Page 95 of Intolerable Bishop

“What?”

“A finger or yer cock. Which one do ya want me to take?”

“Nooo.” Joshua swung at Myles, but he easily avoided the hit. We watched as Joshua tried to crawl away around the other side of the chair.

“I’m not sure where ya be going, mate.” Myles stalked the man, his eyes trained on him. Joshua yelled when Myles brought his boot down onto his back, flattening him out like a bug.

His eyes flicked up to mine, and I swallowed. This was a part of my life that I hated to admit happened. I could handle almost all of it, but there was some shit I had trouble getting behind, and yet we were tortured or killed if we didn’t follow orders. This man was no threat to Lawrence, and he was obviously in a bad way, but the rules were clear: get my money or take a pound of flesh. Owen had broken something in Myles long ago. But nothing hammered home the effects of his trauma until you saw the lack of sympathy in his eyes.

“Come here and put a knee in the middle of his back to keep him still.”

“Echo, do we really need to do this? He seems pretty sure he can get the money,” I said, walking over to take his spot.

“I am. I’m sure. I’ll get the money, and you’ll never see me again.”

Myles looked down at Joshua and then back up at me, but the hard edge in his eyes told me the decision was made.

“That’s not how this works.” Myles stared at me and stepped on Joshua’s hand, making him scream again. He squatted and held the blade in front of Joshua’s face, and the man tried to wiggle away. I applied more force with my knee. He winced but stopped struggling.

“Please, I’m begging you,” Joshua said, but Myles ignored his pleas.

“You drive a taxi. You don’t need your baby finger for that.” Before Joshua could yell or pull away, Myles raised the deadly knife and brought it down so hard that it stuck into the floorboards. Joshua’s reaction was delayed, but as Myles picked up the severed finger, he screamed hysterically and then passed out.

“Was this necessary,” I asked, standing up.

“Are you the one out here collecting for the Devil himself? Are you the one that’s taught a lesson if ya didn’t make it clear that it’s pay or die?” I looked away from his ruthless glare but knew he was telling the truth. Myles kept most of what Owen and Lawrence did to him quiet, but we had seen the bruises and the limp in his stride. “I didn’t think so. I do what I have to and nothing more. If ya want to take me spot, feel free. But until then, ya don’t fuckin’ question me in front of a mark, and ya do what I say. Period.”

Myles walked back to the kitchen, and I swore under my breath. Glancing down at Joshua, I truly hoped he got his shit together and had the money next weekend. Coming back here again wasn’t something I wanted to do. Myles returned with the finger in a plastic sandwich bag that he stuffed into his pocket. There was just some shit you didn’t get used to.

JULY 29 – FRIDAY 1:30 AM

Theo

T: Is everything good there?

B: Yeah, all good. Liam and Nash are still awake, playing pool in the game room. Ren fell asleep, and Lip curled up with her. Mom and Dad stayed to themselves. How did it go?

I glanced over at Myles driving. He hadn’t said a word since we left Joshua’s house, and I wasn’t sure how to answer that question.

T: About as well as you’d expect.

B: Shit. Okay.

T: We’re stopping by Lawrence’s house first, but we’ll be there within the hour.

B: K

Locking my phone, I decided to break the silence. “Everyone is good. Blake says that Lip curled up with Ren and fell asleep.”

“Good, he hasn’t been sleeping much,” Myles said but didn’t explain. We pulled up to the Collier residence, and as soon as the guard saw it was us, he opened the gate without hesitation.

We parked, and it genuinely felt like I’d gone job shadowing and realized that this wasn’t the career for me. But I’d already signed my life away. A guard was at the door, ready to let us in when we walked up.

“Mr. Collier is expecting you. He’s in his office.”

I followed Myles before grabbing his arm and whispering. “How much did that guy owe?”

“He owes eighty-two thousand,” Myles said, and my mouth fell open.