Page 146 of Merciless Obsession

Rock’s eyes shifted from Nazai to me. “I don’t know what you’re talking about?” His body shook and his head moved side to side.

“Now, now. No need to lie. The dad already told us the truth before he met his end.” I stood next to my brother.

“I-I,” He babbled. His mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water.

“I- I,” I mocked and swung Wilma, slamming it into his side, causing his back to buckle and him to cry out in pain. “Who did you give the girl to when you got her?”

“Please, please.” He coughed and groaned.

“Not the answer I’m looking for.” I swung Wilma again.

“Ez, chill.” Nazai placed his hand on my wrist. “We need him to still be able to talk.”

My jaw clenched and I nodded. I kept picturing what Tiffany looked like battered, scared, and chained in that cage. Nothing was worse than people who preyed on innocent kids.

“Now, as you can see, my brother here lacks the patience I have, so why don’t we speed this along,” Nazai said. “The girl you got. What did you do when you received her?”

Cashlynn had come back and was standing on the other side of Nazai now.

“Her dad gave her to me. He owed me some money, and to repay me, he gave me her,” he struggled out. Blood seeped from his mouth now.

“And then what?” My eyes narrowed.

“My cou-cousin. He told me I can make the money I was owed back and then some.” He winced as he attempted to move. “Look, man, if I didn’t get the money for the drugs, I was gonna be in a lot of trouble. When my cousin let me know about this business he was in, I didn’t want to do it, but I had no choice.” He shook his head.

My tongue went across my top teeth.

“So you chose to sell a teenage girl to save yourself?” River asked. “That’s some fucked up shit, man.”

Anger crossed his face. “Her dad okayed it!”

My arm was moving before I could think. Wilma slammed against his other side. “So that makes it okay? If someone sold your sister into something like that would you be okay with it?”

Emmet looked Rock up. He had two sisters and a brother. He was the middle child, right between his two sisters.

“My family depends on me. I had to do what I had to do,” he gritted, then released a fit of coughs.

“Who does your cousin work for?” Nazai asked.

Rock shook his head. “I don’t know. I never saw them. He picked up the girl and delivered the cash. I didn’t ask any questions.” Tears clouded his eyes. “I promise that was the only time. I won’t do it again if you let me go.” His words grew more winded. He coughed out more blood.

“Men like you are the worst,” Cashlynn spat with her nose up and disgust written on her face.

“What’s the cousin’s name?” Emmet asked.

Rock struggled to keep his eyes open as he gazed around the room. He must have finally realized there was no getting out of this because his body sagged and tears silently fell down his cheeks.

The next ten minutes was spent getting all he knew out of him, which wasn’t a lot. We didn’t know if his cousin worked with The Veil, but from what Rock knew it sounded like he did. His cousin was a trucker who worked for some rich people who paid him a lot to drive their trucks and work with discretion. We had a name, and with that, Emmet could learn more about him.

“Just make it so my mama can have an open casket, please,” Rock begged, accepting his fate.

Without answering him and with a blank face, Nazai lifted his gun, pointed it, and pulled the trigger, silencing Rock forever.

CHAPTER 30

ZIORA

“Comfort Home, a well-known home and furniture company that operates out of the city. They use in-house trucks and ships to transport their merchandise. With more than one hundred stores around the country, they’re one of the largest home goods companies. It’s a family run company that’s been around since the sixties,” Emmet said, projecting his findings on the screen. “Silver Stone is their second largest operating office, run by Christian and Steven Payne. They’re the two oldest grandsons of Melvin Payne, the founder of Comfort Home. Melvin had seven kids, four boys and three girls. Christian and Steven belong to their oldest daughter, but third kid.”