“I never said I’d kill you.” He tilts his head, eyebrows knitting. “There’s no need for that anymore. Not when you’ve given me other means to incentivize you into cooperating.”
“How—”
The question dies on my lips as he lifts a hand, and a sound streams into the room through a speaker. Charlie’s screams ring out. I don’t know if it’s a recording or if she’s on the other side crying for me, but my blood runs cold.
“Where is she?” I jump out of my seat.
He curls his fingers into a fist, and the speaker cuts out. “Sit before you force me to do something you don’t like.”
My legs shake, but I listen because I have no choice. “Where is my daughter?”
“A product of you is a product of mine,” he says, not answering. “Which is why I thought it might be useful to have her here.”
“If you hurt her—”
“I’mnot going to do anything to her. If anyone hurts her, it will be you.” He skims me over. “You’re going to do what I say. You’re going to help me. Or I’ll make sure you never see your daughter again. If you don’t want to be of use to me, eventually she will.”
“No.” Tears stream down my cheeks.
My eyes burn and my heart thunders. It’s one thing for him to threaten me—to kill me. But I can’t risk him hurting Charlie. She’s all that matters.
“Are you ready to listen now?” His eyes narrow.
I swallow hard, my throat burning as I nod.
“Good. I knew you could cooperate. You just needed the proper motivation. It seems your mistake will turn out to be helpful after all.” He stands, pacing the room. “I’m sending you back to them.”
“To the compound?” My voice pitches, but then fear overwhelms any excitement. “Why?”
“I need eyes in there—ears. The Twisted Kings have been smart, narrowly avoiding every trap I’ve set to take them down. I need someone on the inside to figure out where they’re weakest. You’re going to go back in there and get that for me. I need information.”
“They don’t tell me anything.”
“You’ll find a way to get them to open up to you.”
“I—”
“You know what will happen if you don’t.”
My mouth snaps shut, and he grins, knowing that so long as he is threatening Charlie, I have to do anything he wants.
“You want me to be your spy?”
“For now.” He shrugs. “Until I summon you back home.”
My gaze falls to the floor, my mind racing with what he’s saying. He wants me to spy on Hayes, on his club. He wants me to find a way to destroy them.
“Your heart is too big, Emery. Don’t let that get you into trouble,” he threatens. “You saw how easily I got to you today. I could have done that a month ago, but I didn’t. I waited until he trusted you so that when we had this conversation, he wouldn’t suspect anything. You’ll do this for me, or I will make good on my promise. You’ll do this for your daughter’s sake.”
He circles the room until he stops in front of me. His fingers find my jaw, and he forces my face upward. “Do we have an understanding?”
I want to hit him.
To scream.
But Charlie’s cries echoing in my mind hold me back. I can’t fight this because he’ll win. He always wins.
“I understand,” I say, tears stinging my eyes.
