Page 71 of Kings of Cruelty

The concierge gives me a strange look. “Funny. I don’t see her in months and now she’s got a whole party going?”

I keep smiling, despite how tense I am. “Yeah? Guess she’s popular. Should I be worried though? Like, is the other guy bigger than me?”

He must have realized he said too much. “Uh… I didn’t say she was with another man.” He presses a few buttons on the phone, and I wish I could see what unit he called from this angle.

The concierge waits, but there’s no response. “Maybe she left again,” he suggests with a shrug.

I highly doubt that.

“Okay, look,” I say congenially. “I don’t care if she’s with another guy. I do need to see her though. So tell me her unit number and I’ll confirm for myself what’s going on.”

The guy shakes his head. “No. That’s against company policy. And if you insist?—”

I reach over the front desk and wrap my hand around his throat. Still smiling, I say, “I can either slip you a fifty for the information, or I beat you bloody until you tell me what I want to hear. And if you still don’t tell me, I guess I kill you and find the info on that computer in front of you.”

The guy squeals and claws at my arm, but I don’t feel much through the thick leather of my biker jacket.

I hear the front entrance slide open and heavy footsteps entering. I spare a quick glance, and sigh in relief when Kotya and Nikolai walk in.

“Hey guys,” I say, nodding at the concierge. “My friend was about to tell me where Sierra is.”

Nikolai glances at the concierge. “Oh, good. I’d hate for things to have to get violent.”

If things weren’t so dire, I’dwantthem to get violent so I can have an outlet for all of the frustration, anger… andfear. Who had she been with?

Kotya closes in and looms over the concierge. “Where is she?” he growls, and the concierge whimpers in response.

“510!” the concierge shouts. “Please! Let me go!”

“Good,” Kotya says, nodding in approval. He keeps his gaze on the concierge. “You will not call authorities. If you do, I will find you and gut you myself. Understand?”

“Yes! Yes! I’m sorry!” the guy yells.

It’s annoying that Kotya got all that out of the concierge with a few words. I think I’m plenty intimidating too, but I guess I’ll never exude danger the way Kotya does.

I take the man’s keycard, let go of him, and jog to the elevator. Then I shake my head. “Too slow. I’m taking the stairs.”

“Yep, on it,” Nikolai says, already following me to the stairs. He’s a little slower than I am, a little less in shape, but he follows me up to the fifth floor.

I hear a scream as I open the stairwell door.

“Sierra,” I hiss, running the rest of the way to the unit.

Nikolai is hot on my heels, with Kotya coming up at the rear. The three of us get to the door, and I kick it open.

My blood is already pumping hard in my veins, but it runs hotter as I see Sierra on the floor, curled up in the fetal position.

Her ex-boyfriend is standing over her, kicking her as she sobs and tries to protect her stomach.

My vision goes red.

I launch myself at the dickbag and slam him into the kitchen counter. He cries out, but I don’t give him time to catch his breath. I punch him in the face, then I slam his head into the marble counter for good measure.

He moans and doesn’t move.

I hear movement behind me, and Nikolai’s voice is urgent but distant as he speaks to her. I turn around to see him pulling her into his arms, his expression alarmed and his face pale.

Kotya approaches me and pulls the ex upright. “Who is this?” he asks in Russian.

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