Page 47 of Sardonic Burn

I shrug. “You’ve been in here for, what, two weeks almost? She hasn’t mentioned you even once. She’s been too busy spending time with me, and, you know—” I wink, “doing things that are far beyond your imagination.”

It’s not a lie. It’s not my fault he immediately thought of inappropriate things. We killed people together, and we’re bound to each other for a while. I love seeing him get angrier and angrier.

I didn’t think this day could get better, but he dares to snarl at me, and it instantly lifts up my mood.

“You fucking bastard,” he hisses and stands up. He’s restrained, and the chains are short. He can’t reach me, but it doesn’t stop him from trying his best to break free. His wrists are red from the tight cuffs, and I keep wondering if I should just break his wrists and ankles to save myself from future trouble.

“If you so much as dare to lay your filthy hands on her, I’ll—”

“You’ll what?” I interrupt and inch closer to him. “Is that a threat? My, my, how arrogantly bold of you. Tell me, what exactly are you going to do? I’m bursting with excitement to find out.”

“You say I’m arrogant, but you know damn well that Noelle is using you and that she won’t hesitate to toss you aside the moment you prove to be useless.”

“Are you worried that it’s exactly what is happening to you right now? She’s not looking for you because you’re useless to her? I mean, I did hear she’s looking for a way to break her engagement off, so you’re not too far off.”

He smirks. “She can’t do that. It’ll be a major blow for her family and in case you’ve forgotten, her family is the most important thing to her.”

“That’s true.” I shrug. “But if I killed you and burned your body right now, she’d be free of you, so I don’t think you’re actually thinking this situation through.”

Dylan sits back down and leans against the wall. “Do it, then.”

He really pisses me off.

I want nothing more than to see his blood smeared against these concrete walls, but I refrain from doing so. He’s deliberately avoiding the topic of the bullets, thinking I didn’t notice it.

Right now, all I have are suspicions and a gut feeling. It’s not enough to tell Noelle. It is enough to tell me that he’s panicking. He’s avoiding the subject because he knows something.

I can’t afford to kill him until he spills the beans. Given his personality, it will take a while for him to completely break without having to torture him. Torturing him could be the solution but if he pisses me off, I doubt I’ll be able to turn a blind eye. I’ll most likely end up killing him.

I sigh, and my phone buzzes.

The man I put to tail Noelle sent me her location, and I grin widely, then turn to look at Dylan.

“I’ll be going on a date with your fiancé now. Sleep tight, buddy.”

He screams profanities at me, and it makes me grin. His angry voice reaches the top of the stairs before I shut the door and lock it, throwing the key inside of my pocket.

Instead of taking my bike, I decide on one of the cars from the garage. It’s too risky as Noelle has seen my bike. I need to stay in the shadows and see what she’s up to and who she is with.

She’s far from her apartment. It’s in a better part of the city, but still an hour away. The bar is small, and my plan is immediately ruined. The glass is dark; I can’t watch from the outside.

I throw on a beanie and stroll inside, praying she doesn’t catch me.

Even the interior is dark, the lights dim with some band playing like their life depends on it. The only available spot is at the bar, and I take a seat, ordering some appetizers with the best scotch they have.

Across from me is a mirrored shelf. It gives me a clear view of everyone behind me, and it doesn’t take me long to spot Noelle.

She stands out, even in the darkest of places. Her brows are narrowed, and her hair falls down her back perfectly. Her short dress rises up as she crosses her legs, the leather boots reaching just above her knee.

But who the fuck is that man sitting across from her?

He’s holding her hand.

He is holding her fucking hand.

I squeeze the glass in my hand, nearly shattering it to pieces. Anger slowly builds inside of me, and I can’t understand why, but one thing is evident. Seeing Noelle with this motherfucker is rather unsettling.

He’s stroking the back of her hand, and she doesn’t mind.

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