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“Any more?” Alex scoffed. “You haven’t said anything yet.”

“Okay, look.” I leaned forward. “I’m going to say a name and based on your reaction, because you have a horrible poker face, I’ll know if we’re on the right track.”

He stared unblinkingly at me. “Okay.”

“Vladimir Ivanov.” And here was where things got interesting, because Hansen didn’t even flinch. He glanced from me to Alex and furrowed his brows.

“Who is that?”

Alex turned to me. “Well, that took a turn.”

He wasn’t kidding. Shit.

CHAPTER NINE

Alex

“You don’t know who Vladimir Ivanov is?” Danny asked.

“No, why? Am I supposed to?” Liev’s eyes kept flitting between Danny and me.

“Let’s try this,” I began. “Who’s the one you’re letting use your distribution center to hold mephedrone?”

I hit the jackpot with that question. “What’s meph-a-whatever you called it?”

“Uh-uh.” Danny wagged his finger. “See, we know you’re lying. You can answer the questions we have for you honestly, or we can take you to a place where nobody will hear you scream.”

Damn. I glanced at Danny. That was kinda hot, the way he got all threatening. That thought jolted me from the inside out. Had I ever looked at Danny and thought he was hot? I’d seen him get rough with people, sure, but when he was all nonchalant about killing people…it was something else. Hmm…maybe I had noticed him subconsciously. It struck me as something I should examine, but now wasn’t the time. I was pissed that he’d taken over and started talking after I’d specifically told him to have my back, but I was impressed enough to let him take the lead.

“I…I can’t.” Liev’s face was turning pink, and he was sweating more now.

“I get you’re scared. You should be. I won’t play and say you’re not in a bad way, ’cause you are.” Danny shrugged. “Thing is, if we leave here without the answers we need, you have two enemies instead of one.” He leaned forward. “And trust me, whoever the Russian fuck is that has you holding his drugs, he is not your friend. He’ll shoot you in the head in front of your family just because he has no use for you.”

Had I ever seen this side of Danny before? I’d known him for years, but we weren’t always teamed up. We’d beaten the shit out of people together plenty of times, but he was like full-on murder man right now.

“And what’s stopping Mr. Hendrix from doing the same?”

“It’s not his style,” I answered honestly.

“And I’m just supposed to believe you?” Liev snorted.

“Yes,” Danny and I said in unison.

“Well, I can’t…you don’t understand.”

“So make us understand.” I motioned for him to continue.

He removed his glasses and wiped his sweaty face with a tissue. “Look, I don’t know who that guy is you mentioned.”

“Vladimir Ivanov,” I supplied with a sneer.

“Right, him. I’ve never heard that name nor dealt with anyone by that name.”

“Okay, so then who did you deal with?” Danny asked.

“You don’t understand, I can’t say his name. He didn’t simply threaten me, he…” Liev swallowed and there was no hiding the tears in his eyes. “He killed Greg, in front of me.”

“Who’s Greg?” I wondered.