Page 88 of Slaughter

Kayn walks into my house first followed by a sleepy looking Bunny, then Darrell. She comes to a stop inside the foyer, and Darrell shoves her forward. She falls to her knees, and my jaw tightens.

Kayn turns around, hearing the commotion and her small cry, and helps her to her feet. “Hey, take it easy. The drugs haven’t worn off yet,” he tells him.

Darrell shrugs carelessly. “If Avery was smart, he would keep her drugged twenty-four seven. The bitch is much more tolerable when she’s unconscious.”

She sways, and Kayn doesn’t release her. “How much did you give her anyway? She should be more lucid,” he comments, looking down at her.

“Enough!” He squares his shoulders. “I wasn’t taking the chance of her stabbing me with a fork again.”

Kayn sighs. “I have already spoken to Avery. You guys get settled in, and I’m gonna go get him. Keep the place together until I get back,” he tells Darrell and then releases Bunny.

She wraps her arms around her chest and looks at Darrell. “May I call him?” Her voice is rough from sleep.

“Who?” Darrell snaps.

“Avery. I want to talk to him.” She rubs her eyes.

“No.” He snorts. “You’re not allowed to use a phone.”

“I don’t think that rule applies when it’s him I want to call,” she says angrily. Finding that fire I know she has. I hope wherever she is right now, she is fighting. Hang on, Bunny.

He slaps her across the face, and she stumbles back into Kayn. Kayn leans down to whisper into her ear, and then she turns and walks up the stairs to go to her room.

Kayn grabs him by the back of the neck and yanks him forward. “Keep your hands to yourself,” he orders.

“We’re allowed to do what is necessary to keep her in line.”

“I’m allowed to do that. You’re just a fucking overpaid babysitter. So keep your fucking hands to yourself,” he snaps, then shoves him away. “Now go upstairs and let her use your cell to call Avery. I’ll be back soon.” He walks toward the door but turns to face a pissed-off Darrell. “I mean it, Darrell. Keep your hands to yourself, or I’ll cut them off myself.” Then he walks out.

“She never called me,” I say more to myself, lifting the remote to turn off the video.

My brother stops me. “Stay on him. I wanna see what he does next.”

We watch him walk into the formal dining room. The same one where I had Bunny bent over the table, and my anger rises that I allowed her out of my sight when I knew she was already in trouble.

He pulls his cell out and sends a quick text and then he looks up at the camera before turning his back to it and walking right out the front door.

“Goddammit!” I yell, throwing the remote across the room.

“We’ll find her,” my brother assures me.

“I’m sorry, sir,” Kayn says, squaring his shoulders. “I should have never left—”

“You had orders!” I snap, interrupting him. It’s no one’s fault but mine.

“Yes, sir. But I could have sent Mason to come and get you.”

I look at him. “Go get Darrell. Bring him to me. Now!”

They both shake their heads. “We have to play this smart. He doesn’t know we’re on to him. I can watch his every move. Listen in on his phone calls but he won’t just come out and tell you what he’s up to,” Kayn announces.

“You expect me to sit on my ass?”

“Avery?” my brother snaps, and I narrow my eyes on him. “We expect you to be smart about it. If he was a man who you wanted information from, how would you get it?”

“Torture it out of them.”

“It won’t work with him, sir. I know Darrell. We need to wait for him to go to her,” Kayn offers.

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