Page 129 of Prey

He narrowed his eyes at that. “This was taken from your computer. I don’t need to tell you what’s on it, do I?”

He sputtered. “You fucking bastard! You broke into my office. That’s illegal.”

“And so is trying to take over drug distribution in California, no?”

“What do you want?” he asked, using his desk to pull himself up.

“Where is she?”

“Where is who?”

“Where is Ryleigh?”

He seemed confused. “Judge Hudson’s daughter? How should I know?”

“Because the fucking Mansen brothers took her and brought her back to one of the properties you’re letting them use.”

His eyes widened, and he shook his head. “They would never—”

I punched him in the face once more. He stumbled back but didn’t fall.

“I don’t have time for this. Where is she?”

“Why do you care?” he asked me, his eyes narrowing. “What the fuck are you doing with her? She’s innocent in all this.”

“Are you going to make me beat the information out of you?” I asked instead of answering.

“Why would I tell you anything?”

“Because I will expose you otherwise.”

“And how do I know you won’t do that, anyway?”

“You’re just going to have to fucking take my word for it. You don’t want to go to prison, Gallagher. There are many members of the Savkin Bratva still in there, bidding their time. I’m sure those fuckheads have a pretty long and unforgiving memory back from when you were a prosecutor, no?”

He visibly blanched at that.

That was the thing about being in law enforcement before going corrupt. Gallagher had pissed off a lot of bad people. He would be in serious trouble if he ended up in the same prison as some of them, which we both knew would happen if shit from the flash drive ever got out.

“So you are going to tell me where they are. You’re not going to waste my time. Got me?”

“G-Got you,” he stuttered out.

23

RYLEIGH

There wasa steady drumbeat beneath my eyelid.

Bile tried to work its way up my throat, and I had to work hard to keep from throwing up all over the floor.

I felt terrible.

I felt sick, and everything hurt.

I let out a small groan and tried to think back to what I last remembered.

Thanks to Roman, I already knew what it felt like to wake up after being drugged, but this was much more intense than the last time.

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