Cignette had told me how, despite seeing what Miranda had done to her, this bastard had refused to show even a speck of sympathy towards her. He’d bowed his head and ignored Cignette; left her alone. And, because I can’t get to Miranda – for now, at least – Steven will have to suffice.
He’s suspicious of me now. “What are you doing here, Dorran?” he asks, and I notice that his complexion has paled a little, and beads of perspiration are marring his forehead and temples.
“It’s too cold tonight for you to be sweating so much, man,” I tell him, then grin. “It feels as though you’ve seen the Reaper or something.”
He’s full-on shaking now, and it only serves my rising excitement.
“Look, I don’t know what you’re up to, but if–”
“You turned your back on her,” I say through gritted teeth, then get close to him. “You fucking left her alone.”
“What?” he shakes his head. “Who are you talking about?”
I gotta admit: watching a grown-ass dude, especially someone as tall and built as him, quivering the way he is right now, is amusing. Steven and I may share the same height, but he easily has a few extra pounds on me.
“Cignette,” I tell him, and his eyes widen. “You saw what her mother did to her, didn’t you? And you still didnothingfor her.”
He gives me an incredulous look. “Why would I?” He scoffs. “Just to put myself at a possible risk of losing my life?” He has the audacity to laugh. “Fuckno. I barely know the chick. What if she deserved the beating she received? Have you even thought of that?”
I’m so fucking enraged by his words that I legit see red. I grab his collar and align his face with mine. “Trust me, asshole, shedidn’t.” I shake him once, and he sucks in a trembling breath. “But what’s about to happen toyouwill be very well deserved, I’ll tell you that.” I look beyond his shoulder and nod, then shove him back before stepping away from him.
Steven makes to turn, but before he can so much as shift, silver flashes against the dark, and Jayce deftly wraps his curb chain – his weapon of choice – around Steven’s neck before pulling at the chain’s ends to choke the stupid fucker.
The chain is thick enough that it covers most of Steven’s throat, and cuts off his access to any kind of movement. When he tries to claw at it, Jayce simply tightens his grip, and Steven’s eyes bulge almost comically, while his face reddens.
He opens his mouth to draw a breath, but it’s futile. He then tries to shoulder Jayce in order to break his hold, but that effort is just as fruitless.
Once he’s got you where he wants you, no one, and I meannoone, can escape Jayce. And I’m not just saying that from a bias point of view; I’m saying it because it’s a damnfact.
“It’s hard, isn’t it?” I tell Steven, who is still clawing at his neck and throat. “Scares you on the inside – knowing any given moment could be your last.”
He brings a leg up in order to kick me, but I laugh and easily sidestep it.
Varsha and Alex join us, and the latter grins at his husband before settling on the car’s hood.
I look at Jayce and point a thumb over my shoulder. “Bring him here,” I say to him, then walk over to the empty space next to the dumpsters.
Jayce unfurls his chain from around Steven’s neck and shoves him in my direction. The asshole gasps for air as he stumbles to stay afoot, and when he’s close enough to me, I grab the back of his neck, bend his upper body forward, and knee him in the nose.
“Fuck,” he hisses, and before he can rise again, I punch him in the gut, resulting in him to cough and double over.
He struggles to take a proper breath as he falls on all fours, then spits on the ground before rasping, “You’re a cunt, Dorran.”
“What the fuck did you just call him?” Varsha asks, and pulls her .38 Ruger S&W out of her denim jacket.
“Varsha.” I put a hand up to stop her.
She glares at Steven with murder in her eyes, but steps back regardless.
I crouch so that I’m eyelevel to the asshole. “You know,” I start, then tilt my head a little, “I was gonna let you go right now – I really was. But then you had to go and insult me like that, and now I’ve lost the very last shred of kindness I had for you in the deepest recess of my heart.”
Steven makes a sound in the back of his throat. “Fuck you,” he says. “Miranda will have your ass for this.”
“It’s cute that you think she cares,” I muse, then get to my feet. “But you’ll learn too late that people like her only care for themselves.” I kick him in the ribs, and watch as he yelps and falls on the ground with an unflatteringoomph.
“Gimme the car keys,” I order.
“What?” he whispers, then wipes at his bloody nose. “You’re crazy.”
