Page 107 of Madness & Mercy

Julian leans in, his voice dropping.“Because the only reason you’re still breathing is because I asked him not to kill you yet.”

I fold my arms and watch. I’m studying both of them. One I already know is a liar. The other… well… he’s a mystery I plan to solve with my bare hands if I have to.

“You know me,” Julian says coldly. “You know what I used to do for Braga. You really think I give a shit about what happens to you?”

Those words land heavy:what I used to do for Braga.

I study his face for a crack, a twitch, anything that gives it away. Was it killing? Torture? Drugs? Or all of it wrapped in that beautiful, broken package?

The hostage flinches.

Julian notices. His smirk sharpens. He steps in, crouching to eye level with him like a wolf studying its prey.

“I used to be like you, strung out and desperate. A junkie doing whatever Braga told me, just for atasteof poison. But I crawled out of that pit, and now?” He leans in, his voice low and vicious.“Now I want Braga’s head on a fucking spike.”

“You’re lying,” the guy rasps, a flash of fear in his eyes. “You always were.”

Julian tilts his head before standing upright.

He paces once, then stops.

“What’s your name?”

The man glares up at him, then spits on the floor between them.

“I’m not telling you shit.”

Julian clicks his tongue, sighing.

“Then you die nameless. Braga’s nameless bitch.”

He lunges forward, seizing the guy by the throat with one hand, pushing him back against the chair until the legs scrape across the floor.

“You wanna die protecting a man who treats you like garbage? Fine by me. But if you’ve got a shred of self-preservation left in that cracked skull, you’ll give us something. A location. A time. A fuckingname.Help us bury Braga, and maybe we’ll let you crawl away from this with your life.”

The guy wheezes, face red, eyes watering. Julian doesn’t let go. He holds him there until his legs start twitching.

“Alright!” the man gasps. “Alright, just—let go.”

Julian releases him with a shove, and he collapses forward, coughing.

“He’s running product through a shop on the west side,” the man chokes out. “Auto body place off Delano. He’s not always there, but his crew is. Next shipment’s moving this afternoon.”

I step closer, arms folded. Calm, but sharp.

“That’s a start. What else?”

The man swallows hard. “That’s all I’ve got. Swear to God.”

I exchange a look with Julian.

“You believe him?” I ask.

Julian shrugs. “Doesn’t matter. We check it out. If he’s lying, we burn the place to the ground.”

I grin. “Sounds like a plan.”

I glance down at the hostage. “We’ll deal with you later.”