Cross My Tigress Face the Wrath

"So what about Derek? Whose side is he on?"

God, what a mess. "Wait, my mom-she was found by the current leader?"

Hull nodded. "Yeah."

So this was even more complicated than Susanna had thought.

Her mind was spinning in circles. She didn't know much about the Black Gate, honestly. It was all tangled up,

a real trainwreck, but right now she only had one thought:

She needed to help her mom. The idea that those people were pushing her mom around... It made Susanna's chest ache.

"What's the name of the current Black Gate leader again?" she asked.

Things had been so hectic lately, she couldn't keep track of what Hull had told her about the new boss. All she really knew was that the current leader was bad news for her mom.

At her question, Hull gave her a strange, almost amused look.

"There's a story there, actually."

Susanna's eyes widened. "A story?"

Hull shrugged. "Nobody's really known who's been running things these past few years. But I've picked up some clues-seems like it's Dan."

and more dangerous

maybe not," Hull said, frowning. "None of the old bosses ever hid their faces like this. Makes you

"So are you saying the new boss is

head. "No way. Your dad, Derek, doesn't have it in him to control a puppet like

in charge now, everyone had seen what they could

came up, Susanna's

never call that man her

her expression shift and let out a quiet laugh. He reached out and felt her forehead. "Still a bit warm. Let's

outside was biting. She really

But

"Ow-my leg hurts."

raised an eyebrow.

leg... it's

hurting, and

for hours,

was throbbing.

sighed. “You're a handful." But even as he said it,

Stella, who was all legs. In Hull's

“Haven't I been

"Huh?"

about as much as

stared at him. "Did you just