Page 128 of Hurt

“You’ve always been a giant pain in the ass.” Luther stepped to the side and twitched his fingers. Two more goons shouldered their way through The Sunspots door.

They had Willow between them.

A piece of duct tape was slapped over her lips and rigid fingers were digging into her arms hard enough to bruise.

“I need you to cooperate, Kurt. Otherwise, I’m going to do something you’ll regret.” He gestured to a wide-eyed Willow.

He didn’t move. His eyes flicked from the short man to his sister. Willow shook her head imploringly, her gray eyes almost a perfect match to the shiny tape over her mouth.

“Was it nine fingers?” Luther asked with an arched brow.

His goon dragged one of Willow’s hands up and slapped it on the table. Forcibly spreading out the digits, he separated the pointer. Willow kicked and jerked, but she couldn’t break free of their grip. The duct tape muffled her screams.

“I’m sure she can find a way to play without a few fingers.”

A blade flashed as the man withdrew it from a hidden sheath. Long and sharp, he laid it against Willow’s finger just above the knuckle. There was no way a small knife like that could cut through bone cleanly. It would be a slow, torturous process.

“Stop it,” Kurt gritted out, forcing his hands down. “She isn’t part of this.”

“She is the only thing keeping you docile,” Luther said with a smile. Not the same pleasant one as before, a vicious kind of smile. The kind that made a cold chill to race down Kurt’s spine.

The knife dug into Willow’s skin, drawing a thin line of blood. She whimpered around the tape, tears spilling down her cheeks.

“Give me Noah.”

“Are you really asking me to choose between my sister and my nephew?”

Luther rolled his eyes. “You know, I have never understood the appeal. First you Becketts, then the Weavers. What is so special about this scrawny piece of gutter trash?” He looked over at Willow with disdain.

“I don’t know where Noah is.” Kurt ignored Luther’s comments. “Threatening him cannot magically give me information I don’t have.”

“This is tedious.” Luther gestured to his man with the broken nose. “Grab him.”

It took everything in Kurt not to hit him again. The man cautiously grabbed him by the bicep and guided him outside. Only the sight of the blood running down Willow’s slender finger kept his hands by his side.

They were pulled outside. Blinking, his eyes slowly adjusted to the change in brightness.

Three cars were parked beside Roland’s. Engines idling, it was clear Luther had not anticipated spending much time in The Sunspot.

Kurt was pushed down to his knees. Catching himself with his hands, he grunted when the sharp chalky gravel dug into his palms.

“One more chance.”

“Or you’ll what?” Kurt spat.

A pair of boots appeared in his vision. Two pointed toes stared back at him. He recognized the red and black snakeskin pattern.

“Or I’ll drag you right over the boundary into Vega territory,” Luther threatened smugly.

Kurt’s mouth went dry as Ezra knelt into his line of sight. His arms were resting over his knees and his smirk was almost playful.

“Hello pet. You have no idea how happy I am to see you.”

Every muscle in Kurt’s body contracted. Nausea roiled in his stomach, and he could taste bile. Fear made him immobile. That sinister face was branded into his memories. He saw it every night in his nightmares. But he never expected to see him in person. Close enough he could touch him.

Even if he believed that Luther would let him go, he would never give Noah to this man. Never again. Ten years ago, he had thought sending Noah to White Sand Mesa would give him the best life.

He had mistakenly sent his nephew to the devil himself.