Page 48 of Ashes

I pushed off the doorframe and walked over to him, closing the distance. “Now, where were we?”

“I-I can explain,” he tripped over his words, backing away from me.

“There’s no need.” I tapped my fingers on the front of my suit pocket where a microscopic camera was attached. “I’ve got everything here.”

Shock colored his face. “Please, don’t tell my wife.”

I gave him a rough laugh. “She deserves better, but that’s not why I’m here.”

“I-I’ll get you your money,” he promised, but I knew better.

“We’re past that now. I need something else from you.”

I took another step in his direction and he stepped back, cornering himself into the wall and giving me the perfect opportunity to pull my gun out.

His hands shot up, his shoulders hunching. “Please don’t kill me. I’ll give you anything you want.”

Using the barrel of my gun, I gave him a small tap on his cheek. He flinched, closing his eyes shut. “Now where would the fun be if I did that?” I taunted.

He opened his eyes when the cold metal left his skin.

I sighed, resting on the edge of the bed, my gun aimed at him. He was trembling and I reveled in it.

“Back to you giving me everything I want,” I told him calmly and he lowered his defenses.

“Anything, I swear.”

I smirked. “Good.” Not wanting to waste any more time, I said, “I need you to give me the time Bianchi is meeting with Barrera next Friday. And I would refrain fromlying and telling me you have no idea what I’m talking about. I know you’re on their payroll and they’re using your offices to meet.”

Kai, Valentina, and I had tried everything, but we still couldn’t figure out the time of the meeting. We’d combed every email and document shared between Bianchi and Barrera with no luck. So I’d decided to take the old-fashioned route of blackmailing.

He straightened up, his face paling even more. “I can’t do that.”

“You can and you will. If you refuse, the video I just recorded of you with two girls who are probably the same age as your daughter will be plastered on every media outlet on the island I can find. I don’t believe you’d want your wife to find out about your indiscretions or your constituents to learn how you like to spend their money.”

“But they’ll kill me if they?—”

I sighed. “I don’t particularly care. And it’s only if they find out.” I clicked the safety off, aiming the barrel at his head. “Now, be a good boy and give me the information I need or I’ll be the one to kill you.”

He brought his hands back up in front of his face, shielding himself. As if they would protect him from a bullet.

Pathetic.

“O-okay, I’ll tell you. Just please don’t shoot me,” he begged, warily eyeing the weapon aimed at him.

I pointed the silencer lower and shot the side of his knee. “I’m running out of patience, Senator Ricci.”

He screamed in pain and fell to his knees. His hands clasped on the wound as blood seeped out, painting the beige fabric red.

So dramatic. I barely grazed him.

“We’re supposed to leave the office before seven p.m.,” he whimpered. “That’s all I know, I swear.” He cried quietly, holding on tightly to his injured knee.

“See, that was easy. If you tell anyone this conversation took place, your little escapade from tonight will find its way to the entire island,” I informed him, then got up and exited the room.

“Did you have to shoot him?” Kai asked when I pushed the button for the elevator.

I tucked the gun in my waistband behind my back as I stepped into the cabin. “It was for good measure. Besides, I barely made a dent in him. He was exaggerating his injury. “