Chapter 19
Felix
All Felix wanted to do was grab Brett and take him to bed and not come up for several days—or weeks.
They had crossed an invisible boundary when Felix had returned, and he wanted to investigate it and see where it took them.
But instead, he had to have his common-sense hat on and suggest they get stuff done.
He wanted to kick his own ass sometimes.
He wouldn’t give up his friends or family for the world, though, and although he wanted nothing more than not to be there, he was helping, listening and figuring stuff out.
However, interrogating Maddox was another matter.
That was going to be his job. If Maddox knew who and what Felix was, then he wouldn’t be surprised when Felix brought out his toys.
His colleagues were catching on that he was a sniper, which was fair enough, but there was one thing he wasn’t sure even Brett knew about what Felix’s uncle had taught him.
Interrogation techniques.
It was one area of expertise he wished he hadn’t excelled at, but when it came to his family, he would do whatever it took.
Whatever it took. And if it meant Brett wouldn’t look at him the same way again, then he would deal.
He’d been alone long enough; he could manage a few more years before someone took him out.
But he hoped Brett wouldn’t see him because he was about to ask him not to.
“No way in hell!” Brett said. “There’s no way in hell you are going in there alone with that asshole.”
Felix stared at him, his chest aching with the dear he saw in his expression. “He can’t hurt me here. The hurting will all be on him.” He exhaled. “I don’t want you to see what I can do, Brett,” he whispered.
“I know what you can do, but I just don’t think it will work on him. He’s Malcolm’s son, for god’s sake. He’s a whole other breed of…of…of something.” Brett raked his fingers through his hair, making Felix wish it were his fingers.
“Brett…” Felix waited until his boss looked at him again. “You don’t know what I can do. I will make him talk. But I don’t want you to see what I do to make him.”
Brett stared at him, his eyes clouding slightly with understanding. “Your uncle?” Felix licked his lips and nodded but said nothing. Brett sighed and put his hand on his hips, staring at the floor for a few long moments. “Fine. But someone will be going with you. You’re not going in there alone.”
Felix’s stomach churned. He didn’t want anyone to see his other side. The side he hid from everyone and had hoped was never necessary to bring out. However, needs must. “Owen.”
Brett’s jaw clenched, but it didn’t hide the brief flash of hurt that crossed his features, and Felix felt like shit. “I’ll ask him.”
He watched Brett disappear and wanted to call him back again.
As much as he wasn’t concerned about being kidnapped again, his body turned jittery whenever Brett was out of sight.
He had never overheard anything about Brett while he’d been locked up, and Rico had never mentioned him, but that didn’t stop the general unease in his body and mind that something was coming for Brett.
All of this was about Brett. All of it. He wasn’t sure how he knew, but he did.
And whenever Brett wasn’t with him, he couldn’t protect him.
And he would protect that man with his life.
He pulled out his phone, using the few minutes he had to send his friends a message.
FELIX: I’m back. Miss me?
JASON: Oh my fucking god! Where the hell have you been? I was worried sick!
KAI: So good to hear from you. Did you enjoy your holiday?
Felix grinned. Trust Kai to joke about being on holiday. He replied just as Owen entered the room without Brett and came up to him. “I hear you need a sidekick.” He grinned. “I volunteer as tribute.”
Felix snorted. “You watch too many films.” He sobered and met Owen’s gaze. “I need to let you know something before we do this. You might rescind your voluntary status.”
Owen shrugged. “I doubt anything you say or do will make that happen.”
“I learnt certain techniques that are now frowned upon in most circles. Techniques that the darker side of people with no conscience might use. It’s never pretty, but it’s effective.”
“Where did you learn that?” Owen murmured.
“From someone who was creating a man as a weapon. That time is now.” He waited, expecting Owen to bow out, but all the man did was nod.
“You won’t like what you see, Owen. It’ll make you look at me differently.
You’ll ask yourself if you ever really knew me at all.
If you ever knew what I was capable of.”
Owen stepped closer. “I know what you’re capable of. The same thing I’m capable of if it was my family I was protecting.”
They stared at one another for a moment before Felix nodded. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
Owen winked, and they headed towards the cell holding the traitor.
It was a balancing act to keep himself on the right side of the line.
