Page 15 of Slaughter

I stand and turn to face Kayn. He stands, shoulders back and head held high. That pissed-off look he always wears on his face. I hold out my hand, and he passes me the bolt cutters without thought.

Turning back to the man on the floor, I bend down and yank him to his feet. I throw his body over the silver table and flatten out his right hand. When I place his finger between the cold steel, he tries to yank it back.

“Kayn!” I bark.

He comes to stand behind the man without question and leans over him placing his forearm across Dennis’s back to keep him pressed down onto the table.

“For every minute you’re silent, I’ll take one of your fingers.” He whimpers. “Then I’m going to rip out a tooth for every minute after that. Then I’m going to drop you on his fucking doorstep. If he’s so fucking loyal to you, he’ll put a bullet in your Goddamn head.”

“If I tell you, he’ll kill me anyway,” he snaps, still trying to pull his hand free. I look up at Kayn, and he removes his forearm and places his hand around the back of his neck instead, getting a better grip.

“True,” I agree with him. And his body starts to shake. “The countdown has begun,” I say, looking down at the watch around his wrist as the seconds tick away.

I learned at a very young age that you can change a lot of things, but time is not one of them. It goes on. You can’t stop it or slow it down. My father taught me to use it to my advantage.

“One down,” I say when his first minute is up.

“No, no, no, no …” he screams frantically.

But I press down, cutting into his flesh and bone with a pop, and his finger is gone. He screams into the silent warehouse as blood pools around his hand. The sight of it reminds me of my father. He always lived for shit like this. And somewhere along the way, he made me crave it too. No matter how long I tried to deny it.

“Why does he want her?” I ask again.

He bites his bottom lip, tears running down his face as his body shakes uncontrollably. But he stays silent. When another minute has passed, I do it again.

I look up at Kayn and give him a nod. He lets go of his neck and takes a step back. Dennis begins mumbling to himself in what sounds like German.

“What is that?” I ask, leaning down to his face.

He closes his eyes tightly as drool runs down his mouth. His head drops to the table with a thud. I roll my eyes. “Kayn,” I order, and he grabs him by his hair and yanks his head back again. Red, watery eyes meet mine. “Good, I was afraid you passed out on me.” I smile. “Where would the fun be in that?” He whimpers while drool runs down his chin, mixing with his tears. Two more minutes tick by when he finally opens his mouth to do something other than scream like a little child.

“Preston ran his mouth …” He gasps through a sob. “That you are in love with her …”

I look up at Kayn and even his usual look of hatred has turned to confusion. “How does he even know about Presleigh?”

He sucks in a deep breath. “Damon has been watching … Preston. She met up for lunch with him last month while he was in New York … Later on that night, Preston killed Damon’s brother.” My brows rise. That’s news to me. I didn’t know Damon’s brother was killed. I also didn’t know that Preston had lunch with her. He never mentioned meeting with his sister. But why would he? He knows how we feel about one another. “Damon wants her for revenge.”

“But why? I was told she was off-limits? Belonged to someone else. What the fuck does that mean?”

Snot runs from his nose. “I don’t know …”

“Stop lying!” I roar.

He shakes his head, and Kayn lets go of it before it falls to the table once again. His blood covering the side of his face and hair.

I release his hand and take a step back, running a hand through my hair. He falls to the floor, cradling his thumb to his chest. Since it’s the only finger he has left on his right hand.

“What were your orders?” I ask, trying to make sense of this. “You were going to fuck her,” I say more to myself than him. “Damon wouldn’t want used merchandise.” But then again, it’s not like she’s a virgin. I took that cherry.

He sucks in a breath, tears still rolling down his face. “I was told I could do whatever I wanted with her …” He sobs. “It didn’t matter how she arrived as long as she was delivered.” His voice rises; I’m sure he’s becoming angry due to his lack of power.

I spin the bolt cutters between my fingers and look over at Kayn. That stone-cold look back on his face. “When?” I ask Dennis.

He bows his head. “I was given forty-eight hours six hours ago.”

“I’m gonna give you twenty-four.”

Then I turn around and walk out of the warehouse, knowing that things are about to change. And they’re not gonna be better for Bunny. So like the selfish guy I am, I’m gonna go and get what I’ve wanted for eleven years now. Before the game changes.

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