The watch. Realization hit me in a flash. I’d taken that watch with me to remember Cassie.
She had given me the fake Rolex as soon as she’d received it as a gift from this monster.
Even though it was a fake, I’d liked the idea of wearing a man’s watch, and the statement it made.
She said she would never become a target by wearing something that looked that flashy. She’d explained it was because her sister had been robbed and badly beaten while wearing an expensive watch.
Lucifer had to be the man who’d given Cassie the watch before she gave it to me. He just explained why my apartment had been trashed, but not what was so important about the stupid watch? Granted he was a psycho so thing didn’t have to make sense.
That first night, Buzzcut and Shorty had wanted the watch too, but at the time that fit with being robbed.
“I want it back,” he seethed.
“What watch?” I asked in my most earnest voice.
This time his slap came from the other direction.
I brought my head back to level and worked through the pain. “Thanks. Now my bruises will match.”
He made a fist but restrained himself. “I want the watch.”
“I have a Timex, but you wouldn’t want it. It died.”
“I’m not a patient man,” he growled. “We’ll see how many cuts it takes to loosen your tongue.”
“Go ahead and kill me if you want. I don’t know anything about a damned watch.” My only hope was to delay until Zane found me.
He got in my face as I squirmed against Baldy’s hold on me. “I’m not going to kill you, my dear Leighton.” He laughed, spittle landing on me. “Don’t you remember my promise? We are going to have a very good time together.” He grabbed my breast and roughly squeezed. “A very good time. Then my Russian friends can sell you.”
This time, I didn’t miss when I spat in his face.
He swung and punched me on the side of the head. Black splotches appeared in my vision to go along with a splitting headache.
He backed up, wiped off his face. “I think it’s time we cut your shirt off.” He opened up a knife, and the scraps of my top fell to the floor.
I gasped when he placed the blade against my stomach.
Lucifer’s lip curved up.
Asshole.
“I think I’ll start here.” Lucifer grinned like the devil he was.“Last chance to tell me where my watch is.”
“I still don’t know what you’re talking about.” It had been at Zane’s house last time I’d seen it. But no way was I giving him anything he wanted because after that I was dead.
Vlad chuckled behind me.
I gritted my teeth, but it wasn’t enough to hold back my scream of pain as Lucifer drew the blade across my abdomen. It wasn’t deep, but it hurt like hell. I gathered in a breath. “I hope you cleaned that blade.”
Lucifer grinned and spat on it.
Double asshole.
“The watch,” he prodded. “I need the watch.”
“What watch?” I managed a laugh.
CHAPTER 38
