He gave me a droll look, clearly not believing a word.
"Solomon assaulted your sister. Killed her," he said slowly. "He went quiet for a while. Then he turned up dead. The next thing I knew, you bought his restaurant. Do you think I don't know what's going on under my nose?" He tapped the side of his. "Next thing I know someone is trying to find me. You might believe you're subtle, but you're anything but."
"And yet you took the bait," I said, offering a faint, insincere smile. "Otherwise I wouldn't be here."
Where washere?We seemed to be in some sort of industrial cannery, judging by the massive vat in the side of the room. Itcould fit about ten people standing side by side. Full of water, it would cover their heads. A ladder led up to the top of it, and set of stairs led out of the room. I guessed we were underground somewhere.
"You might want to arrest this man," I said.
Hypnos snorted. "He's in no position to arrest anyone. He's only here as a witness to your crimes. He had nothing to do with this. If it wasn't for you, he'd be tucked up in his bed, comfortable and alive."
"But he's—" I started to say.
Hypnos rose from his chair, pulled out a gun and put a bullet in the middle of Getzoff's head.
The shot rang out, echoing through the space so loud I was going to hear it for days.
"Do you see the blood trickling? Hypnos whispered. If he wasn't an evil asshole, his voice might sound hypnotic. "You did that to him."
He walked over to me and pulled out a knife.
I shrank away, but he put a hand on my shoulder and sliced through the zip tie that bound my hands. Gripping my wrist, he dragged me across the floor. He dumped me beside Getzoff and pressed my hand into the blood that was pooling on the concrete.
"Feel the blood you have on your hands," he said. "Figurative and literal. His death is your fault."
Getzoff"s blood was warm and sticky. The tang filling my nostrils.
I've smelled blood plenty of times before, but this time it made my stomach turn. I wanted to throw up everything I'd eaten for the last twenty-four hours.
Preferably on Hypnos' leather shoes.
I swallowed down the urge. I was tougher than this.
I jerked my wrist away from Hypnos. "What do you want?"
"I want you to stop hunting me and my associates," he said like nothing was simpler. Like they deserved to continue living their lives, when my sister couldn’t.
"The only way I can ensure that is if you're dead." I closed my eyes, sure he was about to stab me or shoot me. I could try to run, but I wouldn't get far with my ankles tied together.
"Same with you," he said. Slowly, he tapped his long fingers against his thigh.
I forced my eyes open and locked my gaze on his. Maybe I could buy myself a little while longer.
"That doesn't work for me," I said evenly. "I have two restaurants to run. I'm a very busy woman, you know. This has been fun and all, but, it’s time I left. Sorry to be a buzzkill for your little party." I shrugged one shoulder.
He chuckled. There it was again, that evil chuckle.
"I’ve never been a fan of the Irish exit," he said.
"I’m not Irish." I snuck out of plenty of parties though. None I wanted to leave more than this.
He stepped closer and put the knife away, somewhere under his leather jacket.
"You're not leaving either. No, I'm going to have a bit of fun with you first."
A chill went through me. I'd always considered the possibility they might use me like they did my sister, but I'd never been faced with it before. Bile threatened to rise again. His shoes were closer now. If I could aim just right…
He must have seen the expression on my face because he actually smiled.
