Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 78598 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 393(@200wpm)___ 314(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78598 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 393(@200wpm)___ 314(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
Quinn looked at me, jaw grinding, and said nothing.
Her hair joined the rest on the floor. So it went with each question about Sheriff Sharpe. Quinn refused to answer, either by claiming innocence, insulting me, or detailing all the things my guys did to her and would do again when she got them back.
My shears snipped for the last time. Stepping back, I admired Quinn’s new look. An uneven mess that gave the vibe she got her head caught in a lawnmower. The wild thing was, she still looked beautiful.
I picked up the club. I’ll fix that.
“You understand there’s only one way for us to go from here. I don’t have a lot of time, so if your hair wasn’t enough to get you to speak, I’ll see if your kneecaps are.”
Her glare could’ve turned my blood to acid.
“Don’t let it get that far, Quinn.”
I couldn’t help a glance at my watch. I was running out of time. Dante has to know what his pet cop has done by now. He’ll probably put some effort into getting Davidson to let them go, so they can carry out the job he’s too lazy to do, but when that didn’t work, he’d have no reason to keep the sheriff alive.
I bet that’s why Davidson made a scene and arrested them on campus. He wanted the whole town to know they were going down for murder, so it wouldn’t be easy to make it go away.
If they were suddenly released from their holding cell without charges, there’d be questions. Too many questions.
That’s why I needed Jack Sharpe to reappear, tell the world he was kidnapped, and wrestle control away from that shit-covered slime Davidson. See? Cairo didn’t need to worry about me killing his father. Not while I still had need of him.
I stepped to the side, leveling the club with her knee. “Tell me where he is, Quinn.”
“I don’t know where he is. I didn’t even know he was missing. I’m telling you that you have the wrong person. Whatever you do to me, you can’t make me admit to being a part of your deluded fantasies.”
“Just couldn’t resist getting an insult in. Hope it was worth it.” Angling my swing, I drew back and—
“Ahhh!”
I winced at her scream. Couldn’t blame her. I think I heard something crunch.
“Where is Jack Sharpe?”
“I’m not who you think I am. I can’t—”
I smashed the other knee. Quinn screamed herself hoarse.
“The next one is in the face. You’ll black out and we’ll lose some time, but it’ll be worth it to break your teeth and rearrange that button nose.”
“Evil... crazy bitch,” she rasped, chest heaving. “You have no idea... the pain you have coming. It’ll make your weak hits feel like love taps.”
“I’ll take that as your answer.” I swung the club at her face.
“Stop. Stop!” she screeched. “Just stop.”
I did, pulling back at the last second.
I waited.
“All right, de Souza.” Quinn’s voice was barely above a rasp, but it laced with menace. “If this is how you want to do this, let’s stop playing games.”
“Oh, let’s please.”
“Yes, I’m one of what you call the Black Letter Crew, and what of it? Doesn’t mean I was there the night they put down your sister, Ivy. Doesn’t mean I know where Jack Sharpe is?”
My jaw clenched. I fought to relax it. I wouldn’t let her think her poison got to me.
“You were there that night. The games are done, Quinn. You can stop lying now.” I moved in front of her. “The part about not knowing where Jack Sharpe is could be true, but you understand I’m going to make extra sure, and keep questioning you until your busted jaw and broken teeth leave you unable to answer.”
She hardened. Somehow tied to that chair, she lifted her chin and looked her nose down at me. “You don’t scare me. Who do you think you’re dealing with? I can handle a little pain. I’m not the weak little girl whose mind shattered into pieces that you see in the mirror every morning.
“Bring. It. On.”
I hefted the club. “If that’s what you want.”
Metal struck bone.
“Ahhh!”
ARSENIO
“What time is it?”
I pressed against the bars. “Can’t see the clock from here, but I can see the window. The sun’s set.”
“Then that’s it,” Roan said. “The tournament is over and the party starts soon. We’ll never make it to Hunter’s Crest in time. It’s over.”
“I’ve accepted that and moved on to our new problem.” Cairo paced the length of the cell. “The lawyer Paris sent said he can’t get us in front of a judge until Monday morning, and that judge won’t be Judge Stone. Davidson can keep us here all weekend. By then my father’s dead.”
“We don’t know that,” Roan tried. “They could hold onto him to force us to take another shot at the Ellises.”