Page 127 of Little Sunshine

Rather than come at me—and I’d really been looking forward to that—Zale backed away and rounded the table toward the door.

“I thought you dared me.” I tilted my head in exaggerated confusion before holding my arms out. “I assumed the rest of your plan wasn’t to tuck your tiny dick between your legs and run.”

He spun back like he was going to dive at me. And, again, I looked forward to it. I wanted it. His quiet, crying partner wasn’t going to be any fun.

I wanted to play with my prey.

Instead, he muttered some nonsense and continued to the door where Maximo and Cole stood. Both held guns at their sides but were otherwise relaxed. Like they didn’t see the man as a threat.

It added insult to the injuries I would inflict.

“I’m going to own you,” Zale blustered. “All three of you. I’m going straight to the owner.”

“Why wait?” Maximo held out his hand. “Maximo Black, owner of Black Resorts.”

He blanched but quickly rallied. “This is even better. I’ll own you and your damn casinos. I’m going to the media and getting a lawyer when I get out of here.”

“If,” I corrected, but he was too stupid to get it.

Zale looked over his shoulder at me. “There’s no if. When I sue you, I’ll get all of this and everything else you three have to your name. Plus those fuckers who jumped us. Casinos are loaded with cameras and?—”

“Not where you were brought in.” Maximo gave a dark laugh. “And certainly not down here.”

He wilted a little before puffing his chest out. “I’ll let my lawyer handle it. Out of my way.”

“No.”

“You can’t keep me here.”

Like it was nothing, Maximo lazily raised his gun to press it under Zale’s chin. “Can and will.”

By the time Zale realized what was happening and a delayed sense of self-preservation kicked in, I’d already stood and rounded the table. He scrambled back just to crash into me. I didn’t give him the chance to turn before shoving him against the concrete wall. Palm to the side of his head, I pushed hard as I dragged him against the rough texture.

Tearing at his cheek.

Making it burn.

Just the beginning.

Keeping a firm hand pressed against his head, I reached into my pocket and pulled out my phone. I whistled as I swiped through until I found what I wanted.

Who I needed.

It was a screengrab from one of the security cameras at the back of my house. Even if the quality wasn’t the best, Mila looked so damn pretty sitting near the creek. He didn’t deserve to see her, but I needed answers.

And he needed to know why this was happening to him.

I put the phone in his face. “Recognize her?”

“No. Should I recognize some random bitch?”

I slammed the edge of my cell into his already swollen nose. “Look again.”

He growled before inhaling sharply.

“You recognize her.”

It wasn’t a question, but he shrugged. “Maybe. What’s some honey-ass tweaker got to do with this?”

---