She’d witnessed a scene like this before. One that had almost broken her. She pushed the air into her breathless lungs. “Are you sure?”
“Positive,” Dorian said, more wildly again. “He knows exactly who has been putting together a crew to come after me. I just have toget him to admit it!”
Mercedes released a breath as she turned to T.B., who was just as wild and raged. With blood coating his own clothes, he jumped around like he was having a fucking good time. But at least she wasn’t caught just yet.
“Why don’t you come inside and have lunch with me,” Mercedes said, guilt tugging her to lead Dorian away from the man. Just in case he really was about to give her up.
“No!” he shouted, pulling his arm from her. “I will break this guy.”
Dorian rolled up his sleeves to get back in the man’s face. With a fist half-cocked at the man, he turned back to Mercedes. “You can leave now.”
It hurt to turn around, but she had to. Anything she said or did could put Dorian directly on a trail she didn’t want him following.
She looked to the ground, blood staining the terrace once again. When she reluctantly headed back up into the house, she shuddered at the sound of a single gunshot at the same time she exhaled.
* * *
Dorian watched closely as Mercedes retreated into the house before pulling his gun back on the guy in front of him. The man’s head dropped heavily like it was hard to lift, blood and bruises battering his skin. But he’d give up the information that Dorian wanted in the end. After all, everyone did eventually.
“What did you send her away for?” T.B. grunted.
“Women shouldn’t see these kinds of things,” Dorian smirked as the guy began to spit blood.
“She could use some hardening up,” T.B. said, but Dorian just rolled his eyes and turned his attention back to his prisoner.
“Should we try this again?” he asked, stroking the gun like it was his favorite pet. “Or have you seen enough to loosen that tongue of yours already?”
The man’s battered face raised slightly until his determined eyes met Dorian’s. “I told you. I don’t know nothing about a fifth.”
A sudden smack from T.B. had the man groaning as his head snapped back.
“Hoooo, boy!” T.B. smiled as he shook out his fist and jumped around in excitement.
Sharing a proud look with his Second, Dorian just smiled. “See? Welikedoing this. We can go all day.”
“I have heard of Adam Vandemilio, but I swear,” the man said, breaths stuttering as he choked on air. “I’ve never heard of a fifth guy.”
Yes, they liked doing this. But Dorian was quickly losing patience. He kicked the man’s shoulder until he fell onto the ground writhing, and crouched down to meet his level.
“Everyone knows Adam had a driver,” Dorian said. “And you’re gonna tell me who it is. You’re gonna tell me who’s coming after me.”
The man’s cries suddenly stopped. “That’s what this is about?”
Dorian’s eyes narrowed.
“Well, fuck, I don’t know anything about a driver, but I—but I can tell you who’s coming after you.”
Dorian stilled, turning over in his crouch to share a loaded look with T.B.
“Go on, then,” Dorian said.
“Someone came into town a few months ago. Spouting shit about taking you down, putting out feelers for people to join them.”
Dorian’s chest seized.Months ago?!Motherfuckers…
“They’re more careful now, but—but at the start they weren’t too worried about being seen. Going all over town, flaunting themselves.”
Dorian closed his eyes as he sucked in a breath of fresh air, cocking his head as he stood and steadied himself to remain calm while he took the information in. Someone had been coming for him. And they’d been flaunting it right under his nose. That’s exactly what they’d been doing. The whores, the clubs, his idiot Seconds… the fuckers weren’t subtle.
