The two men enter the cell. One grabs me while the other pulls out scissors.
My heart races. "What are you doing?"
"Can't have you meeting Ronan in dirty clothes," Tony says.
The scissors start cutting through my shirt. I thrash, trying to pull away.
"No! Stop—get off me!"
Tony slaps me hard across the face. My vision blurs. I fall to the floor, disoriented.
By the time my head clears, they've cut away most of my clothing. I'm left in just my underwear, curled against the wall, trying to cover myself.
"Such a pretty little thing," Tony murmurs, reaching for me.
The other man has more rope in his hands. "Should we tie her up properly? Make sure she can't fight when?—"
"When what, exactly?"
The voice cuts through the cell like ice. Everyone freezes.
Ronan stands in the doorway, his expression dark. Dangerous.
"Boss—we were just—" Tony starts.
"You wouldn't be trying to test out the merchandise before me, would you?" Ronan's voice is deceptively calm.
"No! No, boss, we were just getting her ready?—"
"Getting her ready by stripping her? Touching her?" Ronan steps into the cell. "Did I give you permission to do that?"
"We thought?—"
"You thought wrong." Ronan's eyes are cold. "Tony. Come here."
Tony hesitates. "Boss?—"
"I said, come here."
Tony steps forward, hands up in a placating gesture. "Boss, I swear, we weren't going to?—"
"You served your purpose," Ronan says quietly. "You brought her to me. You proved the Rossos had a traitor in their ranks. For that, I'm grateful."
Tony's eyes widen. "Boss, please?—"
"But ultimately, you're a traitor. And traitors can't be trusted. Today it's the Rossos you betray. Tomorrow, it could be me." Ronan's hand moves to the knife at his belt. "I can't have that liability."
"I'm loyal to you! I've proven it?—"
The knife is quick. Tony's eyes go wide with shock. He clutches his throat, blood spilling between his fingers.
He drops.
The other two men press themselves against the wall, terror on their faces.
Ronan wipes his blade clean on Tony's shirt. "Let this be a lesson. Loyalty is everything. But a man who betrays once will betray again." He looks at the remaining men. "Do either of you have ambitions of testing my patience?"
Both shake their heads rapidly.
