There’s another thing I hate more, and my lips turn into a flat line.“I hate liars, Quinn.”
She swallows hard, and I can tell by the way her gaze strays to the door that she’s wants to be anywhere but here.Fuck.I shouldn’t even be here.Curiosity is never a good thing, and it shows because it’s what led me to her place.
I pull a card from my suit pocket and place it on the table in front of her.Quinn’s attention isn’t on the card, instead she seems captivated by the hint of my ink peeking out from under the sleeve of my suit jacket.
“I came by to offer a solution if there was a money issue.Your statistics show great potential; it would be a great loss if you would step away from your education which will guarantee a solid future.”I tap the card.“Reach out if you’re ready to hear my offer.”
Turning, I stride out of her apartment and come face-to-face with Aubrielle.
“Eavesdropping has consequences,” I tell her in an even tone while I stare at her with a disapproving look.
The redhead raises her chin.“Hurting my friend will have the same result.”
My annoyance slightly shifts with a hint of respect hearing this woman’s loyalty when it comes to her friend.
“Keep an eye on her,” I find myself saying and brush past her.
I take my phone in hand and call Holden Asher’s father.He’s the chief of police and just the man I need to pick up Quinn’s father, Andrew Caldwell.A grin slides across my face.I always get what I want and for now I need answers.
An hour later, I walk into a warehouse one of my companies owns, Floris is right behind me.On the outside it doesn’t look like much, and once you step inside, you’ll find it stocked with plumbing supplies.Except for the hidden room in the back.
Buck walks toward us.“Asher dropped him off at the meeting point, bound, hooded, and gagged.I brought him here and tied him to a chair.The fucker is shitting himself, so I don’t think it will take a lot of persuading to get him to talk.”
I nod and shrug out of my suit jacket.Some of my contacts have a level of trust which allows for an added mutual favor request.It’s not the same as an arrangement through the fantasy deal.This is about people following my orders and getting rewarded in return.
Not everyone has the same mindset, and while I’m the one with all the power, I’d never abuse it the way my father fucked-up.There’s no damn way I’ll let anyone take the empire I rebuilt.The anger I hold against my father still bubbles to the surface sometimes.I can’t believe he almost let everything my ancestors built slip through his fingers.
My sleeves are rolled up when I grab a mask.Another thing I won’t risk; being identified.They might know who is doing the torture, but my face is not the direct link they’re getting; my wrath is.
Floris and Buck wait outside of the room as I slide the brass knuckles over my fingers and step inside the room.Andrew is still gagged, and the expression on his face lets me know that he’s not aware who he’s pissed off.I walk to the fucker and lash out.The brass knuckles hit the fucker right in the face, making his head whip back.
I take one of the sharp knives in my buckle and cut away the gag.“What happened to your son?”
His eyes widen, and confusion slides across his face, and then a hint of relief.“Who are you?Why am I here?”
Why would he be relieved when I ask about his son?Does this mean he knows he’s pissed off people involved with his son?
My fist hits the man’s stomach.“I’m the one asking the questions.Answer me or I’ll put the gag back.I know you’ve been knocked around a lot in your life, but believe me...when I start to have a little fun with my knife?You will eventually answer any question I have.”
All I get in return is a glare.Fine by me.I shove my brass knuckles into my pocket and hold the small knife.I feel a smile slide across my face when I quickly lash out and cut his upper arms left and right.His shirt rips and the blood dripping down my knife shows I hurt him.He won’t bleed out and the cuts are not deep enough to cause any real damage.
I’m only starting to enjoy myself and it’s no fun to have someone die before I get what I want.Not that I want this fucker dead; I just want answers.Walking to the table in the corner, I throw the knife in a tiny bucket.Buck took the necessary precautions which includes the bucket with bleach to clean the blood on my knife.
I take the wire saw and come up behind Andrew.“Ready to talk?”
Deep down I hope the fucker keeps his mouth shut, because I haven’t even started yet.
Andrew swallows hard.“Jovan Cillian.”
The wire saw is around his neck before he can so much as take his next breath.
My mouth is right next to my ear when I growl, “Start talking about every-fucking-thing you know.”
“He supplied the main event fighter during my last underground event.My son fought him and he was winning, but he received a deliberate throat punch.Micah coughed up blood...I could feel the bubbles of air underneath the skin of his neck.I wanted to call for help, but they wouldn’t let me.It was a setup from the start.They bled me dry.My family, my fortune, and I still owe them.I lost everything in one night and now they want my daughter to cover the debt I’m not able to pay.”
I drop the wire saw and walk around the idiot.“How big is the debt you still owe them?”
The name alone is one I haven’t heard in years.One who almost got his hands on my legacy.
