Benjamin is sitting on the bed, looking pissed off.
Staring between thetwo men, I can tell they’re pissed off. Hank looks more afraid than Benjamin, who looked like he had given up.
“We all know how this works, you’re going to tell us who you worked for,” I said, folding my arms across my chest. “And then you’re going to tell us the deals you made and what you did to get where you are now.””Fuck you,” Hank said. He’s also sobbing so I know captivity is not doing well for him. He’s starting to break. It is kind of impressive. I know men who can’t even last forty-eight hours before they break. He would have made a fine soldier.
I don’t say anything and instead look toward Benjamin who is staring at me. This is a man who has lost everything. I know it. He knows it. When you go into hiding, you don’t end up on the streets, which tells me whatever deal they had made had gone south, very quickly. I watch him. Benjamin shook his head.
“There was nodeal,” Benjamin said.
“No deal?”
“None. Hank and I, we thought we found a way to take this territory. We had enough men, including a couple of disgruntled Evil Savages MC, who gave us bad intel. That’s all it was.”
I tut. “You expect me to believe that?” I get to my feet and unlock the cage to Hank. “Is what he is saying true?” I asked.
I already held my knife, but no one else could see it.
Ivan and Victor are watching. I usually like privacy when I extract information from people, but I’m now bored with waiting.
“Yes.” I draw the blade down Hank’s chest. It’s sharp. I don’t even have to press against his flesh. Blood oozes from the cut and seconds later he screams.
“I fucking told you,” Benjamin said.
“You tell me lies. You expect me to believe twothugs, who held two lowly positions on street corners, suddenly had it in their minds to start trafficking women. Two men who didn’t have enough money between them to buy a property to house them in, suddenly have all the deeds as well as details of how to move them through the city, to where they could be transported near the docks?” I asked.
With every word I spoke, Hank’s whimpering increased.
“You underestimated us,” Benjamin said.
“No, I don’t think I did, but you know what, I think I know how to handle this,” Ivan said. “Because I’ve got a damn good idea who you might be working for.”
I turn to look at Ivan. This is not part of theplan. Hank and Benjamin are going to tell me exactly who they work for. I step out of the cage and move toward Ivan.”What are you doing?” I asked.
“Working another angle. They’re not going to tell us, and to be honest, I don’t give a fuck. Their punishment will come. Have Vlad and a few men come in,” Ivan said.
I pull out my cell phone and text Vlad. Ten minutes later, he and four men come in.
“Hurt them,” Ivan said. “Broken bones, the works. But they must be alive.”
Ivan stepped around Vlad and my men, and I follow my boss out of the cages. Once we’re clear, I then call out to him.
“What the fuck is that?” I asked.”We need to know who they’re working for.”
“They’re working for both,” Ivan said.
I had a hunch, but I wanted to get it from them.
“So, what is the plan then? We storm both of them? What?”
“No. Wedeliver Benjamin to the cartel, and Hank gets delivered to the Irish. Simple as that.”
Okay, now I was confused.
“And?”
“When they both turn up dead, and they will, we know the Irish and cartel are involved without even having to cause a war, and then we deal with them.”
Running a hand down my face, I’m not happy. I wanted to draw blood. Those two bastards were responsible for putting a hit out and nearly killing Charlotte.
I see what Ivan is doing. If we get the information from Benjamin and Hank, we must react. It’s the only strong thing to do. However, if we dump their bodies, then the cartel and the Irish won’t know if we extracted that information. They would either have to start the war first or withdraw. This is the more intelligent way to do it, and it would also mean less casualties.
But I know Ivan is up to something as well. Why would he suddenly want to take the easy route?
****
Lottie
Ive’s Birthday
Glancing around the penthouse suite, I have checked the candles and they are lit. It is nearly eight o’clock and I asked for Hubert to wait near the door for Ive to arrive. I had been planning this for the past couple of days.
While Ive had been busy withwork, I had been on the phone to Michael, so that I could produce the perfect birthday cake. I was determined to make it for him. I’d even told Cassie not to come around today. I spent the whole day baking. All Ive had to do was turn up on time.
I knew this was hard for him to do, butI had gotten Hubert to text him and asked him, on my behalf, to be home, on time.
He’d snuck out this morning, so I’d not gotten the chance to sing him a happy birthday, or give him a present. I had no idea what to give a man who had everything. Admittedly, what I had gotten him was stupid, but I hope he liked it.
This was the first birthday I had been able to put any real effort into. My dad never allowed me to do anything for him, nor for Cassie. I often made Cassie homemade gifts. Little things like decorating her book covers or cleaning her bedroom. I even did her laundry for her.