Page 140 of The Kingpin's Call Girl

“Believe it,” Bender says. “I hear even my brother, Alteo, knew you were a fraud. I’m not surprised. I knew Alteo. We were working together. Did you know that? We made an excellent team, the two Zogajes.”

“Did my guy give you a name? The one who gave you the hair sample?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know. But I promised I wouldn’t reveal his name, and I keep my promises.”

Edie snorts.

“Shut up!” He yanks her hair.

I’ve never wanted to kill a man so badly.

Meanwhile, Mary’s hooked the gun and is dragging it slowly toward the cage. Does she know how to use it?

I distract him with more bullshit about Alteo. Mary has the gun in her hand now.

If Edie notices what’s going on, she’s not showing it. She’s tough as nails.

I fucking love her, and I can’t believe I bulldozed her with that text bullshit. I should have trusted her to handle this guy. Maybe she would’ve wanted to stay at my place and do her homework. She’d be safe right now.

I can tell by the way Mary’s holding the gun that she’s used one before; she seems to be checking for the safety, which she’ll find off.

She gives me a look.

Will she take a shot if Bender takes the gun off Edie? It’s the obvious move.

I have to get the gun off Edie.

“Do you have the Zogaj birthmark?” I ask Bender suddenly.

“What Zogaj birthmark?” he asks.

“It’s usually on the belly.”

“Is this where you try to trick me into looking for a birthmark and jump me?”

“I’ll show you mine.” In one quick motion, I pull up my shirt. It’s enough to trigger his cop training, and he takes his gun off Edie.

Mary takes her shot, getting him in the knee. He collapses from the impact, his gun arm pointing skyward. Another shot sounds out. His gun.

I launch into his legs.

He falls.

I whip him around and get on top of him. My fist crashes down into his face with the fury of a thousand hells. “Here’s your prophecy.” Blood spatters everywhere. Over and over I hit him. There’s the sick crunch of cartilage—his nose. I drive my knuckles straight into his windpipe, crushing it.

I let him choke on his own blood while I take the keys from his pocket and open the door.

“Edie!” I go to her, grab her shoulders, pull her to me. “Fuck, what did he do?”

“I’m okay.”

“Get the cuffs off,” Mary says.

I turn Edie around and kneel behind her, unlocking the handcuffs. Her right hand is swollen.

She gasps the moment she’s free, rubbing her wrist.

I put the cuffs and the keys in my jacket pocket and cradle her face in my palms. “Edie.” I brush my thumbs over her cheekbones, gliding my fingers over her neck and over her shoulders.