Page 67 of Agony

He’d given up looking for Fisher, but everything inside of him was telling him not to. He didn’t deserve forgiveness, but he wanted…no, he needed a chance to say he was sorry.

Now that he knew what he’d done. Now that he realized he’d caged Fisher just like he’d been caged as a little boy, he wanted to get on his knees and apologize.

If Fisher would let him. And even if Fisher threw his apology in his face, Justice was still going to say the words to the man’s face.

He just needed to find him.

“I swear, Tanis. I don’t know where he is.” The floor beneath Kit’s knees felt cold and he couldn’t stop shaking, making the plastic he knelt on crackle.

The man who had ignored him over the past ten minutes while looking over a set of trophies on a shelf finally turned around. In his hand was a bat and Kit was certain it was one of those collectibles.

“You know, Kit, I pretty much leave you alone to dig your own grave.”

“I know, Tanis! Th…th…thank you.” His brain couldn’t seem to catch up from when he’d been yanked sleeping from his couch by Tanis’ men and dumped here.

“A little birdie told me that Boston was at your house. Yet, when my men went there, he was gone.”

“Yeah. I don’t know where he is. He was there when I went to sleep.”

“What I want to know is how did he get to you?”

Kit stared into the man’s cold, dead brown eyes. There was no way he was telling Tanis about the man who’d delivered Boston to him. With Tanis, he had a better chance of surviving rather than that guy.

“He just appeared on the back porch. It’s not hard for them…guys to find me.”

“Them?” The man’s face was a blank cold mask and Kit felt the tears trail down his cheeks.

“The boys,” he whispered.

“They are my boys.” Tanis smacked the bat against one palm.

“I know.”

“And when any of my boys come to you, what are you supposed to do, Kit?”

“Call you.”

“That’s right.” Tanis walked closer, the plastic beneath the man’s shiny dress shoes crackled. When Tanis crouched down, he placed the end of the bat beneath his chin and Kit had his face forced up. “And did you call me?”

“I’m sorry.” Kit kept his hands on his knees but squeezed them into fists. He knew if he moved, it would be worse. He’d been taught young not to fight back. Not to make a sound. Just say you’re sorry and hope to whatever power was out there that Tanis believed him.

Kit closed his eyes. He was only twenty-five years old. Way too young to die, but really, how much longer could he live in his drug-induced haze anyway?

Wasn’t this for the best?

He could go out and never have to feel anything again.

“Look at me,” Tanis said and the plastic crinkled. Kit felt the man standing up.

Kit opened his eyes.

And when the bat came for his head…

He welcomed the relief.

He was finally free.

Tanis jerked his chin toward the body and two of his men leaped to and started wrapping Kit up in plastic.

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