One side of him wanted blood, no matter the consequences.
The other side wanted information. Ensuring both sides got what they wanted and he didn’t tip over into becoming what he despised was something he had never had to worry about before because it had never been so close, so personal.
This was going to leave a mark where no one would see it, but he refused to stop himself.
It needed to be done, and he wouldn’t allow anyone else weather the weight of the burden.
They entered the room, Owen closing the door behind them and leaning against it while Felix ventured closer to Maddox. He eyed the room and hoped there wasn’t a hidden camera. They didn’t want any evidence of what Felix was about to do.
“I would say it was nice to see you again, but…” Felix said, stopping in front of the man and crossing his arms.
Maddox grinned, his split lip opening again and blood beading at the top. He swiped at it with his tongue. “I have to say, I am surprised you got out of there. I know they didn’t plan to kill you straight away, but even I expected you to turn up in pieces shortly. I’m impressed.”
“And I live to impress you, of course.” Felix stared at him, face neutral. “Who’s in charge?”
“And what makes you think I’m not?”
Felix couldn’t help it; he barked out a laugh, with Owen joining in, earning a thunderous glare from their prisoner.
“Sorry, that was just too funny.” He stepped back, leaning against the wall and putting one foot flat against it, bending his knee.
“You don’t have the ability to pull this off, Maddox.
You’re like a child playing dress-up in his father’s clothes.
No one takes you seriously, especially not us. ”
Maddox worked his jaw from side to side, and his muscles bunched as if ready to strike, though how he thought he could do that with how he was chained was beyond Felix’s mind.
They had a chain going around his waist, which his wrists were locked to, and then a chain going down to his ankles.
And then, those chains were locked to the floor.
Maddox wasn’t going anywhere unless someone unlocked him.
“You know nothing, Felix,” Maddox spat. “Nothing. You don’t know our world, what we’re capable of. You think you are all higher than me, worth more, better, but you’re not. You’re all sheep, following people around and doing what you’re told. Why be a sheep when you can be a shepherd?”
“Oh, you mean you’re a shepherd?” Felix asked. “In which case, prove it. Prove that you’re better than we are. I highly doubt it.”
“Well, sheep only get pieces of a puzzle, don’t they? They don’t get the entire plan. I’m trusted with everything. Can you say that about Brett or the royals? I don’t think so.”
Felix glanced at Owen and shook his head, raising his eyebrows at the delusions the man spewed.
Did he honestly think he was all that? He doubted it would take much for Maddox to spill what he had, but maybe that was a good thing.
It meant he wouldn’t potentially have to lose Owen’s friendship over what he could’ve done.
“What do they trust you with? Making breakfast for the rest of the team?” Felix taunted, dismissing him with a shake of his head and a roll of his eyes.
“I’ve done stuff right under your noses, and you never even knew it.” Maddox grinned. “Like Matt and Van. So easy to go under the radar and get them out of the way. They never even saw it coming.”
In the blink of an eye, Felix was near him and yanked his finger back hard enough to snap it. Maddox grunted, cursing up a storm, and glared at him, undoubtedly in a bit of pain. But there was more where that came from.
“For every transgression you tell me, I’ll break a bone,” Felix said.
“That doesn’t give me a reason to tell you jack shit,” Maddox growled.
“Ah,” Felix said, holding up his finger. “But for every lie or misinformation you provide, I’ll break three bones. Your choice.”
“You think that scares me? With who my father is? You’re delusional. Bring it on, Felix.”
“Oh, your wish will be my command, Maddox. I’m barely getting started.”
****
Hours later, Felix and Owen left the cell with Felix coated in sweat, blood and tears—not his own—and headed for the showers so he could wash up. Owen walked quietly beside him, the tension palpable. Felix licked his lips.
“I told you that you shouldn’t have been part of it,” Felix muttered as they entered the large, open-plan space.
Owen stopped him with a hand on his arm. “I’m not at all bothered by what you did in there, Felix.” He met Felix’s gaze, strong and steady. “What I am bothered about is how you’re feeling after having to do that?”
Felix stared at him, seeing the empathy in his eyes, and his legs began to wobble. Owen caught him before he hit the floor but continued to lower him until they sat together, Owen’s arms around him.