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“Did you listen when the dancer said that to you?” I ask him, even though I already know the answer.
Before he can say anything else, I drag the tip of the hot stick down his chest, leaving a burning line. I just press it lightly enough that he’ll feel it, not so it’ll start burning through his skin.
Yet.
Just a little taste so he knows what’s coming and can get himself good and scared about it.
I lift it again, ready to go down that same line but harder this time, when the door to the stairs opens.
Probably Priest, coming to check on me or complain about the noise. But when I turn to look, I realize it’s not him. It’s River.
She walks into the room like she owns the place, looking rumpled like she was asleep before this or something. She doesn’t say anything at first, just stands there, watching.
I wonder what she sees. Some asshole chained up where she was not that long ago, bleeding and crying and broken. I remember our conversation when she was in his place. Well. Not completely in his place, but close enough. I didn’t hurt her.
I chuckle, not bothered by her watching. “I told you that you wouldn’t like it if Gage sent me to ask the questions.”
River just snorts and takes a step closer.
“So what’d this guy do?” she asks, jerking her head in his direction.
If the sight of him bothers her, she doesn’t show it, and I get the feeling she’s not too broken up about what she’s seeing.
“He fucked with our business,” I tell her. “Tried to use us like we’re little puppets for him, to reach his own ends. We don’t deal with shit like that. We look out for each other. Icing on the cake is he tried to threaten and rape one of our dancers when she wouldn’t go along with his bullshit.”
Up until this point, River has been watching with neutral eyes. Just taking it all in. But something about what Reggie tried to do to the dancer seems to strike a nerve in her. I can tell by the way her eyes go sharp and she narrows her gaze on him.
She straightens up and comes closer, moving in so she can get a good look at him.
His eyes are glassy with the pain, and he stares past her like he doesn’t even see her. But the way his nostrils flare tells me he does, and he knows this isn’t good for him.
“He tried to rape a girl?” River asks.
“Yeah. Basically damn near got away with it until we caught him.”
She takes a step closer.
Usually, I do this alone. This is my playground, where I have my fun and do my part for the group. But I’m intrigued watching River move in. Something about what this fucker did resonates with her, and I can feel it like it's dancing under my skin too.
I reach over and grab a knife from the table, then hand it to her.
She looks over, meeting my eyes, and I don’t say anything. If she’s got the stomach for it, then she knows what it’s for. It’s a silent offer. A chance to do whatever she wants to help me punish this guy.
River licks her lips and takes it from me, then steps closer to the man chained to the wall. There’s no hesitation in her. She just jabs the knife right into Reggie’s thigh, making him scream all over again.
I laugh at the sight and her technique. “You don’t have a lot of finesse,” I let her know. “But you could be good at what I do. You don’t mind hurting people when they deserve it.”
She looks up at me, and I can see something manic gleaming in her midnight blue eyes.
She likes this.
It’s different from the anger and irritation she’s shown since we first dragged her in from the alley behind the club. This is savage pleasure, and it speaks to me.
Without waiting for instruction or anything, she keeps going. She lifts the bloody knife and jabs it into the same thigh, this time closer to his groin.
Sweat beads on Reggie’s skin, and I know he’s worried about where she’s going to stab him next.
“No!” he screams, in so much pain he can barely hold himself up. “Please, fuck! No, no, no, no, no.”
