But then there was the knife, and the threats, and the nonchalant way he spoke about torture.
Definitely a psycho.
“I like you.” Billy moved in closer. “I don’t always like my jobs, but you, I like.”
“I can’t tell you about something I don’t know.” She held the same green gaze she’d seen in her hotel room. “And I don’t know anything about a flash drive.”
Another chuckle shook the guy’s shoulders as he gave a shake of his head. “Boy, if I had a nickel for every time someone told me that.” He smiled down at her as if they were the best of friends. “Oh, well. I’m already rich. But that’s beside the point, isn’t it? Anyway.” He moved in closer. “Where were we? Oh, that’s right. The file.”
“I already told you, I don’t have it.”
“It’s probably on one of those flash drive thingies,” he spoke as if she hadn’t. “They’re usually about yay big.” He made a small show of measurement using his forefinger and thumb.
“Look,Billy.” She emphasized his name. “You can ask me a hundred more times, but my answer’s going to be the same every single time.”
He studied her closely, as if he were trying to solve some sort of puzzle.
“You know, I want to believe you.” Billy smiled. “Really, I do. But I get paid to be sure, so . . .” He brought the tip of his blade to her arm just below the crook of her elbow and cut into her skin.
“Ah!” Janie cried out before rolling her lips inward to keep from showing the freak how much it hurt.
And holy shit, did ithurt.
She glanced down, forcing herself to look at the fresh, throbbing wound. Nausea churned in her gut when she saw the inch-long cut on her arm.
Her eyes closed, and she took several calming breaths in through her nose.
“Don’t worry.” Billy leaned in closer, dropping his voice to a whisper. “I’m not going to kill you, yet.” He chuckled. “I mean, we can’t very well have you dying before the boss has what he wants.”
“W-who’s your boss?” She gritted through the fire racing down her arm.
“Ah, sorry.” He shrugged. “I’m not allowed to tell you that.”
This guy was so far off his rocker, there wasn’t a word to describe how truly sick he was.
“Why not?” she demanded. “It’s not like I’m ever going to leave this room alive. Right?”
“Where’s the file.”
“I don’t have the fucking file!”
Her next breath was stolen when the blade’s tip pierced her skin again. This time, when he began to slice, he didn’t stop for several more inches.
Janie didn’t have the strength to hold back her scream.
At the same time, the door swung open, and the jerk of a Secret Service agent came rushing in.
“We have to leave. Now!”
“Why?” Billy frowned. “I just got started.”
“The building’s been compromised. We have to get our asses out right the fuck now!”
Emmett!
Had he found her? Were he and his team in this building right now?
If he is, he needs to know you’re here.
