Page 101 of Pin-up Girl

But that wasn’t really it.

It was part of it, but we had a lot of retribution to dole out, and Milo wanted an untraceable way to do that. He knew where every private airport was in the US, and which palms to grease to keep our names out of the records.

A car met us at the private airfield and gave us a lift to Emmett’s.

The perfect cover really. We were just checking on his family’s place. Just like that side trip Milo and Emmett made after the New York business meeting. They’d found the guy who killed Elise’s older sister. The guy who ordered my vocal chords cut. While they didn’t invite me along, I’d seen the news article. While the castrated man with his vocal chords cut may have survived the brutal attack, he’d never be the same.

I’d seen it. I knew. My brothers looked after me, too. Just the same way I looked after them. So sure, we were here to check on the holiday house. But anyone in our presence knew we weren’t here for that. Murder was written all over our faces, and torture in our eyes. Our fury was so strong, it kept us warm in the frigid cold air of Aspen.

Milo tipped the driver when we reached the house. But that was too simple a word, this house was more like a mountain retreat, built for twenty.

“Come on. I’ll get the keys for the Rover from the lockbox.” We followed Emmett into the garage and waited patiently while he keyed in the code for the door, then the box on the wall. There was an assortment of cars to choose from, but the Rover was the best equipped for this time of year.

“I know the Holiday’s house. And I’m pretty sure that fucker came over to play with my brother when I was a kid. They’re about the same age, give or take a few years,” he said as he drove the Rover down the immaculately maintained driveway. This must have been on his mind since we heard the name. It was no secret he hated his brother.

I tapped his shoulder and signed,This ends today.

“Damn right it does,” Milo murmured as he stared through the windshield.

“Ah, look. Somebody is home,” Emmett said in a sing-song voice. “It’s time to inflict some pain on this motherfucker.”

We climbed down out of the SUV and collectively went to the door. We could have gone the stealth route, but this way was more fun.

Milo knocked, then rang the doorbell.

A few minutes passed before we caught a glimpse of movement through the glass pane beside the door. The man who greeted us was in his early to mid-thirties, the right age for the man who fucked with Elise’s childhood.

This guy was lean almost to the point of scrawny, with mousy brown hair and thick glasses. Maybe at one time, he was attractive, but now he was just a poorly aging geek.

“Emmett? What are you doing here? Jarrod is in the Keys for the week.” He pushed up his glasses.

“We’re actually here to see you, James. Can we come in?” Emmett slapped his chest good-naturedly and pushed past him. Milo and I followed, though I crowded him until he let go of the door. Then I shut and locked it.

“Okay…” He drew out the word, confused as hell. “What brings you here? Catching some mountain time?”

“I’d rather have this conversation in the basement. Do you still have that old control room? That was my favorite place when I was a kid.” Emmett took off, knowing exactly where he wanted to go.

“Wait, why are you here? Not that I mind you visiting, but this is a bit odd.” James followed him, because what else would you do with someone walking through your place uninvited?

“Your parents are still in South Africa on an extended vacation aren’t they?” Emmett called over his shoulder as he descended the steps to the basement.

Milo and I were on James’ heels, killing any opportunity he’d have to escape.

“Ah, here it is. Your mom was always a bit of a nut, wasn’t she? Afraid robbers would break in and steal her jewelry, so she had your dad build this concrete room that locks from the inside.”

Emmett got the door open easily, probably because it shouldn’t be hard to get into if there was an emergency. Every second would count in a situation like that.

I shoved James into the room as Milo blocked the door.

“All right! What the hell is going on?” He huffed through each word. I sneered at his weakness showing. Elise had given her virginity to his guy? Good thing she’d traded up, because this guy was a pussy.

“Well, James,” Milo took over. “You have a stain on your soul that deserves revenge. Now she’s not here, but we are. And we’re disgusted by the kind of man you are.”

His chin dropped, but there was no recognition in his eyes. Just how many women had this guy fucked over?

“Whatever you think I’ve done, you’re mistaken.” He tried to force Milo out of the way, but he was about five inches shorter and sixty pounds lighter. Milo wasn’t going anywhere.

“What about a sweet girl named Elise? Does that ring a bell?” Emmett opened the only cabinet in the room, revealing a panel of footage inside the house. He pushed various buttons and within seconds, the screens went blue and the footage was no more.

---