Maybe for the first time, I sensed his admittance was heartfelt.
“This isn’t a game, Alexander. If you think it is then I’m out.”
“Fuck you!”
I took a deep breath, rubbing my exhausted eyes. This wasn’t getting us anywhere. “I don’t give a shit who’s behind the attempts on our lives at this point, but we need to find out. I refuse to live my life waiting until someone else appears from our past.”
“If only my life was as simple as yours. I know exactly how to handle this in order to get the information we need.”
My God. The man was living on some alternate plane.
“And what are your next plans, Alexander? To break her in every way possible, using her body for whatever sadistic needs you have?”
His body tensed, an unusual look of embarrassment crossing his face.
“Did you ever stop to think we deserve to have our lives stripped away from us? Did you ever once think about how a single member of our sick pact suffered more than the other three?” I pushed.
The silence surrounding us was interesting. Nothing had ever stopped him from retorting with his usual bullshit authority. That was because he was not only in way over his head, but he was also terrified that all our dirty little secrets would be revealed. When he said nothing, I turned away, dragging my phone from my pocket.
“More than you know or will believe,” he said, looking away.
“We can’t break her. I won’t allow it. If you think you’re going to cross me on this, think again,my friend.”Maybe for the first time, he backed down, walking toward the open door and taking several deep breaths.
“No, we can’t. I like her, Daniel, and that bothers me. I’ve had plenty of women in the past, beautiful creatures that I could mold and twist into playing whatever dark game I hungered for. This girl is different. She draws out the goodness and light, if you can believe I ever had anything like that inside of me. And as far as your accusation, there hasn’t been a single day that’s gone by I haven’t thought about what Garrison was forced to endure, the punishment he absorbed for what we did. But he agreed just like the rest of us.”
“That may be so, but he certainly didn’t agree to being tortured, then killed like an animal. What happened to that protection you promised him, Alexander? It seems like everything else in your life, your promises are worth shit. I wonder how you can sleep at night.” I stormed out of the room but not before hearing his troubling answer.
“I don’t.”
I pressed my palm against the wall of the hallway, my heart thudding rapidly. What the hell were we doing? More important, who was out to take us down? I made a promise to myself that not one of us would hurt her. Yeah, I liked her too, perhaps more than I should or deserved. A part of me knew I shouldn’t be allowed to have or enjoy anything so precious. Shit. I was losing part of myself in this twisted game already. I yanked out my phone, dialing a number.
The man had been an associate for years, a former computer hacker who could get into any system and had numerous times under the direction of the CIA.
“Wow. I didn’t expect your call so soon. I thought you weren’t going back out for another week or so.”
“I need your help, Steven, on a personal matter. Do you think you could locate the business where a burner phone was purchased?” I didn’t know his real name or his location, but it didn’t matter. His services had become invaluable over the years.
“That’s easy, buddy, something you could do with all that fancy equipment at the CIA,” Steven said, laughing.
“I’m currently in a location where I don’t have access to what I need.”
He hesitated then snorted. “I got ya. Send me what you have. It shouldn’t take more than two hours.”
“I appreciate your help. I might have another favor to ask.”
“I owe you plenty. Not a problem.”
At least I could trust the man. He knew better than to cross me or let it slip I’d asked for a favor. I’d owe him, but money meant nothing to me.
As I walked past the goddamn playroom, I noticed Brogan had retreated to the deck, staring out at the massive palm trees. Sighing, I walked inside the room, glaring at the apparatus then heading onto the balcony. I kept my distance, leaning over the railing.
“I don’t like this shit,” he said quietly, angst in his voice.
“Neither do I. She didn’t send the threatening messages. That much I know.”
He turned his head toward me and I didn’t need to look at his face to know he felt the same. “Then who did?”
“That’s what we’re going to find out. I can guarantee it’s someone from our past.”
