Page 103 of The Woman with the Wallet

“I’ll have my fun once we get the information we need.”

“Cool, cool. Just you and me then,” Brio said with the creepiest fucking smirk as he turned back to Devon. “So, give me a nod if you’re ready to talk.” Devon just glared back. “I know. Everyone starts off tough,” Brio said, nodding. “Just makes it more fun for me.”

The pain started then.

I’d heard the stories about Brio’s legendary violence. The way he seemed to get a charge from putting the hurt on someone. How inventive he could get in his torture.

Hearing about it and seeing it firsthand were wildly different, though.

I’d beaten men to bloody pulps before. Both in self-defense and to enforce for the Family.

I’d never once enjoyed it.

But even with a blood-spattered face, Brio was grinning like a fucking demon.

“Oh, now you wanna talk?” Brio asked, sounding disappointed. “But I was just gonna start on your toenails. Damn. Alright. Well. Here we go,” he said, peeling back the tape that was just barely hanging on with how much sweat, spit, tears, and blood were soaking Devon’s face. “So, where are the diamonds, man?”

“In… my… cigarette… carton…”

“Smoking’s a nasty habit, man. Just think, you’d live through the night if you didn’t step outside to smoke.”

Devon had clearly been holding out hope that he might walk away from this. But those words had the cold dread filling his eyes.

For the first time, I understood the enjoyment Brio felt at someone else’s fear and pain.

Because I could just imagine the dread he’d made Max feel as he straddled her on her own bed, as his hands closed around her throat, as he squeezed until her lungs burned.

I pushed away from the wall, reaching for my gun.

Sure, strangling him would be more poetic.

But I wanted this over.

It had already been a long as fuck day.

And there was still the body to deal with when this was done.

“I’d have let you live if you didn’t put your hands on my girl. Twice,” I told him, watching as understanding dawned on him. “No one had to get hurt or die for this shit,” I added, thinking of Lil and Henry. Of what he’d almost done to Chuck. “But now you do.”

I lifted the gun.

Aimed.

Shot.

And it was finally over.

“Why don’t you go take a trip to the hotel?” Brio suggested, happy to start the cleanup by himself. “Then go home. I can handle the body. Know a place upstate—“

“Actually, Brio, you wouldn’t happen to have a live animal trap, would you?” I asked.

“Yeah. Why?”

“Figure we might kill two birds with one stone tonight. Get my girl safe once and for all… and get her a little present.”

Sure, I would be a lot later getting back to Max than I planned.

But I was pretty sure she would forgive me once she knew why…

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