General’s voice softened a fraction.“You contacted the police.”
My laugh erupted harsh and ugly.“I attempted to.The officer filled out a report, scribbled some notes.Nobody ever called.I tried to follow up to no avail.Then I spotted one of those men sitting in a corner booth at the diner.He waved -- casual, familiar.A friend saying hello.”
Atilla’s gaze sharpened.“You abandoned hope in law enforcement.”
“Yes.”My voice dropped.“The truth hit me hard.The police had ignored my case.Or maybe they lacked the power to help me at all.”
Spade reopened his laptop without looking at it, like his hands moved on habit.“And then Roth stepped in.”
My stomach clenched.“Yes.”
Men shifted in their chairs, subtle but real.Energy rose in the room.Not panic.Focus.“He broke into my apartment, more than once.Threatened me.This time, he got a phone call and left, but I know he’ll be back.”The words fell flat, emotion threatening to drown me.“I’m scared of what he’ll do to me.”
Kane’s hand flexed once at his side.He never touched me.His restraint made his rage worse, giving it nowhere to escape.“My brother owed him money when he went to prison.”My throat constricted.“Now he thinks my brother’s debt is mine to pay.His men made it clear I can pay in ways other than cash.”
Atilla’s eyes darkened.His voice remained calm.“He told you what he wanted.”
Numbness spread through my hands.“I think my brother offered me as part of the deal.”Shame burned through me.Jason would probably have said anything to survive, but his betrayal cut deep regardless.“I don’t think I can bargain with him.I don’t know how much my brother borrowed.I think it was a lot.”I swallowed hard.“Since I don’t have cash to give him, he’ll either want me to repay him by spreading my legs for him, or possibly as a whore.I’m unclear what exactly he wants.”
Rage radiated from the table in waves of heat.Kane breathed heavily beside me, strain evident beneath his control.“Fear became his weapon.Waiting consumed me after he left.I dragged the couch against the door.Sleep came only in my clothes.Extra locks appeared on my doors.The basement laundry room became forbidden territory.Darkness made taking out trash impossible.”
My gaze flicked down the table.Ace watched me.When I glanced at him, his face showed neither pity nor judgment -- only a predator’s focus, aimed toward my tormentor.
“At first, I convinced myself I could outlast him.Then tonight happened.”My chest tightened so hard it hurt.I closed my eyes for one second, forced a breath, then opened them again.I’d come too far to fall apart now.It only took a moment to tell them the same story I’d already shared with Kane.
Down the table, a chair scraped hard against the floor.Someone cracked their knuckles.I fixed my gaze on Atilla, knowing I might crumble if I looked elsewhere.Kane’s presence anchored me.I didn’t look at him.I couldn’t risk breaking.
“He walked out as though he owned the building.”I lifted my gaze.“I grabbed my keys without waiting.Cash hidden under the floor.My phone.Nothing else.Not even clothes beyond what covered my body.I ran.”
General’s voice cut in, steady.“You never called the cops.”
“No.Not tonight anyway.”The answer burst from me.“I already learned the cops are useless from the first incident.”
Atilla studied me, weighing each word.“So you sought Kane.”His tone when speaking Kane’s name carried consequence.
“I made a mistake.”My voice dropped.“Rules never crossed my mind.But some part of me felt like I could survive if I could get to Kane.It’s why I came here.”
Silence stretched.Atilla leaned back, eyes still on me.“You believe her?”
For half a second, I thought he spoke to Kane.Then I realized he spoke to the room.
General studied me.His gaze moved over my face, my posture, my hands.He nodded once.“She isn’t lying.”
Spade’s fingers tapped the closed laptop.“Jason Fairmont is a low-level runner tied to bigger threads.From what I found a moment ago, it looks like while he’s been in prison, he flipped.”
My stomach dropped.“Jason flipped?”
General’s voice stayed level.“He might have tried to protect you.Hard to protect someone after you sell their name to a snake.”
The words hurt because they landed close to truth.
Atilla’s gaze cut to Kane.“You left pieces out when you called.”
Kane didn’t flinch.“I figured you’d want the details from her, not filtered through me.”
Atilla’s mouth twitched, not quite a smile.“You think I can’t hear your opinion anyway?”
Kane held his ground.He didn’t answer.He didn’t need to.
