Page 7 of Caged

“Take this and give it to Mikhail. He’ll want to know.” I wait until Alexei is gone before retrieving what I need next from my duffel.

A bottle of water for me, one for Jax, and one for the cup on my table.

“I know you worked for Ivan. That means you know this Kirill person.” I don’t look at the tied man, but proceed to pour a high concentration of the white granules into the glass. “You won’t be able to tell me where he is, I understand that. You are nothing. Your tags show no rank.”

I spit at his feet, a true sign of how little I think of him.

Knowing his connection, I’m glad he won’t be leaving here alive.

Nodding at Jax, I wait until he forces the man’s mouth open again.

The bound Reaper gags and writhes against his restraints as I pour the thick liquid down his throat.

Some spills across the fresh wound on his chest making a scream bubble past his swallows.

Choking, he tries to heave some of the mixture out, but his clamped tongue just bobs with the weak spasms.

Flipping my chair around backward, I straddle it and take a long pull from my bottle.

Alexei comes back in and glances between Jax and me sitting back. “Did I miss it?”

I give him a grunt.

“Nikolai probably didn’t want you to drink it.” Jax grins from the couch.

“That was one time!” Alexei protests and throws himself down on the next cushion.

Jax elbows him in the ribs. “You’re lucky. That shit was potent. I lost a whole day.” His frown tells the story as he shakes his head. “I don’t know why you tried that powder. It almost ruined my life.”

Alexei shrugs and pulls a hard candy from his pocket. “I slept like a baby.”

Those two continue their chatter while I watch the man in front of me.

Sweat beads on his forehead, the first sign that he’s feeling the symptoms.

Maybe I should give him another dose?

No. I think that was enough. He didn’t spit much out.

A few more minutes and the pliers bounce off of his chin when he thrashes his head from side to side.

“You’re getting it now, aren’t you?” I lean forward and push his forehead so his glazed eyes meet mine. “You’re fucked. So, you have a choice. I have a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ question. If I believe you, I’ll make the pain go away. If you lie to me, you’re going to sit here and feel your brain swell inside your skull until it ruptures.”

I cross my arms over the back of the chair and watch him squirm in pain.

There’s little doubt he’s in agony.

A low moan echoes from the depths of his chest, and the bloody tool hanging from his purple tongue beats an odd rhythm against his shoulders.

Pulling out a long, thin blade, I make sure he can see it.

“Here’s what I want to know. Is Kirill in Vegas now?” Extending my arm, I hold the tip pointed at his clouded eye.

He focuses on me, then the shiny blade inches from his face. A moment of acceptance seems to pass over his features before he nods.

I don’t hesitate, but drive straight through the socket into the back of his skull.

“Well. That was anticlimactic,” Jax grumbles from the couch.

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