Page 5 of Bad Duke

“And what about your friend, you said he took his cut?” I can tell from the look on his face that he feels bad for ratting on him.

“I don’t know where he is. I swear.” He shakes his head and judging from the fear I see in his eyes I decide to believe that he’s telling me the truth. That doesn’t mean I won’t find that fucker myself, though.

“I’m sorry, Alex. I…I will pay you back. Every last penny. You have my word.” He stutters as I shake my head and laugh at him.

“What good to me is the word of a thief?” I question.

“I swear, Alex, I had no other choice. I didn’t want to steal from?—”

“Do you know how they punish thieves in Sudan?” I’m done with hearing him grovel, it’s much better for him that we deal with this rapidly. He seems to take in my question, thoughtfully, and when he stops blubbering and shakes his head back at me, I smile.

“Still to this day, there are cases where they cut off their hands.” I look down at his trembling hands. Both of them are filthy, and his knuckles are bruised, probably from where he tried fighting off my men.

“No. You can’t. Please. I…” The terror on his face amplifies.

“Shhhh. Don’t be foolish, Dan.” I laugh. “I’m not going to chop off your hand. I’m not going to chop off anything at all.” I wait until that relief has taken over the fear before I pull open my top drawer and take out the cigar cutter I received from Lord Sherrington on my 21st birthday. I’ve had it modified to be fit for purpose.

“You're going to do it.” I hand it over to him, “On this occasion, I'll just take a finger. Preferably the middle one, but I’ll let you decide.” I gesture my head towards his right hand and watch him swallow his panic.

“I…I can’t.”

“You can, and you will. I’m showing you a kindness, Dan. I don’t think that middle finger of yours is worth twenty grand, do you?”

I sit back in my chair and sip my scotch while I wait for him to get the job done. I appreciate that it’ll take some will, finding the strength to cause yourself pain isn’t an easy thing to do, but that’s all part of his punishment.

“Okay.” He takes a long, deep breath as he slips his middle finger between the blades of the vintage, 24-carat cutter and closes his eyes. The sweat is pouring from his forehead, he’s shaking like a shitting dog, and he makes a really pathetic, squeaking noise as he psychs himself up to do it.

“Come on, Danny, we haven’t got all day,” I remind him, looking down at my watch and tapping my fingers impatiently on the desk.

He opens his eyes and stares into mine, and when I nod my head for him to continue, he holds his breath and squeezes the handle. I hear the crunch, followed by his scream of agony as it slices through his flesh and when it gets stuck on the bone, I smile and encourage him to take it all the way through. He screams ferally, his red face looking as if it’ll erupt as he continues to force the handle down. His finger falls onto my desk and I stand up, moving around so I’m beside him. Looking over his shoulder at the severed digit, I squeeze his shoulder with my hand and lean down to speak in his ear.

“Had you come to me and asked me for the money your brother needed, I’d have given it to you,” I whisper as he stares at his detached finger and the blood pouring from his fresh wound.

“Get him out of here. And get rid of that.” Straightening myself back up, I turn to my men who are standing at the back of the room watching and wait by the door as Danny gets escorted out.

“Sir.” My head of security at the club steps inside while Patrick clears my desk. “There’s a young woman at the front door, she’s being very insistent about seeing you,” he tells me discreetly.

“Is she on the VIP list?” I check.

“Well, no sir, but–”

“But what?” I snap, already wanting this day to be fucking done.

“She’s claiming to be Jamie Adams’ sister,” he informs me. Taking me completely off guard.

“Well then, you’d better send her up.” I take a seat behind my desk and light myself a cigarette while I wait, and a few minutes later, when the door opens again, the pretty, timid blonde that steps through it has me taken aback all over again.

“Mr Stanley.” She smiles and does something that almost resembles a curtsey when she’s in front of me. It’s cute as hell and has quite the effect on my cock.

“Take a seat.” I gesture to the chair on the other side of my desk and watch as she settles herself down. It’s amusing how nervous she looks, despite keeping her back straight and her head held high.

“Thank you for seeing me.” Her voice is soft and sweet, and I can’t help wondering how it would sound begging me to let her come.

“Have you come to tell me where I can find your brother?” I get straight to the point before I become any more distracted. I can’t remember the last time when a female held my attention the way she’s doing right now.

“No, sir.” She shakes her head and tries to calm her shaky hands by resting them flat on her lap. Her big, blue eyes are so fearful and desperate, that I imagine them growing wider with my fingers tensed around her neck.

“Then why are you here?” I lean forward to crush out my smoke in the ashtray, noting how my slight movement has her catching her breath as if she’s afraid of me.

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