Page 29 of City of Salvation

“And you wanna be a part of that?” Torque’s question held no judgment, but it was clear he was uncomfortable with the situation.

I joined him again and sighed. “Don’t think we have much of a choice,” I said, looking him in the eye. “Nikki said the Reapers want this guy and whoever he’s associated with to help them win a turf war.”

Torque cursed under his breath. We both knew we were getting pulled into this shit regardless of how Nikki worked into the mix.

I grabbed the smelling salts, shoving them under the brim of his nose. “Wakey, wakey, sunshine,” I taunted as his eyes shot open.

“What the fuck,” he yelled, his voice carrying a heavy accent. Eastern European of some sort—my money was on Russian.

Eyes frantically searched the room. I clocked the exact moment he realized he was in deep shit. The whimper he released when his attention dropped to his body was satisfying. He did seem momentarily relieved that all his limbs were still intact. For now.

“Glad you’re awake.” Angry red lines erupted where I dragged the edge of a serrated blade down his chest. “We’ve got much to talk about, you and I.”

“I’m not telling you shit.” Spittle flew from his mouth, hitting the painter’s jumpsuit I’d put on.

They never wanted to share information right away.Without any preamble, I threw a right hook into his gut. The metal restraints clanked when he doubled over in pain.

“Fuck you,” he coughed out, pulling against where his wrists were attached to a meat hook.

“No, thanks, you’re not really my type.”

Torque’s laughter echoed from the corner he’d positioned himself in to enjoy the show.

“Huh. This whole time I thought you slept with anything that breathed,” Torque quipped.

I flipped him off, ignoring his chuckles at my expense because we both knewexactlywhat my type was. She was currently strapped to my bed in silk restraints. Even at a time like this, she managed to make my dick stir to life with a single thought.

Jardani thrashed about like an idiot. All he would manage to do was tear some ligaments in his shoulders if he kept it up. He practically foamed at the mouth, like a rabid dog waiting to bite anyone who neared him, yelling out obscenities in multiple languages.

“They will kill you. Hunt you down like animals,” he snarled, another wad of spit hitting my jumpsuit.

I give him five minutes before he pisses himself.

“First question, Jardani.” Bushy eyebrows hit his hairline at the use of his name. “Why were you trying to grab the girl?” I asked, being sure I sounded as indifferent as possible. I didn’t want him to know she meant anything to me—otherwise, he’d make it a point to keep that shit to himself.

If he was angry before, he now looked downright murderous. “Where is the fucking bitch?” he demanded, his voice dripping with venom.

Another pained groan fell from his lips as my fist met his flesh in the same spot as the first. His suffering sent a thrilling shiver up my spine. Fucking and fighting. For a while, thosewere the only two things that made me feel alive. Then I’d tried my hand at getting a man to spill all of his sworn secrets, andthattook the cake.

I tutted my tongue at the comment, my fingers gripping his jaw hard enough to bruise. “Watch yourself, Jardani. I am not a patient man, and I’ve perfected getting the answers I need. What are the Reapers planning?” I asked, switching my line of questioning.

He squirmed, craning his neck, trying to track me as I moved to his blind spot. The tips of his shoes desperately tried to find traction, but they were a hair's breadth away from reaching the silver drain below.

“Answer the question,” I said. Another punch collided with his flesh—this time, it landed by his liver. But his reaction wasn’t what I’d anticipated. He laughed, his head falling forward.

My fingers slid through his greasy locks, gripping the shit-brown strands and wrenching his head back so he was forced to look at the bloodthirst swirling in my eyes. I wanted him terrified of me and what I’d do if he didn’t tell me every fucking detail.

There was no terror, though. Instead, he wore a gloating smirk.

“You give me the girl, and I can ensure you and your club win this little skirmish. Because your rivals are working a deal to have you all exterminated with the aid of the Bratva.” He turned his head to face the mirrored wall, yelling his next sentence. “You hear that, Mr. President. That’s who’s watching behind the glass, no? All we want is the girl. We have no loyalty to the Reapers. We’re happy to be on your side.”

Asshole looked me dead in the eyes and winked. He thought making a plea to my president would get him what hewanted. Problem was, he was fucking right.Worry made me tense up. Nikki wasn’t my Old Lady. Fuck, she wasn’tanythingto me, period. If it came to a choice between her and the club, Pres wouldn’t bat an eye. Her only saving grace in this moment was that Pres was still inside the clubhouse, but I was going to have to tell him about this shit eventually.

Without thought of the repercussions, I jammed the serrated blade into his hip. His scream was ear-piercing—the kind I loved to hear when in this room. Blood welled up around the hilt, running down and soaking the gra y fabric of his underwear.

Coppery tang lingered with the rancid scent of piss.

“There’s something particularly brutal about a serrated blade being yanked out of the body. Now, why do you want her, and what do the Reapers have planned?” I leaned in close. His sweat and BO were almost unbearable as I whispered the next part. “Tell me what I want to know, and I’ll kill you quickly. Otherwise, I’m going to make this soincrediblypainful for you for alongtime.”

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