Page 82 of Destroyer

Knox and Decoy-me don't stir. In fact, Decoy-me moves a leg so his socked toes stick out from under the covers. The intruder freezes until the foot stops, and then he paces closer again.

The foot moved exactly as a sleeping person would. My hand covers my mouth; I want to cry out a warning to Knox, but this has to be their plan. I have to trust Knox and the big bad mafia bodyguard curled up with him.

The big bad mafia bodyguard who totally looks like the little spoon in the bed.

Little spoon.

There are only three people I've seen on this boat who are smaller than me. Two housekeepers and Nico. I will kill Knox myself if he is using Nico as my decoy.

The bedroom door opens quickly, slamming back on its hinges, the intruder spins around, gun aimed at the empty doorway. Decoy-me couldn't be anyone but Nico in the way he flies from the bed at the intruder. Knox is right there beside him, taking the gun from the man as he wrestles to remove Nico from his back.

Caeo enters the bedroom, flicking on the main light.

“Oh my goodness. You set Nico up as bait?” I storm out of the bathroom, toilet brush in hand. Knox may have the intruder’s gun, and Nico may have his arm against the guy's throat, but they haven't secured him yet, making my rant a little premature. “Never mind, I'll come back to that.”

My little brother keeps his arm at the stranger's throat, choking the man, but his gaze turns to me with a smile.

“Not will you save anyone with that.” He frowns at the brush in my hand. “You need knife. Stab if he doesn't answer questions.”

“Nico.” Knox says his name in such an accusing tone, I don't think he's supposed to be encouraging murderous thoughts in me.

“Actually, I want to. Call it a one-time wedding present, but this man wanted to kill me. I want to know why.”

“Porter, this is a line in the business I never wanted you to cross.”

“Pft. I killed the man who murdered your sister and your mum.” I look at each man in question as I address them.

“Technically…” Nico starts, before the choking man in his arms keels over backwards slamming my little brother onto the floor.

Knox and Caeo instantly grab the guy, lifting him off Nico before dragging him to a chair.

I'm the only one who seems to care about the teenager winded on the carpet.

Chapter fifty-five

Knox

Ourmurderousstrangerissecurely tied to a chair, coming around from the lack of oxygen to his brain. His name is Thomas Branch, which I know from my hours scrutinising over who applied to join the honeymoon cruise when I should have been planning my wedding.

I'm going to let Nico and Porter take this one. Caeo and I sit on the bed with a brandy to watch. I have always loved watching Nico work, and not in a creepy paedo way. Piotr would have watched Nico work as a small child, and probably fantasised about it afterwards, but fair play to the man for never acting on his urges. As a mafia boss, I know how easy that would be for him. No, my interest was more in the mechanics and behaviours. Tonight, I can get closure on that, and maybe create a few fantasies of my own as Porter gets to play.

“I won't tell you anything.” Thomas insists, making a groggy attempt to fight against the rope binding him to the chair.

Caeo has very kindly covered the carpet in a plastic sheet from the “tool kit” he and Nico brought. There will be no sinking of this yacht afterwards.

“Mr Branch. Hello. I am Nico and this here big brother Porter.” Nico crouches before Thomas, making himself much smaller than the victim.

“Fuck off you foreign little twat.”

“Except for word twat, that just accurate. I will use accurate insult on you. Stupid dead man.”

“Your words don't scare me, little boy.”

Listening to Thomas sneer at Nico has me bristling angrily. I place my hand on Caeo's thigh as he tenses to stand. ‘Little boy’ is hardly an insult.

“Have you ever known the feet of cock in arse before? It is not experience you will die without.” Nico stands, cleverly making himself bigger. “Porter, you know stabby stabby of balls?”

“Uh, yeah, sure.” My boy pales at the suggestion. He may have been brave when it came to defending me from Vince, but premeditated torture is really not his thing.

---