Something inside me snapped.
Before I could stop myself, my hand flung out, backhanding him hard across the face. His head whipped sideways from the impact, a deep red mark blooming across his cheek.
I clenched my jaw, my breaths coming slowly and controlled. Barely controlled. “I dare you,” I growled, “to say one more word about my wife. I will beat the shit out of you until you beg me to kill you.”
Tristan twisted his head to face me, blinking rapidly, his cocky smirk faltering.
“Fuck,” he muttered, licking at the blood trickling down his cheek from where I’d struck him.
Without hesitation, I grabbed both his ears and pulled hard, making him yelp. “You betrayed her. You went after her father. And now?” I gave another yank. “I’m going to tear you apart.”
For the first time, real fear flickered in his eyes.
I slugged him in the gut. His body convulsed, folding over as much as the ropes would allow, a harsh wheeze escaping his lips.
Lee grabbed my arm.
“No, don’t. We need him.” He turned to Tristan, gripping his face in an iron hold. “What happened the day Olivia time traveled? Why did you snap? You played your role perfectly—acted like you adored her—and then you just turned on her. What do you know?”
Tristan thrashed, shaking his head to escape Lee’s merciless grip.
Lee’s fingers only dug in deeper, stretching his skin taut.
“I’m not telling you shit,” Tristan declared.
Then, before Lee could react, he spat into Lee’s face.
Lee wiped the saliva from his cheek with measured control. Tristan, ever the jackass, tilted his head toward me.
“Who’s the hired meat?”
I straightened, rolling my shoulders back. “I’m no hired meat,” I said coldly. “I’m Roman Alexander. Warrior. Husband to Olivia. And the man who will make your life hell if you don’t start talking.”
I crouched closer, letting my words cut through the space between us. “Now tell me—who is Eyan Malik, and why does he want you?”
Tristan’s entire demeanor shifted. His breath hitched. His pupils shrank. A fine sheen of sweat broke out along his forehead and upper lip.
He shook his head.
Lee snarled, gripping his jaw tighter. “You good-for-nothing asshole.”
I drove my knife into Tristan’s arm, carving with the precision I’d once used to extract secrets from my enemies in the arena.
He let out a screeching, garbled cry.
Jack lunged forward, gripping my arm. “Roman, stop! You can’t do this—there are laws in this country.”
My brows knit together. “Laws? What laws?”
“Laws about what you can do to another person,” Jack explained. “We shouldn’t even have him tied up in my basement!”
With a grunt, I released Tristan. “Fine. But you better start talking before I unleash pure hell on you.” I snarled. “Who is Malik?”
Tristan’s swollen lips pressed together in defiance.
I grabbed a fistful of his greasy hair, twisting hard. “Why did you want Olivia to time travel? How do you know about time travel at all?”
His eyes shimmered with something unexpected—regret. “I was trying to prove to my father that I’m worthy to stand by his side. But now that I’ve failed, my life is worthless.”
