Page 29 of Jagger's Remorse

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"Mine," I growl.

Thesicariostense.

"Careful,ese. That's a dangerous word to use with cartel property."

"She stops being valuable if she breaks. Too many hands, too much damage, and what good is she?" I release his wrist. "Give me time. Let me work. You'll get everything her father hid."

"And if she doesn't talk?"

"Then I'll gift wrap her corpse myself."

Scarlett flinches.

Perfect timing.

Perfect performance.

Joaquin considers, then nods.

"You have one week. We want routes, contacts, account numbers. Everything Miguel stole, everything he hid." He looks at Scarlett. "And if she doesn't provide, we'll see how much she's really worth at auction."

"She'll provide."

"She better." He snaps his fingers. "But first, a demonstration. We need to know she's properly motivated."

"What kind of demonstration?"

His smile makes my skin crawl.

"Fuck her. Here. Now. Show us how the Iron Veins MC motivates its prisoners."

The room goes silent.

Even Squirrel looks uncomfortable.

This isn't how we do business.

But with the cartel, you don't get to choose.

"That's not?—"

"Not what? Not civilized?" Joaquin laughs. "You think we're civilized men? You think what we do is clean?" He gestures to Scarlett. "She's a hole to extract information from. Nothing more. So use her, or we take her back."

I look at Scarlett.

She's already moving, already adapting.

Calculating angles and advantages.

Joaquin gestures toward the garage bay doors. "Outside. Where there's more... room to work."

The group moves like a pack, predators following the scent of violence.

The garage bay is full of bikes, tools, the smell of oil and chrome.

Scarlett backs against my bike, parked near the wall.

"If you're going to do it," she says, voice steady, "at least do it right."

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