Page 28 of Ravaged
I cracked my knuckles. Oliver’s eyes flicked over to me, and I sneered. He claimed he wouldn’t put her in danger like that? He had sold her to the Dahlia District. She had been abducted by the Adler family mob, for fuck’s sake. How could a father let something like that happen to his daughter?
“Gerard—”
“Mr. Adler.”
“Mr. Adler,” Oliver started again. “Teagen is,” he paused, his eyes wandering around the room, at the books on the shelves, the decanters on the wet bar glimmering in the light, “Teagen is a woman of the night.” What a delicate way to put it. I wanted to punch him in the throat. “But she can also be a useful bargaining chip to you.”
“Like I suppose you think you are.”
“Precisely,” he said. “She’s better alive than dead. Like me.”
“I’m concerned with how you think you’ll help me, Mr. Knox. I don’t care about your daughter. She’s well taken care of, as far as I’m concerned.” He shifted his chin towards me, and Oliver followed the gesture, glancing at me, then buried his gaze in his lap.
“I owe them some money,” he said. “I’m good friends Muro though, actually. I can get closer, you know? We drink and we talk. And believe me, that man can drink.”
“They must be keeping a very close eye on you then.”
“Right,” Oliver said. He shook his head warily. “I can still get you their plans. I mean, come on, Mr. Adler, what do you have to lose?”
Gerard laughed. “Your life is on the line, Oliver,” he said steadily. “Do you intend to pay your debt with your life, or your daughter’s life?”
“No one needs to die,” Oliver stammered. “And I can get you your money,andMidnight Miles’s plans, easily. Give me a chance. Here—” he shuffled through his pockets and found his phone, flipped to a text message. Gerard motioned me forward, and I looked at it.
Who’s next?Oliver sent.
GA, was the response.
Nothing else.
“Not much,” I said. “But something.” Gerard motioned Derek forward.
“Agreed,” Derek said. We could finally come to terms on something.
“Give Teagen and me a chance,” Oliver begged. “Besides, she’s useful. Have you heard her play the harp?” He looked frantically between the four of us, including Axe standing with his arms crossed in the corner, “Didn’t Clara used to play?”
Gerard sighed, as if Oliver had made a good point. He turned to me. “Gather the daughter and bring her to the sitting room. Derek will retrieve the harp.”
Axe tapped my arm on the way out and gestured for me to follow him. In a spare room, he went through the drawers and found a cloth robe. It wasn’t an outfit, but it was better than nothing.
“Thanks,” I said. He nodded, and I carried the robe to Teagen.
As soon as I came through the doors, she startled. Her bowls were full still, resting near the door. I usually didn’t get her trays this quickly.
“You want a stretch break?” I asked.
“Really?” I took the key and unlocked the door. Held the robe out so that she could take it once she was standing. She crawled out of the opening, and I looked at the ceiling, not letting myself look at her. She took the robe, and after a few seconds, I looked at her. She was tying the ribbon across her stomach. A strained look came over her face as she stretched. It had been a few days.
“Careful,” I said.
She shrugged. “You said stretch break.”
“They’re making you play,” I explained.
In the sitting room, the light filtered through the large open window, facing the neighborhood, the old houses all spaced apart. The harp, bigger than the one I had seen her play at the Dahlia District, rested in the center of the room, a small bench seat next to it. She tuned the instrument, turning the pins, plucking some, then back to turning the pins again. Then she settled onto the seat, the harp resting on her shoulder. Clara was already seated on one of the white and gold couches. An empty plate with a fork rested on the table next to her, the leftover crumbs sprinkled across the shiny material. Soon, Gerard was next to Clara. Derek sat on another couch, Axe next to him. And Oliver placed himself on a single chair, on the opposite side of Clara.
I waited against the wall, watching Teagen from afar, from behind her father.
“What would you like to hear?” Teagen asked, facing Gerard.
