Page 24 of Rising from the Ashes

He winks as the elevator doors whoosh open.

Giddy, I step off the elevator and turn to the right, heading to my designated persuasion room. Everly is standing next to the door, looking impatient as always.

“Took you two long enough,” she quips with her arms folded across her chest.

“You know I like to make a show of things, my Queen.” I grin, glancing at Shado. My stomach flips remembering just what kind of show I am referencing.

He smirks back at me.

“As long as you kept it under the radar. The clean up crew is on the way to ensure there were no mistakes.”

I brush past Everly, gaining access to my designated room. “I don’t make mistakes,” I snap.

Grabbing my arm, she turns her head to me. “Low ball him, make it offensive.”

Smiling back at her, I nod.

Walking through the doorway into the dimly lit room, Shado walks past me dragging Craye to the lone chair in the middle of the room. Setting him down forcefully, he rips off the bag from his head.

“Wh-where am I? My men will find me, y-ya know?” Disoriented, he allows his eyes to focus on me.

I slip off my boots and slide into a pair of pointed stilettos that I keep down here for special occasions. Shado looks at me in surprise.

Picking up my quiver off the ground, I slowly pull an arrow out, chuckling lightly, “Most of your men are either dead or have run in fear.”

Poking the tip of the arrow into my finger, “Now, it’s time for you to give me the information I want.”

Looking me up and down, he scoffs, “You think you will intimidate me enough?” He looks at Shado who is leaning against the center support beam in the middle of the room. “I think I’d rather have him.”

I roll my eyes. Crime Lords, so judgemental when it comes to women.

“Tsk, tsk.” Shado shakes his head, “Go on, keep adding salt to the wound. She lives for this.”

Sauntering over, I rest my hands on his legs, my hair falling past my shoulders, “Ya ready for some fun, suga?”

His chest heaves as his eyes dilate, rapidly moving, and searching for my next move.

Unbuttoning his shirt, I spread it open with my gloved hands, revealing his chest. As I grip the arrow in my hand, I lightly drag it down to the fourth rib space just under his heart.

I press the tip to his skin, “Allister Craye. Newbie crime boss. Ran out of Westburgh because you were weak, so you thought you could take over Edinburgh?”

The only sounds that escape him are the heaves of his breaths.

Applying more pressure, I slice the skin in a diagonal line down the side of his stomach.

“Aghhh!!!” He screams as the blood slowly trickles out.

“Mmm music to my ears…Tell me, who are you working with?”

“I am more s-scared of him, than I am of you.”

Straightening up, I sigh, putting my hands on my hips, “Come on, do you really want to do this the hard way?”

I prop the heel of my stiletto onto his thigh. Shado’s eyebrows raise, waiting for what’s coming next.

Grinding it down, breaking through the thin material of his pants, the heel rips into his skin as his screams ring through the room, “I wouldn’t be so sure about that.”

“O-okay…Enzo S-Silvestri. He needed my help obtaining the docks. He offered me something I couldn’t refuse.”

---