Page 33 of Freckles

Then again, my cousin has never met a corner he didn’t want to cut.

My shoe kicks something hard, sending it skittering across the floor. A tooth. There are more of them on the stained concrete than are left in his head and the ones that do remain are splintered stumps.

“Get the files from his safe if you’re that eager to get out of here. We need to torch them.”

But he folds his arms, tapping his foot instead. “Speaking of evidence…”

“What?”

“You showed that little redhead my recording, you fucking moron. Now she’s threatening to show it to the police.”

“Her name’s Francesca.”

He shoves his face close to mine until I take a step back. “I don’t give a shit what hernameis. What the fuck were you thinking?” His gaze drops to my crotch. “Or have you put your dick in charge of decision making?”

“You’re the one who shoved your flaccid penis in her mouth. If you want someone to blame, try looking closer to home.”

“Hardly flaccid.”

I snort with genuine amusement. “If your erections are that tiny, claiming you were hard isn’t the flex you think it is.”

“Shut up. We’re not all deformed.”

“If you don’t want girls to threaten you with police, stop recording them without their knowledge.”

Ezra retreats while I slosh fuel over the victim, upending the can to get out the last drips, inhaling the sharp chemical sting with a grim smile. Petrol is such a clean smell after the rank stench of his blood and urine and bowels.

“It’s not me she’s scared of,” he continues. “What the fuck did you do to her?”

His snide words might as well be punches.

I usually move fast when we get to this stage. Desperation makes people dangerous and even though I’ve never seen proof, there are plenty of anecdotes about victims breaking bonds with a burst of superhuman strength.

But tonight, I need the short break more than I need to exercise caution. I fetch the incriminating files myself, then dawdle over taking the empty canister outside to load into my car boot.

Ezra won’t be able to tell that I thump it shut with extra force, teeth gritted at the thought he’s right. I gave her an orgasm that left her breathless, yet she reacted like I fucked her mother. Even after forcing her to take the new phone, she’s barely touched it, wasting the favour I called in with Onyx.

The combination of my size and demeanour often makes people wary, even when I pose no actual threat. I’ve long grown used to it.

But this time it stings.

Ezra glares when I walk back inside. “The only reason I fucked with her in the first place was to piss you off. You showing it to Alice and Francesca was a dickhead move. This is your fault, and you need to put it right.”

I snort, used to the mental contortions of my cousin. “I’ll give her a lift to the station.”

His smug grin doesn’t falter. “Except I’ve already told Dad, so if you want her to remain in one piece, better get it sorted.”

Fury engulfs me and I’m on him, punching his jaw, kicking his ankles out so he thumps to the ground. I land on top, knocking the breath from his lungs, and press on his head, crushing him against the unforgiving concrete until his skull bends and he screams.

“Call him and take it back,” I shout over his noise.

He snorts, spattering blood and mucus onto the concrete. “And why the fuck would I do that?”

I could punch him again but the more I hurt him, the more he’ll dig in his heels. My word won’t mean shit to my uncle when it’s in opposition to his precious son.

“Fine,” I snap, giving his face one last shove before getting to my feet. “I’ll sort things with her this week.”

He lifts himself onto his hands and knees and spits another wad of watery crimson onto the floor. “Lovely. Send me a video of her recanting, and I’ll let Dad know.”

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