Page 23 of Merciless

“Is this it? I’m meant just to sit here and watch you drink coffee?” I hiss.

“Nope. I’m hoping you’re going to start talking.”

“Then you’re going to be waiting a long time.”

No more words pass his lips as he continues to drink his lava. But his eyes never stray from mine. Not for a single second.

It’s unnerving as fuck. I don’t think I’ve ever held eye contact with anyone for so long. But, like hell am I going to back down and look away.

He might think I’m going to be an easy target, but he’s about to learn a lot about me. And it won’t be my secrets.

I’ve no idea how much time passes, but it’s long enough to make me wish I rolled off my cot bed and used the bathroom before he barged in.

I don’t bother asking for a bathroom break, though. Something tells me it won’t be permitted.

“I’ve got all day. All week actually. I’ve cleared my diary, especially for you.”

“I’m honored. Truly. I think you might have wasted your time, though.”

He lifts a brow in question.

“Why did you tell Kane you were pregnant with his kid, Alana?”

I keep my lips pressed together.

“You knew you were going to be found out. If you didn’t end up here with us snooping through your medical records, then we’d have noticed when you didn’t start growing a bump, don’t you think?”

My teeth grind so hard I’m sure I’m about to crack one as he talks about what they have discovered about me.

“Here’s the thing, Pet,” he says, pushing from the wall and disappearing behind me again.

There’s a rush of running water as I assume he rinses his mug out before his deep voice fills the space again.

“You’re not stupid. You might try to look it. Let all the old, horny bastards think you’re some kind of damsel in distress who needs saving. But that’s all an act, isn’t it?”

I jump the second something hits the top of my head, but thanks to my tight bindings, I barely move as a drop of water runs down my scalp.

“What the fuck?” I ask, but the question goes unanswered.

“You knew that by telling that lie, you’d end up here. The thing I can’t quite figure out is… did you want to be here, tortured by me? Is that some fucked-up kink you’ve got going on? I know your husband doesn’t exactly take care of your needs, so has his lack of touch left you craving something dark and twisted? No, that can’t be it, can it? We both know you’ve been having your needs catered to by Kane. And others, I assume.”

He studies me as he paces back and forth.

“Either that, or you decided your time was up and that you’d hand your life over to me.

“I can’t lie. I’m more than happy either way. I don’t think it’ll surprise you to hear that both torture and murder are quite high up on my skills list.”

6

REID

She glares right back at me, showing very little sign of weakness as another drop of cold water lands on her head.

It’s tame, and I’m dying to drag out something a little more creative to make her talk, but also, I want to enjoy this.

It’s not often I get to play with such a beautiful victim. They’re usually ugly, overweight, shitty gangsters. Or more so, wannabe gangsters.

And if she’s going to be as strong-willed as I expect, then these next few days, maybe even weeks, if I’m really lucky, are going to be a lot of fun.

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