Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 73506 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 368(@200wpm)___ 294(@250wpm)___ 245(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73506 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 368(@200wpm)___ 294(@250wpm)___ 245(@300wpm)
I shake my head. “No. But thanks.”
I turn back to Ricco.
“Tear down everything until you find him,” Ricco says.
With brutal efficiency, they begin.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
INTERROGATION
Ricco
Dani and I are both slumped in chairs, exhausted, when they find him. It’s taken them two hours and several million dollars’ worth of damage. And now the real work begins.
"This who you’re looking for, boss?" Gino asks, holding a bedraggled officer by the scruff of the neck.
"That's him," Dani says in a tired voice. "He's the one that came into my shop."
Excellent.
"Thank you. Leave him here with me. Everyone else can go.” I stare at my men. “We are off. The. Grid. Am I clear?"
"Of course."
Gino shoves the guy into a chair before leaving with the rest of the men.
Timeo’s voice comes over the speakers. “Dude, as far as the online world is concerned, this car dealership has been obliterated from the face of the Earth," he says with relish. I'm glad my brother’s so fucking good at what he does.
Dani bites her lip nervously. “What are you going to do?”
"Depends on what I need." Sullivan glares at me.
I shake my head and blow out a breath, walk over to the coffee pot, and flick the switch. They both watch me warily.
"Do you know who she is?” I begin.
"I do. Your fuck toy," Sullivan says. He's trying to get under my skin, but I'm not that easily baited. I crack a smile.
"You think you're playing with someone who’s new to this game," I say, shaking my head. "Fucking asshole. You know that her husband faked his death. I know that you've been complicit in hiding the evidence of that. Her kid is missing." I take the two cups of coffee and walk casually toward Officer Sullivan, who’s glaring at me warily. Dani sits primly, her hands folded in her lap.
Part of me wants to tell her to leave, to close her eyes, to go in another room so she doesn't have to see the violent side of me.
But I'm done hiding. I'm done lying. I did what I thought I had to, and this is the next step.
I look straight into Dani's eyes though I’m talking to Sullivan. "I love this woman. I love her daughter as if she were my own." I swing my gaze back to Sullivan’s. "Keep that in mind."
"What makes you think I know anything?" he scoffs, doing that stereotypical move where he looks up at the ceiling. Classic.
"I don't think. I know. With every fucking second that you waste, Emmy’s not with her mother." I take a step over to him. "We’ll begin with you explaining why her husband faked his death.”
Sullivan fumes. "I have no idea what you're talking about."
With a quick flick of my wrist, I pour the scalding coffee on his lap. He screams and tries to get to his feet, but I shove him back down.
"Try that again.”
He's writhing, slapping at his legs, trying to get the steaming liquid off the fabric.
"Tell me why, and I'll let you take them off."
"He was trying to frame you for murder. He wanted to bring you down. He said something about the Montavios fucking with friends, and you were the easiest target. He knew that you’d defend your brother, and he knew that you'd hit him.”
I draw in a deep breath and meet Dani's eyes.
The entire interior of the showroom smells like hot coffee. I hold the second cup in my hand.
I place the second cup of coffee on the side table, and I remove my belt. Dani and Sullivan watch me carefully. I pull Sullivan's hands behind his back and quickly tie them, looping the belt around his wrists and securing them. "I have more questions. You’re going to answer them."
"And if I don't?" he grits, probably to save face, because this asshole just gave away half of his deck of cards because I poured a little coffee on his lap. Jesus.
I have many weapons at my disposal, I've been here before. I'm not proud of that fact.
Psychological manipulation, physical intimidation, sensory deprivation… I could keep him awake for days, all to make him give me information. I could threaten his family. I could beat him senseless. But time is of the essence, and there are only certain things I want Dani to see.
I take off my T-shirt and wrap it around his eyes, quickly cinching it at the back of his head. If he doesn't know what I'm doing, a coward like him is going to imagine the worst.
I point to the desk where a pair of scissors and a stapler are sitting. I beckon for Dani to get them.
"You know who I am."
He licks his lips and swallows, obviously disturbed. It helps when my reputation precedes me.
"I do."
"I need you to tell me. Why did he fake his death? It has to do with more than simply framing me."