Total pages in book: 106
Estimated words: 104729 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 524(@200wpm)___ 419(@250wpm)___ 349(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 104729 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 524(@200wpm)___ 419(@250wpm)___ 349(@300wpm)
Luckily for me, the owner is a friend, not a foe, and although he takes the money, he would turn a blind eye regardless if I paid him. But I loathe being in anyone’s debt.
The only time I have ever asked for a favor was from Cyrus Reed, but I have long since returned that one.
When the SUV pulls to a stop, I throw my door open and step into the warm salty air. My men are out of their vehicles before my foot even hits the pavement so they can walk by my side. Once we reach the entrance, they throw open the rusted metal door for me. This warehouse stores guns—my guns—but more than that, it currently holds Michael’s man, sitting front and center tied naked to a chair.
As much as I don’t want to see him naked, it’s a necessity.
Having him in his birthday suit is the only way I can, with one hundred percent certainty, know that he isn’t wearing a listening device or any form of tracking device.
He hasn’t noticed me yet. I’m still lurking in the shadows, but the moment my feet echo in the large cavernous space, he lifts his head and meets my stare.
The moment recognition sets in, I can see his pupils dilate in fear.
His body begins to shake the closer I get.
Yep, bastard. You’re caught.
He knows it. I know it, and the tiny beads of sweat that roll down the side of his face tell me he knows what this means for him.
He’s dead.
The only question now is if his death will be painless or if I will have to torture him for the information I need.
As soon as I’m standing directly in front of him, Cristian hands me a folder similar to the one from last night.
It contains all the pertinent information on the man in my custody.
“What do we have here?” I step closer, and with each move, I allow my lips to tip up into a smile. “It seems we have caught vermin,” I state to Cristian.
“That we have,” he responds.
“And what do we do when we find vermin?” I ask, mocking the tied-up man.
“We kill it.”
My men laugh.
“But not before we play.” A table loaded with instruments to make his demise very painful sits beside the man.
I look over what they have set in front of me. A knife, pliers, scissors …
“What to use first?”
“Pliers,” I hear from my right and look over at Cristian. My mouth opens on a chuckle.
“Always so violent. Maybe we should let”—I pick up the dossier and look for his name—“George here decide if we need to make this painful before I start to rip his fingernails out one by one.”
“So, what’s it going to be, Georgie boy? Painful or …” I pull the gun out of the back of my pants. “Not so painful.”
“Please, I don’t know anything.” He sounds like a blubbering baby as he begs for his life. I take a step over to the table, grabbing the knife.
“It seems you don’t want to take the painless way out. Maybe there’s more to you than I thought.” With the knife in my hand, he watches me. “Listen, we don’t have to make this hard. All you have to do is tell me what I want to know. If you do that, I won’t go looking for your family. I won’t pay your brother a visit.”
His eyes widen at that, but apparently, I misjudged his love for his brother because he still doesn’t speak.
I drag the knife up his leg. The blade cuts into his skin, leaving a trail of blood in its wake.
It’s obvious where my knife is leading.
“Okay, let’s try another approach. Tell me what Phoenix is planning.”
His head lifts, and he meets my stare again with wide eyes full of surprise. Interesting.
He thought he was here for something else and didn’t realize we’d put two and two together.
“Yes, that’s right, George, we know all about Phoenix … Nix. Michael’s daughter.”
“She has nothing to do with this.” His voice cracks.
“No. That’s where you’re wrong. She has everything to do with this.”
I remove the knife from where it rests on his thigh and angle it up.
“I wouldn’t shake too much if I were you. Here’s how it’s going to go. I’m going to kill you regardless. But if you don’t tell me what Phoenix has planned, then I will feed you your balls, and then I will keep torturing you before I find your brother and bring him here.” Smile. Yep. I’m a sick motherfucker, but no one fucks with me.
“She wants on your yacht.”
“This I know. More.”
He shakes his head, but I lift the knife upward. “She plans to seduce you enough to get into your office.”
“Was she sent in to kill me?”
“No. Please don’t hurt her. She’s had a rough enough life.” Interesting. “She just wants to find out where you keep her father’s guns. She wasn’t planning on hurting you. We can’t afford to miss this delivery, so she’s stepped in to get the intel.”