Page 135 of Blue

Carl didn’t speak.

I slammed my boot against Carl’s lower leg, taking out his knee. He cried out, stumbled, and caught himself on the chair.

“I said to sit the fuck down.”

His eyes widened, and his hands white-knuckle gripped the arms of the chair as he lowered into it.

“What do you want?” His gaze darted between the four of us. “We can talk,” he said to me. “Are you in trouble? Do you need money?”

I pulled the gun from the back of my jeans, then I sat on the desk in front of him. “What do you think I want, Carl?” I rubbed my thumb along the slide of the gun. “I’ll give you one guess. Get it wrong, and I’ll put a bullet through your head.”

I lifted my gaze to Bullet. Fucker wore a smile like a jackal.

“If you lie to me, I’ll cut your tongue from your mouth.” I released a bored sigh. “What would you like to start with? What I want? Or what my friend asked you for?”

“Brantley—”

“Nah. Keep my name out of your mouth. I’ll make it easy. I want the photos and the videos.”

“I don’t have them.”

“Fuck you!” I grabbed the gun and pointed it at Carl’s head. “I want the fucking photos.”

He raised his trembling hands. The hiss of water filled the silence. Wetness soaked the front of Carl’s trousers, and the pungent scent of urine saturated the air.

I slid my finger onto the trigger. “We both know I have enough reasons. Don’t give me anymore, or you won’t survive this.”

He audibly swallowed, his neck flexing over his Adam’s apple. “My briefcase.”

Bullet grabbed the leather bag and dumped the contents on the desk.

Cruz fished through his papers. “There isn’t a flash drive or external here.” He flipped papers to the side.

“My keys.” Cruz found the keyring.

Carl owned dealerships. The large silver alloy fob, with D&W etched into the side, hid a secret USB port. Cruz removed it from the keys and plugged it into the computer.

Tears swam in Carl’s eyes. “Are you going to kill me?”

I lowered the gun. “I think you deserve it.”

“For what?”

A sneer twisted my lips. “Are you fucking serious? For the fucked up shit you did to me. For the fucked up shit you said to me. For the fucked up shit you made me do to you!”

“Not so loud,” Rogue said. “We don’t want anyone else at our little party.”

I inhaled a calming breath and raked my fingers through my hair.

“Don’t act innocent in front of your friends,” Carl said. “You wanted what we had. You came on to me.”

I stilled at his words.

“Don’t look at me like that,” he spat. “You were a needy little shit that liked dick.”

I didn’t think. I reacted, lunging from the desk, and punching him in the face. When my fist connected with his mouth, blood burst from the split in his lip. I threw a second punch, catching his tooth. A crunch sounded, and my skin tore.

Carl moaned in agony. “You broke my tooth.” More blood flooded out of his mouth.

---