Page 129 of Knot All is Crystal
“Calm down,” he mutters. “You need to appear unbothered.”
Unbothered. Easy for him to say.
I’m the one being chauffeured to my doom.
The door swings open to a Beta in a denim jacket with beady eyes. “Puck, man, sup?”
“Trey, if you’ll excuse me, I have an appointment.”
Puck shoulders past the other Beta. “Interrogation?”
My shoulders tighten, but there’s nothing I can do.
My fate is sealed.
“Yeah, Trey. Interrogation. Let Kieran know we’re going to room two.”
“He’s already in one. He said not to call Walter, though…” Trey trails off, scratching his head. Crystal mentioned Walter Talbot, the doctor she works for, is the one who fixes up people Kieran tortures.
I don’t think it bodes well for me that he said not to call Walter.
“Call him anyway,” Puck grunts as he grabs me by the elbow, pulling me down the hallway and a set of stairs before the other Beta can reply. “Keep your mouth shut. Let him do the talking. We’re going to figure this out, okay?”
I have put on a brave face, but I legitimately think I may shit myself with fear.
“You don’t know me,” Puck growls under his breath before throwing open a solid wood door and grabbing my collar. He tosses me into the room, and I stumble to stay upright.
I wouldn’t say I’m a huge fan of police procedurals, but I’ve watched enough to recognize what this room is.
It’s empty, concrete, and, based on the number of stairs we went down, underground. A chair is bolted to the floor in the middle of the room under a hanging lamp.
And a tall man, an Alpha, is leaning against the wall, halfway in shadow. I can tell he’s dressed in a suit, and his posture is surprisingly relaxed, but I can’t get a good look at his face, so I have no idea how old he is.
“Gage Matthews,” he says in a smooth voice. “Take a seat.”
The request is so reasonable, in such an even tone, that it’s almost possible to forget why I’m here. I lower myself into the chair, and Puck is beside me, tying me to it. The ropes are surprisingly loose, and I hope I can get out of them if necessary.
“Do you know why you’re here?”
Puck shakes his head minutely.
“No,” I answer, looking around. “Why am I?”
He steps out of the shadow, and my eyes narrow on his face. He looks familiar. Like I’ve run into him a few times before. But I know I’d remember meeting this guy. His presence is massive.
A crooked smile stretches across his face. “Several reasons, actually.” I wait in silence for him to continue, and he scoffs. “Ah, come on, have a guess,” he goads. “I’d love to know what you think.”
I suck on my teeth, trying to give off an air of nonchalance even though I am very much chalanced. “This is a nightclub, right? Did I skip out on my tab or something?”
His hand grips my knee in a brutally firm vice. “Are you trying to be funny?”
I gulp. “No.”
A broad smile stretches his face, and again, my brain pings with familiarity. “Good. Well then, Gage, let’s cut to the chase, shall we?” He takes a few steps back, steepling his fingers in front of his body. “You saw me while you were hiding in Crystal Manson’s home. Previously, I wasn’t going to make myself known to you, but now that you’ve gained some intimate knowledge about my business, I had to bring you in.” He runs his fingers through his hair, letting it fall into his eyes when he drops it. “My name is Kieran Cobb, I’m sure you know.”
I nod tightly, but don’t open my mouth. Puck said to let him do the talking, and I’m going to listen to him.
“Right, of course you know. When you first started hanging around Crystal, I had to do my research. I needed to know if you were a threat. It wouldn’t do if you were from a competing organization, you understand?” He barrels through the rhetorical question. “When I was younger, still trying to figure out my place in this world and get the Conglomerate on its feet, I was a little less discerning with my affections. I’m sure you know how it is,” he says conspiratorially. “I bet you have your choice of women.”
