Page 44 of Switch

He’s shaking now, his breath coming in ragged gasps.

Piston steps forward, cracking his neck. “You got two options, asshole. Option one—you start talking. Right now. Option two?” He glances at Tank. “We make you.”

Mike whimpers. “Please, man, I—”

Tank kicks him in the gut so hard hescreams. “Wrong answer,” Tank mutters.

Mike coughs, spitting blood onto the cold concrete floor, his whole body shaking. His face is wrecked—one eye swollen shut, his lip split wide, blood dripping from his nose. He’s breathing heavy, his chest rising and falling in short, panicked bursts.

I crouch down, gripping the collar of his jacket, yanking him up just enough to make sure he’s listening.

“You’ve got one shot,” I growl, voice low and steady. “Tell me what the fuck you were doing at Bella’s house.”

His lips tremble. “I—I just wanted to talk to her—”

I slam him back against the wall so hard his teeth slam together. “Talk?You were hiding in her bushes, you sick fuck. You had akit—duct tape, zip ties. That’s nottalking. That’s something else.”

“I—I wasn’t going to hurt her!” he gasps. “I swear!”

Tank steps forward, picking up the knife from the bag Mike brought with him. “You sure? Because this says otherwise.”

Piston crouches on the other side of Mike, cracking his knuckles. “You better start telling the truth, or we’ll make sure youwishyou had.”

Mike’s whole body trembles, his gaze darting between us, realizing there’s no escape.

“I just… I wanted to talk to her,” he stammers. “She kept ignoring me. Wouldn’t answer my texts and calls. I left her a note andnothing.”

I freeze, my blood turning ice cold. “What?” My voice is dangerously quiet.

Mike licks his busted lip, his face twisted with desperation. “She just kept pretending I didn’t exist. I didn’t mean to scare her—I just thought if I could get her alone, she’dlisten. She’d realize webelong together.”

My grip on his jacket tightens, my pulse a steady roar in my ears. “You mean to tell me,” I say, my voice slow, measured, “that you’ve beencalling her?Texting her? Leaving her fuckingnotes?”

He nods quickly. “I just wanted her to answer me!”

The last thread of my restraintsnaps. I punch him so hard my knuckles split on his cheekbone. His head slams against the wall, and he slumps forward, groaning in pain.

Tank lets out a low whistle. “Well, shit. That’s new information.”

Piston shakes his head, muttering, “Motherfucker’s been stalking her.”

Mike coughs, blood dripping from his mouth. “It wasn’t stalking!”

I grab him by the hair, yanking his head back so he has no choice but to look at me. “You’ve beenwatching her.Harassing her. You showed up at her house in the middle of the goddamn night with abag full of shit meant to keep her quiet. And you’re telling me thatwasn’tstalking?” Mike whimpers, but I’m past giving a shit.

Tank crouches beside me, picking up the zip ties from the bag and turning them in his hands. “So, let’s say Belladidanswer you, huh? And she still told you to fuck off. What then?”

Mike’s breath hitches. “I—I wasn’t going to hurt her…”

Piston stands up, rubbing his jaw. “But?”

Mike swallows hard, eyes flicking to the duct tape still in Tank’s grip. “I was just going toscareher a little,” he mumbles, barely above a whisper. “Make her realize she waswrongabout me.”

I close my eyes for half a second, forcing myself to breathe, to think. Then I let go of his collar and stand up.

“He doesn’t leave here in one piece,” I say, my voice calm.

Tank smirks, cracking his knuckles. “Didn’t plan on it.”

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