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Dimitri spun on his heels, marching toward the stern, preparing the others for our arrival. With my head held high, I flicked my cigarette off the boat, lighting another. Brass knuckles in my pocket, my gun in the holster, I was ready.
Minutes later, we came to a stop next to the enormous vessel. The yacht belonged to a friend of mine who conducted the same sort of business. The only thing he asked was to remove all evidence. One of my men met us at the stern of the ship, securing us to a rope on a cleat of our boat. He hurried to the other near the rear, tying it as well.
I tossed my cigarette into the water once again before stepping onto the yacht. Dimitri and Antonio followed closely, hands gripping the handles of their pistols. We were led down the side and descended a set of stairs into a lower-level room with a bar and plenty of entertaining space. However, the only entertainment today would be me beating the shit out of Nick before I sank him to his doom.
Nick was bound to a grey, folding metal chair, slumped over and unconscious. The wounds on his face from my men attacking him had closed, and a grey streak of tape held his mouth secure. He was wearing the same clothes he’d had on the night he assaulted Elizabeth.
I lifted a hand to my chin, stroking my beard. “Why does he look drugged?”
Antonio cleared his throat, stepping forward, stopping next to me. “They drugged him because he wouldn’t stop fighting them.”
“Hmm.” I crossed my arms. “Damien, is the box ready?”
“Yes, boss.”
I’d ordered for a thick, custom wooden box, to be made just for Nick. Holes drilled in the sides would allow water to slowly fill the interior, causing him to not only be buried alive but drown at the same time. They had installed cement weights that would allow the coffin to sink and once it rested on the ocean floor, it would disintegrate, allowing the ocean life to feast on his corpse.
“Wake him up.”
Antonio nodded, taking several steps toward Nick, ripping the tape off his face before he took a step back.
“What the f—”
“I’m sure my men have told you why you’re here.”
He stretched his mouth, grimacing in pain. “I don’t know wh—”
“That wasn’t permission to speak.” Reaching in my pocket, I dug out the brass knuckles, rolling it around in my hand. I’m not usually one to play with my victims, and I normally let my men take care of shit. I don’t like to get my hands dirty. I slid the weapon onto my fingers and clenched my fist. “But I’m going to enjoy every moment of this before I leave the ocean to finish you.”
“All this over some fucking girl?!”
I thought about his answer for a moment. Other women had suffered at the hands of this man and while they weren’t important to me, they were significant to someone.Some girl. The words replayed in my head as I stood there glaring into the eyes of the man who’d touched her. The scum who’d almost taken her life.
“Why her? Why did you target her?”
“I didn’t target that little whore!”
I drew my fist back, swiping it across his mouth, the metal armor knocking out a tooth. Blood pooled from his lips as he spat on the floor, panting. His gaze lifted to mine, and he snarled.
“Why the fuck did you target Elizabeth Whitman?”
“I have nothing to say to you!”
I drew my fist back, then jabbed him a little harder. This time, striking his nose. Blood splattered my hand and arm. His head bobbed as he fought consciousness.
“Fuck!” He bellowed. “It was never about her!”
I darted my eyes to Antonio. He marched over, grabbing Nick’s chin, yanking his head back. He drew a dagger, holding the blade to his jugular. “Tell him now.”
Dimitri took a cigarette from his pocket, lighting it. “I know why.”
“What?” I growled.
Dimitri exhaled a cloud of grey smoke. “I just got the confirmation a few minutes ago, actually.” He slipped his phone from his pocket, waving it slowly. “It seems like James represented his stepbrother in a case right after he graduated law school and lost because of unexpected evidence.”
“Cazzo,” I muttered, scowling at Nick. “But that doesn’t explain the other girls.”
“Sure it does.” Dimitri slid his phone back in his pocket and leaned back on the bar. “He practiced with them. Eliza was the end game.” He lifted the cigarette to his lips. “You saw the girls. You saw they all had common features and were easily accessible. So was Eliza. She was off at college, away from any protection.”
