Chapter 19 · Lilith's Cut

"Drop the knife, Kane." Lilith's gun pressed under his jaw before he could pull it free. "Or I let the bullet in your shoulder finish the job."

Kane froze with one hand inside his coat.

The contract-breaker lay ten feet away, face down beside the shattered card table. His body had stopped twitching. The red mark around his throat still glowed, smoking against the concrete.

Kane kept his eyes on Lilith. "You always this friendly after someone does your work for you?"

"You didn't do my work." She stepped closer. Her boots crunched over broken glass. "You survived it. There's a difference."

"Funny. I remember putting him through a wall."

"And I remember dragging you out before the bounty squad cut you into pieces." Her finger tightened against the trigger. "So let's not pretend we're partners."

Kane slowly pulled his hand from his coat. Blood ran from his sleeve and dripped off his knuckles.

Lilith's gaze flicked to it. Just once. Then her gun came back to his face.

"Knife," she said.

He let the blade fall.

It hit the floor with a sharp little clack.

"Now kick it away."

"You could've waited until I wasn't bleeding."

"I did.