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Her eyes snap to mine. “You were going to let me open up a bomb?”
I wave toward the box left on the counter. “I shook it first. It wasn’t a bomb.”
She sits with her treasure and opens the card. Tears shimmer in her eyes, and then she looks at the man. “I’m still going to kill you, even if I’m grateful you brought this.”
I turn back to my prisoner. “So where were we? Since we know what’s in the box, and you wouldn’t have known anyway, you’re safe from that question. The others still stand. Why did you come here?”
He shifts in the chair, eyeing her, then me. “I came here to kill you. To try to redeem my family’s honor.”
“Did your family have honor in the first place is the real question. Anyone who sells children to the highest bidder should be skinned alive.” I glance at Rose. “There’s an idea. We could skin him for answers.” I purposely make it sound like I’d invited her to go camping, something fun for the whole family. I’ve learned over the years a nonchalant attitude to torture scares the victims even more than the hard-asses.
She wrinkles her nose and shakes her head. “Too messy.”
I’m already turning away, and I glance back with a smile. She’s not even in on the tricks of torture, but she’s making this easy for me. “Oh yeah, so we are back to family honor. So what happened now?”
“You didn’t see the videos that went viral? It brought shame to my family. If I kill you, then maybe we can reenter society.”
I don’t bother hiding my shock. “Someone sent out a viral video, of what?”
He glances away, and I know it’s something dark and shameful. Especially to get kicked out of the world’s most prestigious criminal organization. Society has funny rules, but they don’t appreciate the wrong kind of attention.
I sigh, wanting this asshole out of my house more and more by the second, which leaves only the torture, as promised.
But before I start to run through what would scare him the most, I look at him again. “Wait, how did you know I was here, and how did you know I killed your brother?”
Rose stiffens, and I can barely see her in my peripheral vision, but I know she’s listening now.
“It was in a report from the council, from the hearing for Doubeck. You confessed to the killing.”
I don’t deny it, and I never would, not with Adrian’s neck in the noose if I decided to recant. “So, how did you find me then? I’m in the middle of nowhere at an address that doesn’t exist.”
“The package,” he starts.
I shake my head and grab his chin, stilling him. “No, it wasn’t because of the package, and if it was, how did you get your hands on it in the first place? No one would have given it to you.”
He trembles in my grip, no doubt picking up my nice guy act is gone. When it comes to Adrian’s safety, to Valentina’s, to Rose’s safety, I don’t play around. “Try again,” I say softly. “Tell me the truth, or you will regret it.”
He opens his mouth once, twice, like a fish gasping for air. “It was sent to the council, and I volunteered to retrieve you for the councilwoman.”
I grit my teeth, and Rose speaks up from the couch. “This woman has a real thing for you, doesn’t she?”
Instead of answering her, I feign attention on our guest. “See, that wasn’t so hard. Do you know who told the council where I could be found? Just one little name will save you a world of agony.”
He shakes his head, and I point at the fireplace. “Rose, will you grab that poker and warm it up for me a bit.”
The man trembles, trying to get up, but I shove him back into the chair. Then I pull his arms forward and take a look at the tattoos swirling up to his elbows. “Sorry, man, this is really going to mess up your ink.”
Rose hands me the poker, and I risk a peek at her. She’s quiet and seemingly calm, watching me. She doesn’t take her seat on the couch again, just stands near my shoulder, a little behind, to keep out of the way.
I turn the poker up so he can see the glowing tip. “Want to try that last question one more time? You were doing so good there. A nice streak to keep you pain-free before you die.”
He shakes his head again and starts panting as I lower the poker to his flesh. It hisses as it makes contact, and he screams loud, his body shaking. I rip the poker away, pulling some skin with it. “See, that wasn’t so bad,” I quip.
Rose leans over and then back again. “That’s a smell that’s going to stay with me.”
I keep my eyes on the man as he swims in and out of consciousness, but I address her. “Are you okay?”
“Sure, why wouldn’t I be?”
