Page 55 of Perilous

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How hard isit to stare into the eyes of a father who is worried sick about his missing daughter? It’s not hard at all. How hard it is to lie to that father as he stares with bloodshot eyes and unkempt facial hair, fearing his only child is dead?It’s. Not. Fucking. Hard. At. All.

Holom Alistair sits at a fucking bar, working through a glass of scotch. His phone keeps going off. The screen lighting up over and over as though it’s on a three second timer to light up.

“Seems like you have business to tend to,” I say to him.

“Fuck business,” he says. “Where is she? Are you looking for her? I asked you to help me. You, Perilous. I know who you are.”

“I’m not sure that’s true.”

Holom turns and stands up. He swings his right hand and sends his glass soaring from the bar. It hits the floor and shatters. His left hand clamps down on my shoulder.

“I know exactly who you are,” Holom says. “I know what you’ve done in the past. What you’ve done forus.”

Usbeing theLegion.For thePerg.

My lip curls as I heard the echoing crunches of the accident I caused. The lives I took.

The fucking lives!

“Yeah, that’s right,” Holom says, his breath stinking of scotch and days of not brushing his teeth. “You’re evil. You’re…Perilous. I know you can find her. I don’t give a fuck what anyone else says to you. Got that? This is my daughter we’re talking about. And if she…”

Holom swallows his own words.Fuck.He was about to spit out something good. Something I can use against him, Luc, and against Annika herself.

I can tell this guy is not squeaky clean at all. He may have more than skeletons in his closet. He may have fucking bodies hidden in there. And he’s terrified that something he’s done has put his only daughter in danger.

Yet he doesn’t know she’s already in my grasp. That my tongue and my cock are stained with her desire.

“Fucking find her,” Holom growls.

“What do I get in return?” I ask.

Holom faces the bar and tries to order another drink. The bartender—a pretty young woman with dark eyes and a tight black T-shirt showing off great tits—shakes her head. She looks at me for help.

“You’re toasted already, Holom,” I say. “Find another bar.”

“Fuck you!” Holom yells at the bartender.

I grab his arm and pull. He turns to face me and I think for a second he’s going to swing. He collapses against me. He’s a second away from bursting into fucking tears.

Fuck this.

I shove Holom out of the way and point to the door.

“Just fucking find her,” he pleads. “Bring her to me safely. Please. I’ll give you anything you want…”

He stumbles to the door and leaves the bar. I look at the bartender and can see it in her eyes that Holom has not paid his tab. I reach into my pocket and throw two hundred dollars down, figuring that has to be more than enough. I don’t stick around to find out.

When I exit the bar, I look around for Holom, just to make sure he’s actually gone.

“Stupid fucker,” I whisper.

I turn to my left and take two steps before I feel a sudden hot pain in the right side of my neck.

A voice behind me whispers,“Stupid traitor…”

And then everything goes black.

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