Page 124 of 4 Corinthians

“Yes.”

“You want to talk about it?”

“No.”

“You gonna forgive yourself after this?”

I put my phone into the lockbox, closed it, put it away, then rounded the table to get a jumpsuit. I put it on, then put the covering on my shoes.

“I never ask for forgiveness,” I told her, then walked away.

We were at the warehouse; Uri had arranged for the sensei to be brought here. At first, I was confused about why he hadn’t killed him, but then I saw it. The brand on his wrist. The same one that was on my stomach. I never thought that Robert had completely disappeared; he told me when I was a kid that he wouldn’t and that he would pop up any time. I was finally happy.

Uri waited outside the room I was going into. He had already changed; his hazel eyes followed my every movement. When I was close enough, he opened the door, allowing me to go first, and he followed. Uri walked in, barely glancing at our guest, and went to stand in the corner of the room. He picked up a folder from the table next to him and looked it over.

On the car ride over, I told him I wanted to do all the talking. He agreed, saying he would follow my lead and step in only when he felt I needed him to. I knew he didn’t like it, but he was going along with it because it directly affected Judah.

“His name is Orlando Miller,” Uri told me, and I nodded. “Occupation, unknown. But his name was linked to an offshore account six weeks ago.”

“By?” I asked, walking around the room. I ran my fingers over the knives set up on a table in the middle of the room.

“Nine is tracking that now; it would be a few hours before we knew for sure, but I have a feeling I know who.”

“Me too,” I said, and Uri nodded. I wasn’t going to say more now because my cousins could see and hear us. I turned to Orlando. “Okay, Lando, do you mind if I call you that?” I paused to give him a moment even though I knew he couldn’t answer. He was bound and gagged. “I’m going to call you Lando since we’re friends now.” I approached him and patted his jaw. “Lando, I just need a few questions answered. Can you do that?” I paused again. “Nothing too crazy, just some simple information.” Orlando’s eyes followed me as I walked back to the table. I looked over the knives, wondering which one I wanted to use, and decided it didn’t matter because I was going to get the information I needed, no matter what. When I woke up this morning, I decided I was done being scared. If Robert wasn’t going to stop coming after me and mine, then I was going to go after him. I picked up the cigar cutter, examined it, then turned to Orlando. “So, this is how it’s going to go. I’m going to ask you questions; if you answer them, you get to keep a finger.” I showed him the cigar cutter and squeezed it a few times to show him the blade. “And if you don’t, I’ll cut one off. You have twenty-two opportunities to tell me what I want to know.”

“Twenty-two?” Uri questioned. “He has twenty, baby.”

“He has twenty-two,” I told him. “He has a tongue and dick that I will cut off.”

“Hey Corinthians?” Krude's voice came through the speaker.

“Yes?” I answered as I approached Orlando. I grabbed the chair by the table and dragged it with me. The metal scraped the floor, making my skin crawl.

“You been going to therapy?” he asked.

“I have and have been taking my meds,” I told him as I sat. Even though I no longer suffered from postpartum, I still dealt with a therapist. My issues weren’t just going to disappear overnight. I glanced at Uri to see him watching me. He didn’t know I went to therapy.

“What about you Four?”

“Every Tuesday,” he answered.

“Oh good,” Krude replied happily. “Make an appointment for two visits next week. You niggas gonna need it.”

I nodded as I watched Lando. He was beat pretty bad. I knew Uri’s handiwork when I saw it, even after all these years. The bruises, cuts, and broken bones were all evidence that he decided to be nice and not kill him.

“Krude?” I called out.

“Yeah.”

I turned and looked at the clear glass window that allowed my cousins to see into the room. Everyone was here except Mercy. Judah and Deuce had a basketball game, and she’d agreed to take them. We all planned to meet them there. “This is private,” I told him. “Cut the volume and frost the glass.”

Instead of responding, he did what I asked. I didn’t move until I heard the signature knock on the door as they passed it.

“Okay, so now that we are alone.” I picked up Lando’s hand, playing with his fingers and smiled. “Tell me why Robert Strong sent you.” I separated his fingers and put his thumb into the cigar cutter. I sighed when he didn’t answer. “Fine, I hope you can type with one thumb.” I cut it off. Orlando screamed; the towel jammed into his mouth muffled the sound. I looked up and laughed. “Damn, I forgot about that.” I picked up this thumb, dropped it in his lap, then took the towel from his mouth. Orlando continued to scream, and I ignored him. “Listen, all that hooting and hollering isn’t necessary; no one is going to come and help you. The only thing you can do is answer my questions, and I’ll be nice and kill you quickly.”

“Never,” Orlando yelled. Spit fell from his mouth, and my face twisted.

“That is nasty,” I said, shaking my head. “But I bet you I can change your mind.” I put his index finger in the cigar cutter. “And if I can’t, then you will deal with this twenty-one more times.”