Page 91 of Red Retaliation

My brothers.

And that theory is a thousand times worse than anything else.

There’s also the slight issue - one which I’ve dismissed - that Arianna believes it was them she overheard talking in the corridor.

My eyes narrow. It was also Oscar and Liam who flagged up the tail on the way back from Steve’s wake, as well as the “unknown person” at the place itself. Both of which turned out to be false alarms...

I shake my head. I don’t want to consider it a possibility. Ican’t. Not my brothers. It’s insane.

They wouldn’t.

Inwardly resetting myself, I instead concentrate on the pleasure to come: Tom Slater.

Casually turning from the French windows, my gaze flits around, pleased that my instructions have been followed to the letter. I revel in the terror of the wide, bulging eyes of the man kneeling on a tarpaulin spread out in the center of the suite’s living area. One cheekbone is already smashed, and there’s a tooth missing, as well as a few clumps of hair. I nod at Liam, who promptly releases his grip of Slater’s head.

“I-I don’t understand what this is about, Mr Bateman,” Tom Slater gabbles, his panic escalating.

“I don’t believe that for a minute, Tom.” I glance at my Rolex. Five minutes and he’ll be gone, but in the meantime, there’s time for a little game. There’s not much better in life than giving cunts like Slater the belief there’s a chance they might escape with their lives, when in reality, anyone with a brain knows that won’t happen.

Not to thieves. And not on my turf.

“Are you honestly telling me you have no idea why you’re here? Oh! I forgot... Honesty isn’t one of your strong points, is it?”

“What? No... I mean I don’t know why I’m here... I don’t understand... I thought that...”

Slater’s bullshit ends as I boot him in the face, sending him sprawling backwards.

Liam laughs at Slater’s howls of pain and yanks him back into the center of the tarpaulin. “Silly cunt thought himself all special when I told him this is your room and said we’d come here to do a few lines of coke - your treat.”

“No!” Slater chokes, his fingers fumbling with his smashed nose. “I didn’t think th...”

“Maybe he thought there would be a couple of hookers lined up for him too.” Liam nonchalantly takes a seat in an armchair to the right of the tarpaulin.

“You have absolutely no idea what this is about?” I pace around, my eyes not moving from the sniveling mess of Tom Slater for one second.

“I don’t know what I’ve done wrong! I’ve worked for you for years. I’ve worked really hard and I...”

“Yes, you have!” And now it all makes sense. I can’t believe I’ve lost sight of myself not to see it before! It’s Slater! Tom Slater is the one who’s been passing information back to the Bristonis and Galvatores!

My teeth clench, irritation rising that this cunt actually allowed me to start suspecting my own brothers.

It wasSlaterwho Arianna overheard in the corridor, not them. Now I’ll enjoy this even more than I was before.

Spinning around, I pull my gun from my waistband, loving the burbling squeaks of fear spilling from Slater’s smashed mouth. The gun isn’t loaded. I wouldn’t waste a bullet on this toerag. Plus, it will make a mess, and as Arianna will be in here later, there can be no sign of anything untoward going on. Besides, my plan is much better.

But Slater doesn’t know that.

“I’ve found it most hurtful that you took it upon yourself to steal from me.”

“W-What? Steal? No! I didn’t!” Slater’s hands flail around. “I wouldn’t do that! I’d never... I...”

“Hmm...” I wonder if this dramatic hand waving is part of some major denial, but his efforts are in vain. Sitting down in the armchair to the left of the tarpaulin, I point my gun at Slater. “You see, amongst other things, I’ve discovered that you’ve been skimming off the coke drops. You’ve been doing it for some time, which is a very silly, greedy thing to do.”

“N-No! I...” Slater’s eyes dart between me and Liam. “Please! There must be a mistake! I... It’s...”

“Shut it!” Liam’s fist smashes Slater in the temple, knocking him face forward this time.

“Dear, oh dear. Still lying?” I snarl. “Get the fuck back up!” I wait until Tom scrambles back to his knees, his whole body shaking. He knows it’s all over.