“Where is he?”
My throat tightened.My wrists burned against the rope.
“Where,” he repeated, “is the man who killed my brother?”
I blinked at him.Slow.Because I needed to buy time.I needed to think.That was all I could think to do to survive.
He leaned forward, getting in my face.His breath smelled like cigarettes and cheap liquor.
“You can play dumb, but I’m not an idiot.My brother died in an alley trying to bring you here.Who killed him?”His jaw ticked.
There was no man.Just me.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I whispered.
Wrong answer.
His hand lashed out, fast and brutal, cracking across my face so hard my head whipped sideways.I tasted blood instantly, warm and coppery.
He grabbed my chin, digging his fingers in.
“You think I believe that?”he snarled.“My brother wasn’t some street rat.Someone trained did that to him.”He leaned closer.“You tell me who.Or I’ll make you tell me.”
I met his stare.My vision swam from the slap, but I didn’t look away.
“I killed him.”
The room fell silent.Even the buzzing bulb seemed to stop.
He stared at me.Then he laughed—a harsh, humorless bark that chilled me.
“You?”Disgust blistered his tone.“A girl?You expect me to believe you slit a man’s throat?”
“Yes.”
He backhanded me again, harder.Pain exploded behind my eyes.My ears rang.
“You think you’re funny?”he roared.“You think this is a game?My brother is dead.DEAD.And you’re lying to my face because you think you’re safe?”
Safe.I almost laughed.
He grabbed a fistful of my hair and yanked my head back.
“You tell me his name.You tell me where he is.And maybe, just maybe, I’ll let you live another day.”
I breathed through my nose, swallowing controlled breaths of air.
“I’m telling you… the truth.”I repeated.
He swung me into the wall.
My skull cracked against cement.Stars burst behind my eyes.Something warm dripped down my neck, and I couldn’t tell if it was blood or sweat.
The man paced, muttering curses in another language.He looked seconds from snapping.
He turned back.His fist flew.
It hit my ribs.I choked on the impact, curling forward instinctively.Another hit.And another.My ribs screamed.My body folded, trying to protect itself.