Page 46 of Hold Him Like Gravity

“There’s still time for that,” Kyle said. “Maybe we will all get a turn if you don’t do what you’re told.”

“Where were you?” I asked instead of rising to the bait. “Too afraid to get in there yourself?”

“I was in the alley,” he said, making me think of Ricky and his busted-up face.

“Of course you were,” I said.

“You stupid—“ Kyle started, taking a threatening step toward me, only to have his friend press an arm against his chest.

“If Rico starts asking questions about her busted-up face, this could all fall apart,” he reminded Kyle. “You can do whatever you want to her once it’s over.”

Kyle made a rumbling sound at the back of his throat, but he stepped back again.

“You’re going back to work,” he told me. “And you are going to start skimming off the register every night, then bring it to me once a week.”

“For how long? Jake can’t keep going on like that,” I said, thinking of the blood loss, how pale he looked.

“Well, if you show up with the cash, we’ll feed him. Might even toss some electrolytes at him every now and again.”

“To whatend?” I asked. “I won’t get away with it forever. Rico will notice the money missing eventually.”

“Well then, maybe you’ll get a new job. And start the process all over again,” Kyle said.

“You’re just going to keep Jake a prisoner forever?” I asked.

“Why not? I kept you for years,” Kyle said, making my stomach twist at the unfortunate truth of that.

“I wasn’t chained in a basement,” I reminded him.

“Don’t think I didn’t consider it,” Kyle said. “But then where would the money come from?”

“You’re not thinking this through, Kyle,” I told him.

“Thought it through a lot, actually.”

“Then you’re an idiot. I’ll getcaughteventually. Then what? You’ll actually have to earn your own money for a change? You’re being short-sighted.”

A muscle ticked in Kyle’s jaw. Because he knew I was right. He’d always been good on acting on his impulses. And terrible at multiple-step thinking.

“If the boss gets suspicious, you clear the safe and get out of there,” his friend said.

I decided not to bring up the fact that I had no experience getting into safes.

“And then?”

“None of your fucking business. We have it all figured out,” Kyle said. We all knew he was lying. But now I’d given them the hole in their plan. They would have nothing but time to fill it in. “All you need to worry about is getting us our money. You miss a payment, your brother loses a finger or two. See how you handle that on your conscience.”

With that, he nodded at his friend, who made his way to the door.

But Kyle didn’t immediately follow.

Instead, he reached down, grabbing me by my upper arms hard enough to make me hiss in pain, something that made joy brighten his eyes as he pulled me up and off the couch and near his face.

“You fuck me over and you and your brother will pay. Don’t fucking try me again.”

With that, he dropped me down onto the couch and strode out of my apartment.

Alone, a little whimper escaped me as I reached across to rub each of my arms, knowing there would be fingerprints on my skin by morning.

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