as she tickled her sides.

Hadina pressed her lips into the small of Peyton’s neck, pressing soft, chaste kisses there. Her touch tickled Peyton, making her wriggle under Hadina’s touch.

She let her hands roam, slipping her fingers underneath Peyton’s shirt. Her fingertips traced the softness of Peyton’s stomach, slowly making their way lower. She was just about to slip beneath the waistband of Peyton’s panties when Hadina heard her phone ring, vibrating off the side table.

“ Pinche puta madre ,” she muttered, growling. Peyton laughed as Hadina dramatically threw the covers off her, rolling over to answer the call.

“WHAT?” Hadina barked into the receiver.

Adrian Harris’ voice was gruff in her ear. “Good morning to you too, sunshine. I thought you’d like to know that we’ve eliminated almost everyone on the list. I’m on my way to get Eddie Poplar.”

“It’s only been a few days,” Hadina replied. “You sure Demi’s started to get the message?”

Harris tutted. “You know she has. I’ve made sure of it.”

“Fine. Text me the address and I’ll meet you there.”

The line disconnected and Hadina turned to Peyton. She was surprised to see an excited smile on her face. “You heard?”

Peyton nodded. “Every word. One step closer to ending Demi Treyva’s reign of terror and torture.”

Both women changed their clothes quickly and headed down to the kitchen. Two cups of coffee later, they were in the car and on the way to the abandoned warehouse location that Adrian had text.

Neither of them spoke during the drive, though everything they wanted to say hung in the air. This was a huge step to getting what they wanted, but it didn’t make what they were about to do any easier.

Hadina parked the car outside one of the loading docks. The rusting overhead door was rolled slightly, spilling light on the ground beneath. They didn’t normally do anything in the daylight but the regular rules were out the window. Hadina wanted to end this—fast.

Using the chain at the side of the door, Hadina pulled until there was enough space for her and Peyton to duck under. Once they were inside, she nodded to her team who stood, weapons at the ready, in various places around the empty room.

In the center, Eddie Poplar was strapped to a chair using zip ties. His face, which Hadina recognized from the photos, was untouched, though there was blood seeped onto his shirt from somewhere. A little stab wound on the torso, if Hadina was to guess.

Adrian stood behind him, hands on Poplar’s shoulders and fingers digging in. “Boss, meet Eddie Poplar.”

Hadina looked at him for a moment, silent and contemplative. There was fear in his wide eyes, his mouth quivering as he cried silently. Hadina gave him props for not crying out, begging for his life.

She walked forward, her heels clicking and echoing loudly against the concrete flooring. She stopped in front of him, crossing her arms over her chest. Hadina looked down at him, making her face as expressionless as possible.

“Nice to meet you, Mr Poplar. Do you know why you’re here?”

The body nodded, sweat trickling down his forehead. “B-b-because I’ve been selling in your t-t-terrority.”

Hadina laughed. “Little boy, I don’t sell anything. That shit your boss pushes is poison and I would never sell that to anyone.”

Poplar shook his head, his breaths coming in panting heaves. “I d-d-don’t understand.”

“You will.” Motioning Peyton forward, Hadina held out her hand. Peyton took it, stepping up beside her. “This is my woman, Peyton. And that piece of shit you work for took her, beat her, almost killed her. And that is the least of what she did.”

“I didn’t have nothing to do with that. I s-swear!”

“No shit!” Hadina scoffed. “You’re nothing but one of her little street rats. But you’ll be useful to us, anyway.”

Turning to Peyton, Hadina moved her dress to the side, grabbing the dagger she had strapped to her thigh. She handed it to her woman, taking satisfaction in the way Peyton’s grip on it tightened immediately.

“This can go super easy for you.” Peyton flipped the handle of the knife over in her hand. Hadina noticed the dark, menacing lilt to her voice. “Tell us what we want to know, and maybe you’ll survive it. But keep your mouth shut, and what we do to you won’t be pretty.”

She wasn’t sure whether Peyton would actually go through with it, but it made Hadina’s insides twist in pleasure at the thought of Peyton committing such acts of violence as retribution for what was done to her.

Eddie Poplar dropped his head, sobbing. “What do you want to know? I’ll tell you a-anything, I swear!”

Hadina rolled her eyes, her lip curling in disgust at the ease of how quickly he gave in. If one of her team was so weak and willing to betray them, she would want them to show up dead. The dead didn’t speak, and they sure as fuck didn’t snitch.

“We want to know where to find Hernandez.”

At the mention of his contact’s name, Poplar’s head shot up. The fear on his face was palpable. “He’ll kill me! Ask me for anybody else, I’ll give you them. But he’s a freaking psycho and he’ll kill me.”

