“What’s your name?”
“Isaak.” His head’s still hanging as he fights to stay conscious.
“Who are you working for?”
Isaak looks up at us with bloodshot eyes. A dark purple bruise is already blooming along his jaw, which, from the looks of the swelling, might be broken. He spits blood on the ground. “I’m not telling you shit.”
“Maybe this will change your mind,” Dimitri reaches into the inside of his jacket and pulls out a six-inch blade.
Isaak eyes the razor-sharp blade, but then his lips pull up into a smile.
“I’ve been stabbed six times.” His Russian accent is thick. “It will take a lot more than a knife to kill me.”
Dimitri smirks. “Oh, I’m not planning on stabbing you. Danil, take off his pants.”
I try to hide my surprise at my brother’s order.
Is he going to do what I think he’s going to do?
From the way Isaak’s face pales, I think it’s safe to say that he is thinking the same thing I am. But who am I to question my brother’s methods?
Dimitri’s feral smile tugs at his lips as he eyes Isaak. “It wouldn’t be the first cock I’ve sliced off. And I won’t make it a clean cut.”
“Rather you than me,brat.” I pocket my gun and take a step toward Isaak, who seems to have decided against calling Dimitri’s bluff.
Panic flashes in Isaak’s eyes as he realizes Dimitri isn’t fucking around. “Wait! I-I’ll talk.”
Dimitri runs his index finger along the blade. “Make it fast. And if any of what you tell us turns out to be a lie, I’ll cut off more than just your dick. Do you understand?”
Beads of sweat are forming on Isaak’s forehead, and the last of the color drains from his face as he glances between Dimitri and the knife in his hand.
It’s almost amusing how the threat of getting your dick chopped off is enough to make a six-foot-four, two-hundred-pound man crumble.
“I-I saw her at a party.” He pulls against the ties on his wrists.
I perk up a bit inside but make no move. “Who was hosting this party?”
From the growing pit in my stomach, I have a feeling I already know the answer.
“The Ivanov Bratva.”
Fuck.
“Igor likes to keep a close watch on who attends.” Isaak winces as he talks.
The pain from his broken jaw must be excruciating, but it’ll be nothing compared to what he’ll feel if he doesn’t keep talking.
“He saw Mullens on the list, and the name jumped out at him.”
“I’m sure it did,” Dimitri retorts.
I glance sideways at my brother.
From the way the muscle in his jaw ticks, I know it’s taking a lot for him to keep his anger contained.
“He… He discovered that Emily was there and…”
It’s getting harder and harder to keep my composure too. “And what? What exactly is Igor trying to achieve here? Surely, if he wanted her, he could have just taken her at this party.”