Page 79 of Protector

“Princess, if this place gets raided by the cops, you think I want the gangbanger strung up like a goddamn Christmas tree where anybody could see him when they walk in?”

She shook her head. “But where is he?”

“Imagine you’re me. Where would you put him?”

I watched her eyes roam over the large metal building as she tried thinking like a criminal. “Someplace that wouldn’t stand out. I’d look for a basement; preferable one that was soundproof so that even if someone did come in, they’d never hear him.”

Fuck.

Hearing her describe her ideal torture facility left me rock hard. It didn’t matter that I’d had her twice since our afternoon discussion on the back porch; my cock was ready for round three.

“Nailed it.”

“I did?” Her eyes lit up in surprise. “Seriously?”

I tapped a finger against the tip of her nose before leading her through another door next to the back office. “My girl’s a goddamn genius.”

We reached the foot of the stairs, and she turned to me with a frown. “This is just a hallway. I thought you said he was down here—”

“He is. Last door on the left.”

Celia released her hold on my kutte and moved closer to the wall, feeling for a seam. “Got it.”

“Good girl. Now, before we go in, you need to know that he ain’t the same man you faced in the motel. We’ve broken his body down but forced him to stay alive.”

“I’m ready,” she said with a nod.

I opened the door, and she immediately reared back at the stench of blood and decaying flesh. Keeping my hand on her lower back, I walked us over to where Manny sat against the wall.

He blinked until she came into focus, a wide grin stretching across his face when he realized who it was. “Back for a third-round already, Ma?” he rasped.

A tremor passed through her spine, but she stayed silent and took another small step forward, studying him carefully.

“Your enemy will try to bait you into doing somethin’ stupid. It could be they want you distracted while they make their move or, if they know they’ve been beat, they’ll use it in the hopes of gettin’ a quick death.”

Celia nodded to herself and pushed up the sleeves on the sweatshirt I’d let her borrow. “What do I do?”

We’d swung by the house long enough for her to grab an old pair of jeans, but she’d insisted on keeping her sandals. I figured it was a mistake she’d only make once.

“A gun is the fastest. Get the guy on his knees, press the barrel against his skull, and pull the trigger.” I smacked my hand against the metal on the wall, imitating the sound and sending Manny scurrying back across the concrete like the cockroach he was.

“You’re smaller than most men though, so even if you got your hands on a gun, they ain’t goin’ to their knees without a fight. I calmly walked over and retrieved the trench knife from the old wooden table in the center of the room while she watched me intently.

“For someone smaller, a sneak attack is better. You had the right idea with usin’ a knife before, but you needed one you could keep a sturdy grip on. Try this one.”

Her fingers slipped through the rings on the brass knuckle handle, tightening as she turned her wrist back and forth. “This is much better,” she breathed before handing it back.

“You’ve got the pointed tip, which is sharp enough to go in with little to no force. The tip should always be sharp enough that it slides right in. Because the blade itself is sharp on either side, you can come at your enemy like this…” I flicked my wrist backward and then brought it forward again. “Or like this.”

“You find Hawk and Cobra yet?” Manny taunted. “Or should I ask your girls?”

Celia’s lips curled in disgust, but she stayed where she was, waiting for my direction.

I placed the knife back into her hand and walked over to the wall, jerking the rope with such force that his body seemed to fly off the ground. Celia’s eyes widened as she took in his flayed skin and a flush worked its way up her neck.

I couldn’t read her.

He exhaled a groan of pain as I hoisted him higher, and I grinned. “Amigo, the grown-ups are havin’ a discussion. Why don’t you hang out, and we’ll get ya in second.”

---