Page 57 of Back In the Shadows

My lip curled in disgust at his pathetic attempt to bargain for his life. But as much as I wanted to end him right then and there, a small part of me wondered if he might have some information that could lead me closer to avenging Ella.

A sharp whistle sounded from outside, and I realized it was my warning signal. I hurried to the first stair and looked up towhere Kip was waiting by the door. “We need to go. A car is driving up the dirt road.”

Without hesitation, I kicked some more spiders out of my way and walked back to Xavier. A large spider crawled down his leg, and I flicked it against the wall with the blade of my knife.

“It’s your lucky day, motherfucker. Someone is coming.” I sheathed my weapon, then knelt down and picked him up off the floor and slung him over my shoulder. “One word out of your mouth … nah, fuck that.” I swung to the left, and a hard, loud thunk from Xavier’s head meeting the wall made me smile. Now that he was unconscious, I wouldn’t have to deal with the bastard screaming for help like a little girl.

I rushed up the stairs and into the fresh evening air, where Dope and Kip were waiting for me. Kip closed the door, and Dope led us through the trees to the back of the house.

Men’s voices weren’t far behind us, and once we were out of sight, I stopped and watched as two men approached the basement.

“You know how he gets, man. He’s probably in bed with his new girl. What’s her name? Ellen? Something like that, but who cares?” One of them chuckled. “She’s fine as hell and I bet a good fuck.”

“Yeah, but it’s so much better when they’re trying to fight you off.”

He would be the first one I killed for that remark about Ella.

The men continued to talk as one of them opened the door.

“It’s him,” Dope whispered. “The one that went down the stairs first. He’s the guy that drove up to the house when Ella was taken. He wore dark sunglasses, but I recognized his voice from the video.”

Rage surged through me as I dumped Xavier on the ground and commanded my men to stay put. With fierce determination, I strode towards the entryway to the basement, my knifeclenched tightly in my hand. This was more than business, it was fucking personal.

As I descended the stairs with deadly silence, a wicked grin spread across my face. “Well, well, well. Look who decided to join me tonight,” I taunted, my voice dripping with malice.

Startled, both of the men spun around to look at me with wide eyes.

“You’re … you’re Sebastian Fletcher,” one of them stammered, visibly trembling in front of me.

“You only wish it was him. And you are?” I asked with mock politeness. “I always like to know who my victims are before I torture them.”

The larger man spoke up, his voice shaking. “They call me Tiny Tim.”

I narrowed my eyes at the guy who had played a part in capturing Ella. “And you?”

Reaching behind me, I quickly withdrew my second knife. With a flick of my wrist, I flung the weapon at Tiny Tim. I hit my target and watched Tim weave, then collapse to the floor with the blade protruding from his neck. Blood poured from his wound as I grinned at his friend.

“I asked for your goddamn name,” I said again.

Horror twisted his friend’s face as he witnessed his buddy bleed to death on the floor next to his feet.

“John,” he said, his voice trembling.

“What the fuck is it with assholes named John?”

“I-I don’t know. It’s a common name.”

I stalked toward him, closing the gap between us. I towered over him and grabbed the back of his neck with my free hand.

“Who is Xavier to you?”

His tongue flicked over his cracked lips, a nervous tic before he spoke. “No one,” he stammered, sweat beading on his forehead. “My boss sent me to check in on him is all.”

“Who is your boss?” I demanded, my voice cold as ice while I towered over him. “And why did they send you to my home to kidnap Ella Fletcher?”

John’s entire body trembled, his eyes wide with fear as he struggled to form words. I tightened my grip on his arm, the coppery scent of blood filling my nostrils.

He pursed his lips tightly, and I knew in an instant what he was trying to hide. I pressed the weapon deeper into his flesh, drawing a thin line of blood along his neck.

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