Page 56 of Jagger's Remorse
I pull up my sweats, casual as discussing weather. "He gave me a bit of time before I have to kill you."
"When?"
"About three or four hours ago."
"Christ."
"If it helps, I was never going to do it."
"No?"
I giggle. "No. Bullet to the head is too quick. Too clean. You deserve a masterpiece of suffering, not a participation trophy."
"So what happens in..." He checks his phone. "When the time is up?"
"He comes for both of us. Probably with backup. Definitely with prejudice."
Jagger almost seems pissed. "And you're just telling me this now?"
I point out the obvious. "You didn't ask before."
Jagger’s quiet for a moment, licks his lips and looks me deep in the eyes. The kind of look that makes it feel like he’s staring into my soul. "I'm asking now. What else don't I know?"
"How long do you have?"
My phone—the burner buzzes.
A text from an unknown number.
I know who it is before I open it.
The video makes my blood ice over.
Mel, tied to a chair.
Crying.
Diego's voice off-camera: "Tick Tok,princesa. Or your little friend learns what real pain feels like."
"Shit."
Jagger reads over my shoulder. "Is that?—"
"Mel. The sweet one who tried to be kind." My voice sounds strange. Flat. Empty. "He took her because of me."
"We'll get her back."
"We?"
"You think I'm letting some cartel psycho take one of our ol’ ladies?" He's already moving, checking weapons. "Call him back. Set a meet. We end this now."
"It's not that simple."
"It never is with you."
"No, I mean?—"
How do I explain Diego without explaining everything?
