Page 38 of Pit

“Doesn’t look like it, Pres,” Grizz answers.

“Jesus Christ, bring the girl,” he bellows. “But you’ll pay for it,” he adds.

Pit gives me a satisfied smile and taps my thigh so I stand. He pushes to his feet and takes my hand in his.

We head back towards the building entrance, ducking under a half-open shutter which leads us into the huge room. There’s a group of women sitting on two couches, all chatting, which stops when they notice me. Axel steps from a room. “In here,” he barks, and I startle at his harsh tone.

We go inside the office, and I’m taken back to when they first brought me here. I was terrified back then and certain I was going to be killed. Now, I feel more at ease, even though Axel is glaring at me like I’m his biggest problem. He points to a chair, and I head in, sitting down. When I glance back, Pit is in the doorway. “Not you,” snaps Axel, closing the door before he canprotest. He locks it and then closes the blinds before rounding his desk. “Call him,” he orders, sliding my phone to me. “He didn’t reply to your little codeword text.”

My hands shake as I pick up the phone. Without Pit here to save me, I’m nervous. I press call and then loudspeaker. It rings and goes to answer message. “Again,” he snaps, so I press the call button again.

This time, it connects, and I sigh in relief. “Alec?” The line remains quiet. “Alec, can you hear me?”

“Where are you?” Hearing Alec’s voice floods me with relief, and I almost sob out loud.

“Thank God.”

“She’s still alive,” snaps Axel, “for now, but we really need to talk.”

“I have fuck all to say to you,” snaps Alec. “Tessa, where are you?”

“She ain’t gonna tell you that while I have a gun to her head,” snaps Axel, eyeing me in warning to keep up his lie, which I do without question because I have no idea if there’s a weapon within his reach. “I want names of everyone involved in your little operation,” he continues, “and I want the contact details of the people you sold my guns to.”

“It ain’t worth my life,” he barks.

“And what about your wife’s?” Axel asks.

“Tessa, I’m so sorry,” he mutters.

My eyes widen. “Sorry?” I repeat. “What does that mean?”

“I can’t help you.”

“Are you fucking kidding?” I scream. “You’re just leaving me here to die?”

“I don’t even know you,” he says, “not really.”

“Well, fucking great, thanks a lot. I’m only in this mess because of you,” I yell.

“Look, as much as I’m enjoying this lovers tiff, we need to come up with an arrangement, cos if we don’t, you’re gonna walk around with a price on your head,” Axel interrupts.

“I can give you the name of my buyer,” Alec eventually says, “but he won’t deal with just anyone.”

“He dealt with you, so I’m sure I can make him an offer he can’t refuse.”

“You want to cut a deal with him?”

“Well, my original deal fell through thanks to you, and now, I have a shit tonne of guns to get rid of before the police catch wind of them.”

“Let me be your middleman. Keep me alive and I can be useful for you,” Alec offers. “I can get you a good deal.”

Axel scoffs. “I can’t trust you.”

“What have you got to lose?” he asks. “We cut a deal and I can keep more coming your way.”

“Keep talking.”

“I deal with the Russians mainly, but I also have contacts in Ireland. If you can keep the supply coming, I can cut the deals.”

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