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“And Raph agreed to that?” Gabe asks.

“Yeah, why wouldn’t he?” I ask. Rami explained to me that they stage the crime scene at times, instead of making the donor disappear. It steers the investigations in the wrong direction and helps to keep the police away from the family side business.

“Because Raph usually doesn’t listen to anyone and does as he pleases,” Linda says, smiling at me.

“Not with me. I mean, he can be bossy, but…” I stop talking since everybody is looking strangely at me.

“Do you remember our last Friday together?” Meg suddenly asks me. “We talked about the idea of a vigilante eliminating evil from the streets.”

Holy shit! Was she testing me? I look at her, but her eyes remain focused straight ahead. On Raph.

“And do you remember what you said?” she asks me.

I swallow, searching for my answer. “That the vigilante should be careful. If his motivations are dark, he could get lost in them. Turn into the same evil he’s trying to eradicate.”

“He needs an anchor that keeps him on the right path.” She finally looks at me, and I know she’s talking about Raph and me. I’m his anchor.

My eyes fall on Gabe. He’s looking at me with what seems like longing filling his eyes. I must be mistaken, because when I blink, his gaze is as cold as ever.

“Bets are on. Hundred each,” Linda says.

“Always such high stakes,” Rami complains.

“Bets?” I ask, looking around and realizing how all of them have created a shield around me. Sari and Meg are at my sides, while Linda and Rami are standing behind me. Even Gabe, with his six-foot-three presence, makes me feel protected.

“It has to be his hands. He tried to strangle Raph,” Rami says.

“Dick. Raph thought Polsner wanted to fuck Michael,” Gabe utters, looking at his phone.

“Are they betting on what Raph is going to… cut first?” I ask Sari.

He nods like his brothers are casually talking about the weather. Fucking unbelievable.

“Raph will use him as an axe-throwing target,” Linda chimes in.

“That’s his favorite weapon,” Sari agrees. My boyfriend has a favorite weapon.

Meg remains silent. From what I gather, she isn’t usually part of all this. Is she here for me?

“Polsner’s eyes,” I blurt out. When in Rome…

Everybody turns my way, making me uncomfortable. More than I already am. Standing in front of a torture chamber. Waiting for the torture to start. While taking part in a macabre bet. So damn surreal. And yet… I’ve never felt more at ease.

“Why?” Sari asks me, pushing his glasses up his nose.

“I heard Polsner told Raph he had a claim on me because he saw me first. And since Raph is very possessive…” I let my words trail off.

“Fuck a duck,” Rami mumbles.

“Oh, it’s starting,” Linda says, full of excitement. She pushes the button on the intercom to let us hear.

“Wake up, Sloppy Killer. Let the fun begin,” Raph hisses at a still-disoriented Polsner.

I can see he’s trying to open his eyes, and from his mouth, a trail of drool runs down his chin. What the hell did they give him to knock him out like this?

Raph is holding a drill, turning it on and off, on and off. The sound creeps me out. His demeanor is menacing, I can feel his coldness spreading all around, even though there’s a glass wall dividing us. He walks to Polsner, and with his free hand, slaps him hard on the face.

“Where am I?” the detective asks.