Page 85 of Stabby Little

Michael drives his fingers into my collarbone. "I asked you to give me everything you know about him. I don't give a shit if he's never broken a law in his life. I already told Jagger we have new information about him."

"You think he was at the wedding," I say, beating him to the punch.

"He was Crystal's date. That little shit matches the boy on Rock's security cameras. We didn't get a good look at his face, but he's the same height. I don't know how the fuck he got Crystal to invite him."

“Crystal’s date had black hair. The boy at Rock was blond.”

“Maybe wore a wig.”

“That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard. He’s an innocent student who volunteers with abandoned animals.”

"He can help little old ladies cross the fucking street on the weekends and volunteer withHabitat for Humanityfor all I care. That doesn't mean he didn't murder Xavier."

"How?"

"He could've found out something unsavory about him and gone full-on Liam Neeson inTaken. Maybe Xavier hurt one of his friends and he wanted revenge."

"Why would Xavier have hurt one of his friends?"

"Don't give me that shit. My men aren't perfect. They've made mistakes in the past and they'll make more in the future. Fuck knows you have secrets in your closet you wouldn't want anyone to learn. You're lucky no one's tracked you down yet for the work you've done for me."

“I apologize.”

"I wanted that information today." Michael tightens his grip on my shoulder. "I expected you to arrive with a report."

"You'll be the first to know when I discover something new."

Michael shoves me against the wall. My back slams into the concrete, sending sharp pain shooting up my spine.

He lets out a roar as he pulls out his knife and presses it against my throat.

"Your son still doesn't have my money," he grits out.

"I'm meeting with him next weekend. He'll have it then."

"I needed that money four months ago. We have a shipment of cocaine coming in from Puerto Vallarta—I've got to put a deposit on the containers."

"He's having trouble selling your shit."

"My shit is top-of-the-line. He wouldn't have issues moving it if he got off his lazy dropout ass."

"I'll put him in contact with my connections in East Harlem. They'll help."

"They don't have the money to buy two hundred thousand dollars worth of black tar heroin." Michael runs his knife across my throat. "If you don't meet with Crystal and give me the information I need, your son's on my hit list."

"Don't do that."

"I've given your family enough leeway as it is. It's time to quit being so nice."

Michael rams the knife into my gut. Pain throbs as blood trickles down my leg. I run my fingers over it to stop the flow.

Rage screams behind my temples. I stare at my boss. Why the fuck did he stab me? I've worked for this man for a decade. I never expected he'd turn on me.

"Your son is dead if he doesn't give me my money." Michael tosses a roll of gauze my way. "I might even fuck him first to show him I own him."

27

OLLIE

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