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It’s been a whole day since I’ve seen Brawler or Oscar. Magnum will have told them what’s going on by now. Hopefully, they got Johnny out of jail and they’re figuring something out together. Something with the Dragons maybe? K plans on double-crossing them. Maybe Magnum can use the Dragons to do the same, and then double-cross both their asses by throwing everyone in jail.
Well, not everyone. K’s going to hell. That’s a fact.
The sound of footsteps on stairs makes its way to me. I scramble up the cell bars, using them as leverage to pull myself to my feet while my body screams at me. I’ve never fought so hard for myself. Never felt so powerless or wracked with fear.
And I never want to feel that way again.
Trey comes into view. I kick the package of pads under the bars, hoping they’re out of his view. I don’t know what he’ll do or say if he thinks someone is giving me such a basic necessity. Since K seemed so grossed out by it, you’d think he’d have brought down the appropriate products himself.
“You look like shit.”
“Fuck off,” I say, still gripping the cell bars while my injured hand throbs. I sneer at him.
“You’re supposed to be a prize for the Dragons, but they might take one look at you and forget the whole thing.”
“I guess K can let me take a shower then.”
Trey chuckles. He opens the cell door with a key and then stands in front of me. His eyes narrow at my face. “I really want to punch you for that one time you got me in trouble, but you look so pathetic.”
“Don’t let that stop you.”
He doesn’t. He hauls off and gives me a right hook. His knuckles crash against my cheek, but all-in-all, I’ve been hit by worse.
I don’t give him the satisfaction of making a reaction. Instead, I turn to face him again. “Am I up?”
“Hopefully, the leader of the Dragons gives you what you deserve.”
“A horse? I always wanted a horse.”
Damn. I’m way too mouthy for someone who’s currently being held captive. Meh. If this is my last hurrah, I better make it a good one.
Trey yanks my arm, and we walk toward the steps. It turns out this is a sub-sub basement, only reachable by a set of metal steps. The elevator doesn’t even go down this far, which I found out last night. We climb to the next level, and Trey shoves a rusty metal door open, revealing the parking area. Trey keeps his tight hold as he marches me across the length of the lot, stopping in front of a black Escalade limo.
“He’s waiting for you.” Trey yanks the limo door open and shoves me in.
I sprawl out on the seat but recover quickly. I pull my feet in and face the surrounding leather couches. K’s drinking a glass full of amber liquid against one side. No one else is in sight. “New ride?”
K isn’t in a friendly mood anymore. I almost miss his Satan-esque laughter. “We bring this one out for special occasions.”
“Like taking over new territory?”
“Exactly like taking over new territory.” This brings a smile to his lips. “I’ve waited a long time for this,” K drawls on, turning the glass in his hands and watching the lights play over the liquid. “Unlike my predecessor, I was never happy with just the Heights. Growth. Expansion. You’d be surprised at the underground world living just on the edges of society. I was enthralled as soon as I was introduced to it. Sex. Drugs. Money. That’s the core. On the outside though, you have gambling rings, prostitution, and drug trafficking. It’s a shame the sheep living their uptight lives don’t see the freedom that’s right under their noses. The things that are right there for the taking.”
“I guess that’s a good thing for you,” I deadpan. “You don’t seem like you like to share.”
“Sharing is for the weak.”
Or the kind-hearted, I think. The caring. The people who have more values in their little toe than this fucker has in his whole being. “Any plan I should know about? Just stand there and be quiet, I assume?”
“You’re finally learning. It’s a shame my Johnny couldn’t wrangle you under control before you ruined him.”
“He’s not your Johnny.”
Pure anger radiates from K. He slams his glass down. “Now he’s neither of ours.”
“I’d rather give him up than have him still be stuck with you. I’d rather him spend his life in prison than spend his time with an abusive father figure who doesn’t even care about him. Besides, you’re wrong. I didn’t ruin Johnny. I didn’t take him from you. You pushed him away.”
“I gave him everything he ever wanted.”