Motown Showdown by K.S. Adkins Read Free Book Online Page A

were true,” says Gage assessing me.
    “Not entirely,” I say looking him in the eyes. “You heard I enjoyed it, yes?”
    “Yeah.”
    “I didn’t enjoy it,” I tell them all. “I fucking loved it.”
    The lovebirds both look shocked, and Gage looked resigned but very proud of me. “For five years, I laid fairly low. Bobo spent that time training me, polishing my talents. When I was eighteen, I started the wire.”
    “What’s the wire?” Rome asks.
    “A network hitters use to communicate with each other. The idea is to share inside tips, new weapons to use, new ways to keep our asses off the grid and tracking kills. But mostly it’s a pissing match with the others trying to impress Camo.” Gage says for me.
    “You created it?” Kandace asks ignoring his attitude.
    “I did,” I confirm. “If an outsider stumbles across it they see a computer game. I needed to have access to all the players. We needed a way to look out for each other. I also wanted to be the first to know if any of them went off the rez. They do, they have, they died.”
    “That’s how you watched my back,” he says when it clicks. “How you were always one step ahead.”
    “Yep,” I confirm however I was also lying. I can track him anywhere, anytime, and I do. Faithfully. But I don’t use the wire to do it. But let’s just say technology is a hitter’s bff. “My game, my rules. The players are chatty, like girls in the bathroom at prom. Not that I went to prom, I’m just assuming. I control the wire, therefore, I control the game. How I want it played, who plays and who sits the bench. At least I did until Pilgrim changed the rules, the prick. He pretty much has to die for that, by the way.”
    “Who’s Pilgrim?” Kandace asks. Deferring to Gage, I stay silent.
    “He was my partner until he ordered my hit.”
    “Your partner ordered a hit on you?” Rome asks with a whistle. “What a dick.”
    “He’s greedy,” I point out. “In the hitters game, Gadget is in high demand. But lately, he’s been turning down jobs, and my guess is Pilgrim doesn’t appreciate that. Gadget has a reputation as a lone wolf, kill first and never ask questions. Only he did start asking questions.” Then leveling him with a look, I drive my point home. I had to hurry because I was getting sleepy. “I know why you’ve been pulling back and you were right to do so. That’s why I’ve followed you all these years.”
    “Because I play by my own rules?” he counters.
    “No,” I whisper. “Because you have a conscience, and I have never trusted Pilgrim. He’s been setting this up since he joined the wire. But I had to wait it out until I had more proof.”
    “How the fuck---” he starts, but I shut him down.
    “He was setting you up to breach by stretching you thin. If you were busy, you didn’t ask questions. Had you breached any one of us would be within our rights to take you out.” Although, technically he already has breached, I was keeping that on the down low. “Pilgrim needed proof, as far as the others go; he claimed to have it. Pretty sure I’ve said as much but you just bitch me out leaving me no choice but to tail you. Now he’s just making shit up, and people are listening. You know why they’re listening too, you keep yourself apart, and the others don’t like that. You may not like the wire, but it’s what unites us. The general consensus is if you’re not with us, you’re against us. Guys will step up because they have no loyalty to you. But they are loyal to me, and I’m counting on that to keep you breathing.”
    “Are you in pain?” Kandace asks cutting off my rant.
    “Yep,” I tell her.
    “Okay, I’m going to give you something so you can rest. We can talk more in the morning. Gage, I’ve got a spare---”
    “Staying with Camo,” he says and it thrilled me. “Tomorrow we talk strategy because coming here exposed you both and for that I’m sorry.”
    “Okay Gage,” she says softly. “We’ll