AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“You didn’t kill the bastard, did you?” Garrick demanded.
“No.” Peter wiped off his injured hand on his shirt. Blood splatter soaked into the white fabric, making it stick to his skin beneath. “But he probably wishes I had.”
“Did he say anything?” Bastian flexed his hand. He hoped Peter hadn’t left the fucker unconscious. He had questions he wanted answers to.
“I didn’t really give him a chance to talk yet.” Peter shrugged. His knuckles swelled; bruises were already appearing around the split skin.
Bastian stepped in front of Garrick when he looked ready to barge into the room.
“Let me start.”
“Why?” Garrick’s eyes darkened.
“Because we need him to tell us where she is, and if you rip his head off before he can do that, it won’t help us.”
“I can control my temper.” Garrick’s neck tensed. It was taking everything he had not to shove Bastian out of the way and do whatever he wanted to Ares inside.
“Let me talk first,” Bastian said again more firmly.
Garrick’s nostrils flared. “Fine.”
Bastian opened the door and stepped inside. The stench of blood filled the stale air of the cell. He couldn’t be sure if it was from Ares’ broken nose, or if it was engrained in the cement walls stained with the blood of previous prisoners.
“What do you want?” Ares eyed Bastian as he walked further into the small room. Ares sat in a straight-back chair, his hands bound behind him. Blood dripped from his nose and mouth, splattering on his tattered shirt. His left eye was swollen shut.
“I think you know.” Bastian stood in front of him and slid his hands into the front pockets of his slacks. His hand curled around the pocketknife.
Ares turned his head and spit blood onto the floor. A tooth bounced along the concrete. When he lifted his head, he grinned.
“Yeah. I think I do.” Ares wiped the blood dripping down his chin against his shoulder.
“Where is she?” Bastian asked. “And before you start your bullshit. I don’t care about anything other than that. Give us that, and we’re done with you.” It was a lie. And Ares probably knew it.
“I can’t tell you something I don’t know.” He lined his good eye up with Garrick. “But I’m not sure I’d tell you if I did.”
“Why’s that?” Bastian asked, stepping to the side to block Garrick’s view.
“Seems the only thing keeping me alive right now is that redhead. So long as you can’t find her, you need me.” Ares tilted his head. “Peter’s been trying to get his hands on me for a long time. Now that he has me, I’m not stupid enough to think I have any other way out of here.”
“That’s not true.” Garrick ground out from behind Bastian. “There’s lots of things we can do to you that won’t kill you.”
“I’m happy to help.” Peter was back in the room with them.
“I’m available.” Ash’s deep voice vibrated. “I’ve got a damn good doctor on call, too. He’ll happily patch you up so we can start all over again.”
Hatred filled Ares’ expression.
“I’m already a dead man,” Ares said.
“True.” Garrick moved to stand beside Bastian. “But it can be fast, or it can drag on for days.”
“My record is four days,” Peter said, nearly salivating at the idea of keeping Ares hanging on and getting every bit of pain out of him as possible.
“Where is she?” Bastian asked again, making a fist.
Ares shook his head. “I don’t know exactly.”
“What do you know?” Garrick demanded.
