Page 65 of Capture Me
I stride toward him, jerking the gag out of his mouth to allow his threats to spill out. “Do you know who I am?”Why do they always start with that?Of course we know who you fucking are.“I could have you all dead in an hour and no one would find your bodies.” Sweat drips down his ruddy face.
Akio tilts his head with a menacing grin. O'Brian’s face pales when he sees the sharp knife in my brother’s hand. No one responds to his threats. Silence can be such a beautiful tool.
Declan approaches a workbench on the other side of the room. He stands slightly to the side so that our new project can see him unroll his leather case that contains all of his knives, tools, and other toys. Fallon stands behind Akio, utterly calm as she takes it all in. I feel torn between the urge to protect her from what she’s about to see and the urge to pull her farther into Cerberus. She steps into the room and out from behind my brother, and O'Brian’s eyes catch on her, as if he is just now noticing her presence.
“Fallon Helix?” His breath is heavy and his eyes pleading as he speaks to her. “Let me go and I will get us out of here. Everyone has been looking for you. I can get you back to safety.”
Akio doesn't bother to turn for her reaction, his confidence in her unwavering. He continues to pin his unnerving smile on the monster.
A sly grin plays on Fallon’s lips. “I think I am right where I need to be.”
Pride and pleasure bloom in my chest.
Declan takes out one of his filet knives. “And so are you.”
I lean closer to O'Brian. “Does she look concerned for her safety?” My words maintain a calmness that I don't actually feel right now. The urge for revenge is racing through me so intensely I can hear my blood pumping in my ears.
His eyes dart between me and my brothers before landing back on Fallon. Rage twists his features. “You fucking whore.” Spit flies from his lips. “Let me guess, you were never really kidnapped. You were never worth all the effort they are putting into finding you. You’re only good for one thing, and I am sure your new friends know all too well what that is.”
My fist snaps out of its own accord connecting with his jaw and cracking his head backwards. Akio leaps forward, his knife slicing down O'Brian’s cheek. The cop’s scream is music to my ears. Declan moves in behind him with his blade ready when Fallon speaks again.
“Now, guys.” We all look at her as she addresses us with a raised eyebrow. “Let's not rush this just because he has no manners.” She strides over to Declan’s tools, taking her time to pick one. When she turns back to us she has his bolt cutters, the same ones Dec threatened her with in the beginning, in her hand. She tosses Declan a wink as she approaches O'Brian, and Declan barks out a laugh.
O'Brian eyes the tool, struggling against his binds. “What are you doing with those?”
She tilts her head to the side. “Whatever I want.”
“Answer our questions and maybe she goes easy on you.” I hold out my hand, halting her progress toward our captive. His eyes track the movement and zero in on me, now aware of who’s in charge.
“I can pay. Whatever you want, I have plenty of money. Name your price. Let me go, and no one ever has to know.” He’s not struggling with his binds anymore, but he also hasn’t relaxed his rigid posture, as if staying on guard will get him out of this.
I glance toward my brothers and chuckle. “We’ve already drained your offshore accounts” I give them a nod and both Akio and Declan move to opposite sides of our captive while Fallon watches, riveted by what’s playing out before her. “Now tell me O'Brian, why would you be having a private meeting with Clay Ensling in the warehouse district?”
His eyes narrow in response, “I have no idea what you’re talking about. My only contact with Clay Ensling is in the search of your little whore.”
Fallon comes to stand by me, not reacting in any way as I simply stare at the man tied in front of me, letting the silence linger. The longer it goes on, the more sweat drips down his face and his eyes dart around in fear.
I give the signal to my brothers to start slicing.
“No! No! Stop, please!” He struggles in earnest to get free, but when my brothers step back, the cop is staring down at his body in disbelief. There is not a single knick to the skin despite his shirt being cut off with knives.
“If that’s how you’re going to scream when we cut off your clothes, I suggest you just answer the questions, because what comes next is much worse.” Declan’s gruff voice carries a hint of amusement.
As O'Brian starts yelling once again, my attention shifts to the lowered voice to my right. Fallon leans over with a dirty smirk on her lips. “I guess you do that to all of your captives.”
I can't help but laugh as my mind traces back to ripping off her shirt on her first day with us.
“Why were you meeting with Clay Ensling?” Akio asks in an icy voice.
“Fuck you. Fuck all of you.”
My brothers’ grins widen as they look at me. I nod and they, moving as a well-practiced unit, make identical slices down O'Brian’s arms. Just deep enough to hurt like hell but not so deep as to hit an artery. Blood is streaming from the wounds as his screams echo off the walls.
“Her! We were meeting about her!” His breaths are coming in pants as he starts sharing information. “I already told you, the people in her life want her home.”
“What else did you and Clay discuss?” I ask.
“Nothing, I swear.”
