It was Christian’sturn to smile then. “Now this is very interesting.”
Iknew then that I’dfucked up. Ihadn’tjust shown him my card, I’dshown him the whole damn deck.
“This is going to be alot more rewarding than Icould have anticipated.”
“Oh yeah, how d’you reckon that?” Isnapped.
Christian stood up and tutted. “Where is she?” he said, all pretense finally gone.
“Who?” Iasked. “Ain’tno one here but me. Icame for alittle break. Asmall vacay, if you will, after our run in at Hazy Nights. Needed to recoup, you know how it is.”
Christian raised an eyebrow at me and unbuttoned his suit jacket. I’dseen that move before; Iknew what came next. He glanced over at me, agleam of something dark in his eye. Iknew that look. Imade that look.
He gestured to some of the men on either side of him. “Find her,” he ordered, and they didn’thesitate to leave—not that it mattered much. Their spaces were quickly filled by other men. Iwas fucked. “Put those weapons down and come take aseat, Gauge,” Christian said, purposefully using my preferred name. Iknew that trick too. Not that Iever had the need to put someone at ease who Ihad every intention of killing. Ididn’twant any man Iwas killing to be at ease. Iwanted him on his knees beggin’ to live.
Iglanced to either side of me. Iwas severely outnumbered. Ihad two bullets, one knife, and no fucking desire to die right that second. There was more to what was going on, and Iwanted to know what that was. If Icould keep the dialogue going alittle longer, perhaps away out might present itself. Or perhaps I’dbe shot once Ilowered my gun. Either way, with the odds stacked against me, Iplaced my gun and knife down on the countertop. Stepping around the kitchen island, Iheaded to the chair. Now that Iwas unarmed, Christian’smen pounced, slamming me into the chair before Iwas good and fucking ready. The chair tilted back and they had to stop it from falling backwards with me in it. Zip ties came out, strapping my wrists to the chair, and when they stepped back, Christian was still seated opposite me.
“That’sbetter,” he said.
“This the only way you can face me?”
Christian chuckled but didn’treply.
“You and me, toe to toe.” Ijerked my head at him. “How about it?”
He sipped his wine casually, unperturbed. “How about Ijust kill you here and now, and when Ifind Jolie I’ll tell her you gave her up?”
“Sure thing.” Inarrowed my eyes at him. When he frowned, it was my turn to laugh. “Did you think I’dbeg?” Ileaned forward, my movements restricted by my binds. “Idon’tbeg for no one or nothin’. Not even for my life.”
“Not even for your woman?”
Iscowled. “She ain’tmy woman.”
He seemed unconvinced. “And you don’tbeg for your brother either, right?” Christian said, leaning back in his chair, his gaze unwavering as he held mine.
“What the fuck did you just say to me?”
Christian stood up, placing his gun on the kitchen island to the left of me. He came closer before dropping to his haunches in front of me. “You didn’teven beg for your brother, did you, Bishop? When he screamed for you to run as we cut him open and pulled out his innards with our hands, he told you to run and you did just that. You ran like ascared little boy, not even looking back to beg for his life.”
My vision swam, memories and nightmares colliding before my eyes.
The Vipers… They had killed my brother.
They had slaughtered him.
That was the only time in my life I’dever run from afight, and it was atime that would haunt me till the end of my days. My brother’sscreams had filled my ears for months afterwards, until Iwas ready to cut off my own ears. Jon Hardy had found me, welcomed me into the club, into their family, and I’dput that experience behind me, always assuming I’dnever meet the person responsible again. It had been arobbery gone wrong. My brother had set it up, never telling me the details—or maybe Ihadn’tasked. It didn’tmatter anymore. What mattered was that now Iknew who had killed him, and now Iwas going to make them pay.
“Ican see the cogs turning in your head, Bishop.” Christian smirked.
“You just signed your own death warrant,” Ireplied calmly.
Christian’ssmirk grew bolder. “Where is she?”
“Where’swho? Your cunt mother? In hell, likely.”
“Where is she?” he asked again.
“Your cunt sister? With your cunt mother, but she’swalking alittle bowlegged after Ifucked her till she bled.”
