Page 80 of The Player
“And you’re free to start tonight? For a trial run? We will have to do a background check first, ring some of your past employers for a quick reference. Is that okay?”
“Fine by me. In fact, I have a written letter of recommendation from Mr Wilson right here if you want to see it.”
I quickly counted the bottles on top of the bar, and then, as I walked back out from behind the bar, Adam stood up.
“Okay, well, welcome to the team, I guess.” He shook the guy’s hand then pointed over to me. “That’s Will, another one of the partners in the business. You’ll meet the others later tonight. Will, this is Isaiah.”
I turned to face them both, and as Adam stepped aside and Isaiah came into view, an atomic bomb went off in my brain.
My body ignited, my eyes bulging from my head when I saw the tattoo on his neck. A spider’s web with the word ‘death’ across it. He grinned back at me, the kind of grin the devil gave when he'd fucked over God and all the other angels, and he held his hand out to shake mine. I couldn’t believe he was here, and a roar of fury burst free as I launched myself at him.
“You FUCKING BASTARD!” I shouted, grappling to get at him. Adam went straight into psycho mode, slamming Isaiah against the wall and holding him away from me.
“It’s him,” I snarled. “He’s the one. The fucking freak who took us.”
Isaiah cackled, his laugh sinister and taunting.
“I thought I’d pay you a little visit,Will.”
Quick as a flash, Adam smacked his fist into Isaiah’s face.
“Shut the fuck up. You don’t get to talk to him.”
Isaiah grinned, blood staining his teeth.
“Is that all you’ve got, big man?” he taunted Adam. “You know I came for you too?” he hissed, spit flying from his mouth. “You were harder to pin down, though. You keep a ring of fucking steel around you, but him”—he nodded at me—“he was an easy target. He makes stupid mistakes.”
Adam smacked him again, and Isaiah’s face ricocheted from the impact. But he kept the grin on his face as he wriggled his jaw after taking the hit.
“I’m gonna enjoy making you suffer.” Adam stuck his face right into Isaiah’s as he threatened him. “We’re gonna make your death the most painful, torturous, fucked-up death you could ever imagine.”
“I hope you have good imaginations,” Isaiah spat back. “Because I can guarantee that mine’s better. Mine would make Satan blush.” His eyes left Adam’s and landed on me. “Just ask him.”
From the corner of my eye, I saw Colton and Tyler run into the room, and Adam shouted over to them.
“Get over here. This fucker needs to pay a visit to our chapel.” He turned to press his nose against Isaiah’s, and growled, “He’s just dying tohang outthere.”
They both ran over, dragged Isaiah off the wall he was held against, and pinned him to the floor. Colton knelt on his back, restraining his arms as Tyler grabbed a roll of duct tape from behind the bar. Then he wound the tape around his hands before pulling him up to stand.
I stood in front of him as they went to take him away.
“You’re a dead man,” I hissed. “The games you made me play will be nothing compared to what we’ll do to you.”
But he just laughed.
“I’ve already told you, Will. You can’t kill a dead man.” He looked me up and down in disgust. “You still don’t remember me, do you?”
“Why would I?” I sneered. “You’re nothing. A nobody.”
“Oh, I’m not a nobody.” He held his head high, staring down his nose at me. “And you know that.”
“Enough,” Adam snapped. “Get him out. Now.”
Tyler and Colton stood either side of him as they dragged him across the dance floor, towards the corridor leading to the chapel. I followed close behind, along with Adam.
“Revenge is sweet,” Adam said to me as we walked Isaiah to his final reckoning.
“Isn’t it just,” Isaiah said in reply, turning to give us one last grin.