Adrian rolled his eyes behind Poplar, squeezing his shoulders with more force. “You’re not very bright, are you, Eddie? If you don’t give us Hernandez, you’re going to be dead anyway.”

He let out a whimper before nodding. “Okay, fine. We meet at 2208 South Livra Boulevard every Thursday at eleven. Usually just a drop off, but he’s always there before we turn up, and he makes us leave first.”

Peyton nodded at Harris, who let go of Poplar’s shoulders. “And manpower? Is he alone or does he usually bring a team?”

Eddie Poplar slunk back in the chair, looking from Hadina to Peyton. He was weighing up his options, but quickly came to the conclusion that he wasn’t escaping this.

“Usually alone. Sometimes he’ll bring someone but it’s rare. He always has a gun holstered at his waist and on show, but I don’t know if he’s packing anything else.”

“Thank you for your honesty,” Hadina stated. “Now that we have that covered, it’s time for you to pay for some of the damage you’ve caused.”

The young man’s eyes widened and he began thrashing in his chair. “No! No! I didn’t do shit. I told you what you wanted to know!”

Peyton rolled her eyes, looking at Hadina for a second before she swung the knife in an arc, creating a gash in Poplar’s bicep. Hadina’s core constricted as she watched the bloodlust come to the forefront of Peyton’s mind, albeit temporarily.

“You’re a stupid motherfucker,” Peyton snapped. “Everything you do—selling on the streets, or luring young kids away, or even keeping quiet when you know your boss is doing some dodgy shit—impacts on other people. And everything your boss stands for is evilness, cruelty, and vileness. You, Mr Eddie Poplar, are directly responsible. Because you do the shit you’re told and you don’t think twice.”

Poplar screamed, sobbing and looking at the blood trailing down his arm.

“Hadina, I’m ready to leave now.”

Hadina didn’t say anything, simply slid her hand into Peyton’s and led them both back to the car. Adrian followed them out, wiping his bloodied hand on a rag.

“Damn, Pey, you’re feisty when you want to be. You kicked ass back there.” He held up his hand and Peyton high-fived him, making Hadina smirk.

“You know what you have to do?” Hadina asked Harris, leveling her gaze at him. It always amused her when she got to be stern with him. “Don’t want you to fuck this up for us.”

Adrian flipped her off. “Poplar is going to rest easy here. Ume said she wanted to introduce herself so he’ll be well taken care of. I’ll make sure to put a first aid kit or two on the table. And while she does that, I’m gathering a few of the team and we’ll plan out our little rendezvous with Hernandez.”

Hadina nodded once. She didn’t always need to use words with Harris, and most of the time he knew what he had to do anyway. They’d worked together for so long, and had been family long before that. He was the best of Adis & Co., though she would never say that to his face.

“Can we go now?” Peyton asked.

“Of course, tentadora .” Hadina unlocked the car and watched Peyton slide into the passenger seat. She was about to get in the car herself when a thought popped into her head. She turned back to Adrian. “Check in with Piper, okay?”

A worried look flashed across his face and it was the confirmation Hadina needed. “Why? Is she okay?”

“She’s fine,” Hadina said, a smirk pulling at her lips. “But something tells me she’d be happy to hear from you and know you’re okay.”

Adrian ran his hands through the thick mess of dark hair atop his head. “Don’t meddle, Hadi.”

“Me? I would never.” She winked at him, seeing the small blush forming on his cheeks. “You both deserve to be happy. But never hurt her or I will personally gut you like a fish, brother or no brother.”

He pressed a hand to his heart, feigning emotion. “Oh my, Hadina, I had no idea you thought so highly of me. Should I start calling you sister now?”

“Sure. But I won’t be responsible for the knife that ultimately lodges in your throat.”

Harris laughed and turned his back, walking into the warehouse.

It was funny that for most of her life, Hadina had known Adrian Harris, had seen him like a brother, but had never said the words. Sure, she’d implied it, but admitting something like that was always a weakness in her eyes. But now, Peyton had widened her heart and broadened her emotional scale. Perhaps it was time she started showing those she loved just how much they meant to her.

Hopping into the driver’s seat, Hadina immediately pulled Peyton in for a deep kiss. Her lips still tingled every time and it was a feeling she hoped would last forever.

“What was that for?”

“It wasn’t for anything. It’s because I love you, and I would never pry my lips away from yours if I didn’t have to.”

Peyton blushed, tucking a strand of her golden hair behind her ear. “I love you, Hadina.”

Hadina grinned, something she only ever seemed capable of doing around Peyton. “Where to now?”

There was a rhythmic tapping for a few seconds as Peyton strummed her fingers off the dashboard while she thought. “Take me somewhere I’ve never been before.”

A sultry, twisted thought arose in Hadina. She laughed, her body fizzling with anticipation.

“I think I have the perfect place.”