At least I can scare him a little bit.
I peer at the kid in front of me again, my eyes falling to his khakis. They look a little darker in the crotch area than they did a minute ago. Did he just piss himself? Maybe the gun intimidation tactic worked. Let’s see. If not, I go to Plan B. “You know, if you give me what I want, I’ll let you go home.”
“No, you won’t,” he mutters, staring at his sneakers. “I’m not an idiot. I know you’re gonna kill me either way. I’ve seen the movieCasino.”
A snort of laughter escapes my mouth. “So you think I’m gonna bring a vise in here and pop your brain out of your skull through your ears or something?”
His head jerks toward me. “Are you?” There is actual terror in his voice when I mention the word vise.
I can’t blame him.
It was a good fucking scene.
“If I crush your head, I don’t get the information I need,capice?” I pull out a handful of big gold rings and start sliding them onto my fingers. “But I’ve wasted enough time on you tonight. I’m hungry, and I’d like to eat dinner before it’s time for breakfast.” I grip his shoulder and smile. “So, let’s get to work, yeah?” I grab a knife out of the back of my waistband and cut through the ties. I grip his neck and pull him to his feet, digging my fingers into his collarbone. He tries to gasp, but I have him tight in my grasp, tipping him backward over the side of the ledge so his legs flail around in front of him, kicking furiously at me. He’s a lean, lanky kid, so it doesn’t really surprise me when I can pretty much wrap my whole hand around his throat. But I don’t squeeze.
Not too hard, anyway.
I want him to be able to at least squeak out a mercy plea before I get tempted to lose control and let him go.
“Give me a name,” I hiss, forcing him farther backward so that his back is practically kissing the wall below the ledge and the blood rushes to his head.
Loud sobs mixed with pleas for God shatter the air and I let out a sigh just as my cell phone buzzes.
It startles me since I’m so focused on getting the information I need, information he’s still not smart enough to deliver.
Does he think I’m bluffing?
Or are the people he’s working with that deadly?
Just the thought of throttling whoever the fuck they are makes my balls tingle.
Christ, I really need to find a hobby or something. Being in the middle of this city and not being able to tear shit up is soul-crushing.
I pull the kid up to a standing position, and as he sputters and coughs, I pull out my phone with one hand, the other still clutching him.
“Yeah?” I grunt. It’s not my burner so at least I know things haven’t completely unraveled.
“Hey.” It’s Bruno. “I’ve got something for ya. Something good.”
“Oh yeah?” I ask, cracking my knuckles, practically foaming at the mouth. “What is it? Explosives? Tiger attack? Terrorists?”
I clutch the phone in my hand, waiting to hear what’s waiting for me back on the floor. I really don’t want to deal with any more fucking card counters. I need some more action than that or I’m gonna just give up and overdose on five-dollar lobsters until I grow my own damn tail and claws.
“I found the guys the kid was working with. In a fucking bush outside the hotel.”
I snort. “You’re kidding me.”
“Nope. They had a whole network configured out there. Elaborate shit I can’t even begin to understand, but it doesn’t matter. I’ve got a location.”
“Okay, tell me more.” I narrow my eyes at the kid. Is it possible a bunch of fucking hackers are taking us down a dollar at a time while they hide out in our bushes?
“There’s a meeting tonight.”
“How’d you find that out?”
“I clocked one of them with a wrench. The other two shit themselves and started crying like bitches.”
I nod. “Nice work.”