Page 103 of Redd

“I'm not going to do anything.” Glancing into the few rooms we passed, I checked to make sure they were empty. “These assholes decided they wanted to die the second they took your daughter. Whatever happens is on them.”

Walking through the house, it didn't take me long to realize we were back at Diablo's. Rounding a corner, I saw the same hallway I had stumbled upon that night I had broken in.

“What the hell is that?” Pierre asked, stopping short.

Looking over my shoulder, my blood began to boil. “That's where your daughter was held when she was here.”

His face flashed with a bitterness that rocked him to the core. “That motherfucker.” His voice was low, highlighted in layers of anger and regret. “Son of a bitch, he's a fucking liar.”

“Did you think I was filling your head with bull-shit?” Tilting my head, I crossed my arms over my chest. “She didn't have an easy ride here, I'm sorry you have to find it out like this.”

Pierre stared into the small room, holding the door in his hands. Bending to his knees, he ran his fingers over thick lines that were scratched into the wood. “She counted the days, Bijou counted her time in this place.”

“Can you blame her? He kept her in the darkness, he used her to get his frills and treated her like a piece of garbage.” Walking up behind him, I laid my hand on his back. “Do you see what we need to do now? Do you understand why this man can't live?”

His eyes quietly wept for his child. He looked truly sorry for his role in what happened, bleeding tears of regret for choices he had made.

“You can't change what happened, Pierre, but you can change how it ends. Help me, help her. Let's make this go away for ever.”

Nodding, he wiped his face and stood up. Meeting me eye to eye, his mouth twitched, hands visibly shaking by his sides. “We need to find him, let's go find him, Redd.”

The two of us stalked shoulder to shoulder by the kitchen, listening to the silence of the house. It was dead quiet, no laughing or talking radiated through the walls.

In the quiet we were loud, in the silence we were the storm. Pierre and I threw open doors and kicked down any barrier we came across. But there was nothing.

A huge archway greeted us as we came to the end of another hall. Passing through the threshold, we were met by floor to ceiling windows and a fireplace that stood eye level with me.

The fingers of searing hot flames danced and whipped around inside, filling the room with a bright orange glow. A thick bear rug was placed in the center of the room, the mouth wide open with sharp teeth that were ready to eat us alive.

“You escaped your cage, how cute.” Diablo's heels clicked into the room, and I turned to face him. “What now? Are you going to kill me?”

“That's the plan.” I didn't wait for him to give me some sly response or grand speech about right and wrong, or how we weren't that different. Raising the gun, I pulled back the hammer.

“Redd, I suggest you take a moment to think about what you're going to do.” Placing his hand on his chest, he adjusted his tie. “I don't think killing me is a good option.”

“And why's that?” I should have just pulled the damn trigger, but for some reason I took his bait. I let him toy with me a for second, giving him a chance to speak.

Maybe I was a bit sick in the head, allowing this man to suck me in with his mind games. Or maybe I just couldn't help myself, and got pleasure out of fucking with him back.

“We can help each other. You have skills, Redd, I've heard great things about your work. Let me give you a chance to walk out of here, I have a job I could use you for.”

“Fuck you, I'd never work for you. Besides, I'm retired.”

His thin lips went taut, eyes shooting daggers in my direction. “You're making a big mistake here. I suggest you get on my side or you'll regret it later.”

Waving the gun, I shook my head. “What do you not understand about this? I'm going to kill you, that's all that's going to happen. If you want to make peace with it, go on.”

“Make peace?” Laughing, Diablo grinned smugly. “You have no idea do you?”

“Consider the blameless, observe the upright; a future awaits those who seek peace.” Smirking, I fluttered my finger over the trigger.

“Let me be honest with you, I don't think Bijou would approve.”

“Ha!” I laughed out loud, letting my head tip back. “Is that right?”

“It is.” His smile inched up his cheek, eyes turning charcoal black as the orange flames danced across his pupils. “And I know your sister would strongly disagree.”

My sister. . . Why the fuck is he talking about my sister?

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