Page 26 of Draven

God, a feisty woman turns me on, and there’s none feistier than my Lola. And that’s what she is. Mine. She just doesn’t know it yet. Hell, I’m only just coming around to the idea of keeping her long after this case is solved myself. I can’t bear the thought of letting her walk away now, which is why I don’t intend to.

Moretti’s lips curve in a half sneer, half cocky grin. “And there was me thinking you’d brought me a hot piece of ass as an apology.”

“Don’t worry, sugar.” I snarl, my lip curling and nostrils flaring. “Where you’re going, you’ll be the hot piece of ass. I’ll make sure of it.”

“You and I both know I won’t end up in the pen. My associates will have me out of here before that happens.”

“Yeah, they’re doing a bang-up job so far.”

Moretti’s smirk drops, and his eyes darken. I push back my chair, my legs splayed wide in a deliberate act of arrogance while the officer who accompanied Moretti chains his hands to the table and his feet to the floor. Retreating to the corner of the room, the cop laces his hands behind his back and averts his gaze.

“So, how’re they treating you? Need anything? Cigarettes? Shampoo? Lube?”

“Fuck you.”

“Afraid that’s never gonna happen. You’re not my type.”

The sound of bone on bone as Moretti grinds his teeth brings a smile to my face. Rick is probably cursing next door, worried about Moretti suing the city.

Moretti won’t sue anyone, but I also purposely excluded Rick from the details of my plan in case he went all saintly on me. The only people who know are Pavel, the two other guys he’s drafted, and the very talented Octavia—an old friend of mine, and the cornerstone of my plan.

Moretti glances at the cop standing in the corner. “Take me back to my cell. This fucker is wasting my time.”

The cop doesn’t move.

Good man.

I shuffle my chair forward and rest my forearms on the table. “You’ll leave when I say you can leave. Now, shut your fucking mouth before I put my fist in it.”

Moretti snorts. “Do it and watch me sue this city for millions.”

“You won’t sue this city, but you will answer my questions.”

Another derogatory snort. “Your negotiation skills suck, man.”

I knit my fingers and rest them behind my neck, rocking my chair on two legs. “Oh, I don’t know. I’d say they’re fucking awesome.”

Moretti turns his attention to Louise. “And what about you, darling? What’s your purpose here, other than giving me a boner?”

The chair slams back into place and I bang my palms on the table. The entire room, including Moretti, jumps. “Eyes. On. Me. Motherfucker. You look at her one more time, and I’ll gouge yours out and ram them down your goddamn throat until you fucking choke to death. You got me?”

Moretti tries to stand, forgetting his wrists and ankles are shackled to the floor and table. He emits a growl, shooting a venomous glare at the cop in the corner. “Take me back. Now!”

The cop just looks bored, his gaze on the wall behind my head.

I’m buying that man a beer later.

“Let’s get to it, shall we?” I say, resting the edge of my laced fingers on the table. “At least fifteen women have recently been taken from four areas in Jersey. Six in Camden, another four in Essex, three in Hudson, and two in Bergen… that we know of.”

Moretti’s black, soulless eyes lock on me again, and he hoists one shoulder. “So?”

“So, you’re going to tell me who’s behind it.”

Moretti sneers. “Of course I am. I mean, why wouldn’t I want to help out a guy who punched me in the face and stomped on my balls.” The chains clang as Moretti lifts his middle finger. “Fuck. You.”

I feel Louise’s eyes on me, but I keep my gaze trained on the piece of shit directly ahead.

“I thought you might say that, which is why I lined up a little incentive.”

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