Page 40 of Stevie
“Now,” I crack my neck and knuckles before turning back to him. “I know you took advantage of Stevie when she apprenticed for you–”
“That’s bullshit!” He yells, spewing spit and snot everywhere. Deciding I’m going to have to get his attention, I walk up to him. Grabbing his hand, I take his pinky, and in one swift motion, it snaps. The sound causes Greyson to gag, and I roll my head to look at him in annoyance.
“Sorry,” he groans over Vincent. “You know I got a thing about that sound.” Vincent is screaming as loud as possible while thrashing his body around violently as he tries to break the cuffs. I roll my eyes before smacking him upside the head.
“Shut the fuck up, it was a pinky. Now, here’s how this is going to work. I am going to ask you questions, and you are going to answer them truthfully. Lie to me, and you’ll feel far worse pain than that pinky, got it?” Vincent nods frantically, and I give him a firm pat on the cheek. “Now,” I say slowly, “I know you took advantage of Stevie while she was apprenticing.” I eye him, waiting to see if he tries to lie, but he’s silent. “I want to know what you did to her.”
I hear Greyson’s shoes shuffle, and I look up to give him a warning look. I know it’s against the original line of questioning we discussed. It’s an invasion of Stevie’s privacy, and I’m not supposed to ask. But let’s face it, I’ve kidnapped and am torturing her abuser without her knowledge, so in for a penny and all that.
“Uhh..” Vincent shudders as he tries to put a sentence together. “I… I didn’t pay her. I t-talked down to her. I made her… oh god, I’m sorry.” He sobs, and I raise my brow.
“Made her what, Vincent? Made her fuck you? Made her suck your dick?” I growl through my clenched teeth. I know the answers to all these questions. Stevie told me some after I found him in the bathroom, attacking her in New Orleans, but I need him to say it. Confess his sins so that I can dole out the punishment he deserves. “Tell me, why is she afraid to have long hair?” Fear oozes from his grey eyes, and I hear the sound of liquid hitting the floor beneath him, a dark patch growing on his crotch. Oh, for fucksake, the bitch has pissed himself.
“I-I used to grip her to… to make her–” I cut off his confession by snapping his ring finger. His screams reverberate through the room. It’s soundproof. The room’s purpose is to talk with high-profile clients, but it works for this, too, I suppose.
“I told you the truth!” He screams out.
“I appreciate that. And to show my appreciation, I left your eyes alone. Now, why are you here?”
“Fuck you,” he snarls, and I’m about to break another digit when my phone rings again. I look at it and sigh before turning to Greyson.
“I’ll be back,” Walking out of the room before answering the phone. “Peaches, what’s up beautiful?”
“Brooks, where in the fuck are you?” She sounds annoyed, and I chuckle lightly.
“Missing me already, baby?” I purr, causing her to sputter and huff.
“No! You just left, and I’m stunned at how long you’ve gone without checking on me.” How long has it been? Fuck, I’ve been so focused on Vincent I lost track of time.
“I had some things I had to take care of at the office. Besides, you said I was up your ass, so I’m giving you space.”
“I’m over the space now.” She mutters, and I chuckle while leaning against the wall.
“What’s up, baby?” I ask. and she sighs in annoyance.
“Fine. I’m sorry I jumped your ass about being up mine. I want you to come back home.” Home. I love that she is referring to my house as home. Glancing back at the door to the interrogation room, I let out a breath. “Okay, I’ll be home soon. Just rest, baby.” Hanging up the phone, I walk back into the room to find Vincent with a rag shoved in his mouth. I raise a brow at Greyson, who shrugs.
“Brooks, he wouldn’t shut up. I was getting a headache.” Nodding, I walk up to Vincent, cracking my knuckles and grabbing another finger.
“Now, why are you here?” I ask again before removing the rag.
“I need… a hospital.” I roll my eyes. This can’t be real. Two broken fingers, and he needs a hospital? My mind goes to Stevie and the pain she must’ve endured from him, both physical and psychological. I think of Zora being shoved so carelessly into the counter. He’s hurting the women that matter most to me, and I feel myself snap. The adrenaline and anxiety overflow, and before I realize I’m doing it, I take my gun from its holster and aim it at his knee.
“Answer me, or you will need a hospital!” I shout in a voice I barely recognize. I should put one in his fucking skull. How dare he? How fucking dare he touch my girl? Scare my girl. I’ll kill him and not lose a second of sleep. The trembling man lets out a sob as he rolls his head back.
“I came to get Stevie to take down the videos. She’s fucking ruining me! I told you the truth at your house! No one will work with me because of that cow!”
I hold my hand out to Greyson, who walks over and places a suppressor into it. Sure, the room is pretty much soundproof, but I don’t want Greyson or me to lose our hearing over this waste of space.
“Alright, Vincent, here’s how it’s going to go,” I say as calmly as my adrenaline-fueled voice will allow while screwing the suppressor onto my pistol. “You’re going to forget about Stevie, forget she ever existed. You’re going to leave this state and start a new life, a better, more charitable life. And I know you will do this because I will ensure someone is always in the shadows watching you. You’ll never know who it is. It could be your best friend, the love of your life, anyone. And the moment you waver even slightly,” I set the suppressor on the top of his hand and pull the trigger, shooting him clean through the palm. “I’m going to be there to end you,” I grab the screaming man by the back of his head while ramming the suppressor into his mouth and glaring deep into his watery eyes. “You touched my girl, Vincent, and I don’t like it when people play rough with what’s mine. So now, you lost your hand privileges.” I smell the literal shit and roll my eyes. “Fucking bitch,” I snarl, ripping the gun out of his mouth, breaking teeth along the way. I drop the gun on the table before looking at Greyson.
“I got it,” He states, shooing me off. “You need to take a breath before going home.”
I walk out of the room and down the hall to the locker area to clean up and calm down before heading home to Stevie.
* * *
I jump at the tapping on my driver’s window.When had I driven home? How long have I been out here?I turn off my Jeep and slide out of the seat, my eyes meeting hers. The sun is setting behind me, casting her in pretty gold and pink hues. She’s so fucking beautiful.
