Page 11 of Savage Desires

"What's it going to be?" I ask, picking up my favorite knife and twirling it in my hand.

"I-I don't know his name. I've only talked to the woman… she goes by Madame."

I tilt my head, watching his face for deception. Unfortunately for him, I know evasion when I see it. He's still trying to hold back out of fear of another monster going bump in the night. Idiot.

I grip the handle of my knife and stab it into his thigh, nowhere near anything vital. I wouldn't want him to bleed out. He lets out a blood-curdling scream that is music to my fucking ears.

"Try again. Madame isn't the boss. She may be the face of the operation, but she's not in charge."

"R-Russian's," he stutters.

"Now we are getting somewhere. Give me a name."

He shakes his head. "I-I don't know. I-I never met him."

"How do you know he's Russian?"

"H-heard him talking to a guard where they keep the girls. He wears a mask. That's all I know, I swear!"

My blood is boiling at the knowledge that the Russians are involved. It makes a whole lot more sense why Damon Savada would be trying to weasel his way into Yuri's good graces. I have been so distracted by hunting Savada that I haven't paid enough attention to other operations. The Russians have always had brothels, but the women weren't forced. They were taken care of and paid well.

When did they start trafficking women?

My jaw ticks from how hard I'm clenching my teeth. All I feel is rage and the desire for vengeance. Thankfully, I have Todd to take the edge off. I almost feel bad for the fucker. Almost. I rip the knife from his thigh with a twist and plunge it into his other thigh. Wrenching another scream from him.

"I want to know every-fucking-thing. Every interaction you've had at the club. The names of every woman you've touched. How you paid. Who you paid. I want to know if you took a fucking piss while you were there. Everything. If you hold out on me, this will get so much worse for you. I'm done playing nice."

"T-this was n-nice?" he gasps.

"This is me treating you with kid gloves. I haven't even begun to make it hurt yet."

Todd starts shaking in fear, and the smell of piss fills the room. I soak up his fear like it's sweet ambrosia and savor it. When I reach for the knife, he starts talking. I'm almost disappointed that he gave in so quickly. He's still going to suffer. He deserves to after all the horrible things he's done in his life.

"T-they do a-auctions…" he stutters.

I wrap my hand around his throat. "What kind of auctions?"

"They sell the girls. The ones that they are done with."

"When?" I growl, squeezing his throat until his eyes bulge.

"S-Saturday," he gasps.

I release my hold and go to my table of tools. I study them while my mind whirls with this new information. I have one day to figure out how to infiltrate their inner circle and get into the auction. I hate that I won't be able to stop it, but I need a plan before I show my cards. If I go in guns blazing, I might stop Saturday's auction, but I won't stop the whole operation. They will just set up elsewhere. With this kind of organization, the only way to stop them is to cut the head off the snake and burn the body.

I pick up a butane torch and flick it on, using the flame to heat my knife until it's red hot. Todd watches with wide, fear-filled eyes. The monster inside me salivates at what I'm about to do. Todd cringes back into the chair but is unable to escape as the heated metal inches closer to his bare chest. I press the flat side of the blade to his side. His skin sizzles as he screams in pain.

I step back and hold the knife to the flame again. Todd is whimpering and begging for mercy. Breaking bones hurts. Stabbing hurts. Burns are on a whole other level of pain, and even after the hot metal is removed from the skin, the burning continues.

"I can get you in," he grits.

I raise a brow and tilt my head, silently telling him to continue.

"I have an invitation…"

"I'm guessing they would notice if I showed up in your place."

He shakes his head. "Everyone wears masks. No real names. Even payments are anonymous."

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