Page 118 of Cohesion

“I don’t know anything.”

“May I?” Quinn asked, lifting a hand.

“Be my guest.” Peyton’s fingers skimmed Quinn’s soft skin as he placed the blade in his palm. He stayed close, every exhale brushing them together. “I assume you know how to use it.”

Quinn placed the tip under the man’s chin. “I’m going to ask you one more time. And you’re going to answer me, aren’t you?” He applied pressure, a drop of blood trickling down the metal. “Where. Did. They. Take. Him? I know you know who I’m talking about.”

The man swallowed, the blade digging in deeper as he shook. He hissed painfully, nostrils flaring. “Look, I wasn’t part of it. I wasn’t involved.”

“I don’t care,” Quinn replied. “You still know, and you’re going to tell me.”

Peyton curled his fingers around Quinn’s waist, steadying himself and Quinn. He didn’t know which one of them needed it more.

“They were talking about a building—one down in Hornsby—but they didn’t say why.”

“What kind of building?” Jericho asked, tilting his head. “A candy store? Car storage? Offices? Be more specific.”

“It’s an apartment building. B-being demolished.”

“Why would they take them there?” Peyton asked. What was the point of that? Just because it was quiet, and no one would be around?

“They’re used sometimes to get rid of items that we need buried.”

“Items like bodies,” Peyton said flatly. Was that how they did things? Kill them, then bury them under rubble? There were too many flaws in that plan. “Demolition companies remove everything from the building manually. They don’t just leave it there to rot. They’d find whatever you tried to hide.”

The man didn’t answer, lips curling into a sneer.

“They own the company,” Jericho said, standing. “Don’t you?”

The man’s eyes flitted between them. “I have nothing else to tell you. I’m already going to—”

“Going to what?” Jericho asked. He leaned an elbow casually on Peyton’s shoulder, his other hand squeezing Quinn’s shoulder. “Get in trouble because you’ve been telling us tales? Does it look like we care? What’s the address of this building? And don’t lie to us.” The threat was implied, and Peyton didn’t think they’d have to elaborate.

Not with the terror in the guy’s expression.

The address wasn’t far. A thirty-minute drive, less if they got lucky with traffic. If Sebastian was there, it meant they were close.So fucking close.

“I’ll go let them know,” Peyton said quietly.

Will, Hunter, and Six had moved everyone into the corner, Six perched on a table with Bianca dangling between his legs.

“Well?” Six asked.

“Got it. We’re leaving.”

Will’s eyes lit up. “Seb?”

“You have no idea who you’re messing with,” one of the bartenders said. “Do you know who owns this bar?”

“We have an idea,” Six drawled. “We just don’t give a fuck.” His grin was malicious as he leaned forward. “Tell Xavier to kiss my ass.”

Hunter sighed, eyes briefly closing as he shook his head in exasperation.

The bartender blanched, going quiet. Not expecting that response, Peyton bet. Who the fuck was this Xavier guy, anyway?

“Ready?” Peyton asked.

Six slid off the table and sheathed Bianca. “Yeah, I think we’re done here.”

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