Page 211 of Tempting Little Thief

He tries to fight it, but a curious sort of frown flashes along his forehead. He leans forward with his elbows on his knees to cover it up. “Why would a man I’ve known all my life, who, at his own free will, was sworn to protect and serve my daughter until his dying breath, turn his back on us for some rankless fool with a death wish?”

“I don’t know, old man,” I trail off, cocking my head at him. “Why the fuck would he?”

This time his eyes do narrow. I know he hears the accusation in my tone, I put the shit there on purpose.

“You’re not helping yourself here, boy. A cocky attitude won’t do you any good.” He sits back, lifting his drink to his lips once more for a ghost of a swallow. “You’ve already lost, so you might as well tell me what I want to know.”

The smile he gives me has my pulse jumping, and I pick the card he wants me too.

“Where is she?”

He shows his fucking teeth now, satisfied. “Gone. Somewhere you can’t reach, no matter how slick you think you are. You’re still just a boy with a lot to learn. Not that you’ll get the chance, so talk.”

Gone. Somewhere I can’t reach.

I fucking warned him, gave him a chance to hold on, even if it would have been with a weaker grip than he was used to. He failed my final fucking test and he failed it hard.

Nodding, I run my tongue along my teeth, tasting the blood there. I spit to the side, slowly bringing my eyes back to his. “Someone hurt your daughter.”

His jaw tics at the truth. “And he has been dealt with.”

“By me,” I snap and his lips curl. “Don’t fucking forget that.”

“You want a fucking trophy?”

“Got me one.”

He flies to his feet, jerking toward me, his control snapping. “You havenothing!” he booms. “And you will never have her. You are lucky you’re still breathing. You think you can come into my fucking territory, pull the shit you did without consequence?!” he backhands me like a bitch, face sneering when my head holds straight.

My jaw is made of fucking stone, and I hold his eyes straight through. Anger boils within him and he grips my neck in the small space above the shackle, doing all he can to crush my windpipe, having no fucking idea he’s touching the answer he seeks.

It’s killing him not to kill me, but there’s a tiny little whisper of his baby girl in his head telling him not to and it’s taking all he’s got not to listen.

“You’ve chosen the wrong circle to weasel your way into. Tell me what made Sai flip on the only family he ever knew!” he demands, releasing me with a shove.

A scratchy laugh leaves me and I shake my head, rising to my feet, ignoring the pain in my limbs and the yank of the metal locked around me, numb to the way the two shorter chains slowly cut into my skin. I strain harder, welcoming the metal into my skin, allowing it to shred and tear me apart, sending fresh trails of blood to the floor around me.

Small creases form at the edge of his eyes, but he says nothing, waiting.

“I watched your daughter from the moment I met her,” I tell him. “Followed and tracked her damn near every fucking move. Even when she thought I was gone, I was there. I wasthe shadow in the dark you couldn’t touch or find. Couldn’t buy or blackmail, ’cause you’re right, pops, I’m a rankless fucking fool. But you know what that means?” I yank on the chains.

“It means my eyes were fresh, my mind clear. I saw what you didn’t and when that piece of shit got bolder, put his hands on her, I went into that dorm, seconds after he strolled in, and dug a knife into his shoulder, dragged the motherfucker out by the handle of the blade without being seen or caught. I crept through your house while you slept and took photos of her sleeping so you’d know, no matter where you put her, and you put her right where I wanted you to when I needed you to, by the way, you couldn’t keep her from me.

“I followed the threat against her that led me to Daddy Henshaw, and I did what you couldn’t. He was planning an attack. He was going to go to her room first with gas bombs and then real ones, and only after you heard them go off, heard her screams if she even had the chance to, he was going to come for you. I stopped him. I solved the puzzle you couldn’t and then I took you. Don’t forget you’re only standing where you are because I fucking let you. Me. The rankless punk boy who—”

He clips me clean across the jaw and when he rights himself, I spit the blood he left behind in his face, baring my teeth this time.

“I told you what I wanted in return for the gifts I gave you.”

“Her fate has been sealed!” he screams. “It’s done.”

“You’re right. It is.” I lift my chin, the lock slipping lower as I drop the bomb he never saw coming. “Her guardian made sure of it.”

I’ve replayed this shit in my head a million times, but I only needed to once, ’cause in the end, the most obvious reason was the same, and when I came face to face with the man, suddenly, it clicked. Like her daddy said, that man promised to protect her with his life against all enemies and threats, and that’s exactly what he did.

Rayo’s eyes narrow and I bend my neck to the left, giving him a clearer view.

His attention drops to the area revealed, just visible beyond the lock. The fresh wound there, the mark familiar and of his own design, and he jerks back, stumbling over his own fucking feet.

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