Page 82 of The Beast

“My father hired you.” It’s not a question anymore. “He hired you to torture the man I loved and make sure Gabriel believed I was responsible.”

“I told you. I don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about.”

I lean closer—close enough to smell his foul breath. “Then let me make this very clear. The man standing behind me spent five years planning revenge against me because of what you told him. Five years believing I’d betrayed him. Five years of both of us in hell.”

My voice drops to something cold. Something I barely recognize.

“So you’re going to tell us who hired you, or I’m going to walk out of this room and let him do whatever he wants. And believe me, after what you did to him, I won’t lose a single night’s sleep.”

Silence.

Then, slowly, Dekker starts to laugh. A wet, rattling sound that ends in a cough.

“Damn,” he wheezes. “Hart’s little princess has teeth after all.” He looks past me to Gabriel. “You picked a good one, rich boy. Cold as ice under all that pretty.”

“Last chance,” Gabriel says, moving to stand beside me. “Who hired you?”

Dekker’s laughter fades. He looks between us, and something in his expression shifts. Resignation, maybe. And why not? He must know that his options have run out.

“You want answers?” He leans back in the chair. “Fine. But you’re not gonna like what you hear.”

“Try us,” I say.

Dekker’s smile is bloody. Broken. “You’re right, Princess. Daddy hired us. Paid top dollar, too.”

Even though I expected it, hearing the confirmation feels like a punch to the gut. My father. My own father hired men to torture and kill the man I loved.

“Why?” Gabriel’s voice is tight. Barely controlled. “What did Hart want?”

“Fuck if I know.” Dekker shrugs like we’re discussing the weather. “I was just the hired help.”

“You’re going to have to do better than that,” Gabriel says. “If you value your life, anyway.”

“Hey, swear to God. What the fuck reason have I got to cover for the SOB? Not like he sat me down and told me a bedtime story. But, okay,” he adds as Gabe takes a step closer. “Maybe I heard some tidbits might help you.”

“What tidbits?” I ask.”

“Something about a big deal he had going down with Elias Grimm. Wanted the old man distracted. Off his game.” He grins, bloody teeth flashing. “Killing the golden boy seemed like a good way to do that.”

Gabriel goes rigid beside me. I can feel the rage rolling off him in waves.

“Maybe that’s true,” I say, forcing my voice to stay steady. “But it’s not all. If it was only business, you’d have just killed him. But you didn’t. You planted lies about me. Things to make him hate me before he died. Why?”

“Daddy said the bastard wasn’t good enough for his little princess. Thought you were too stupid to see it.”

He laughs again, the sound wet and ugly. “Wanted the last thing your boy here ever thought to be that you wanted him dead. That you were glad to be rid of him. Honestly, I thought that was too fucked up. Didn’t want to do it, you know? But he had a way of negotiating that my bank account loved.”

I have to look away. My own father. I’ve always known he was vile. Now I’m starting to see how deep it runs.

Dekker cocks his head, studying me with something like amusement. “Gotta say, Princess, your old man’s a real piece of work. All high and mighty about those Grimm bastards, but he’s got no problem paying guys like me to do his dirty work.”

I don’t answer, but he’s right about the irony.

“Where’s Webb?” Gabriel asks. His voice is ice. Controlled in a way that scares me more than rage would. “Your partner. Where is he?”

“Webb’s got a place outside Carson City. I’ll give you the address.” Dekker leans forward. “But I want something in return.”

“You’re not in a position to negotiate,” Leo says from behind us.