Chapter 32
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
AKIO
Mom stabbed the knife into Duncan’s ribs. “I told you to get me the fucking money.”
I leaned against the farthest wall and scanned the room to find an exit strategy without looking like I was finding an exit strategy. Mom had been stabbing and torturing him for about three hours now, and I wanted to go home.
Why did she insist that I watch this? She knew I wasn’t going to do anything for her.
And I sure as hell wasn’t going to be her puppet that she could use and throw away.
When another scream left Duncan’s throat, I glanced over to see him convulsing. Two guards held him steady, their arms around his to keep him upright. I didn’t ask how they had stood like that for hours on end, but they were loyal dogs for her.
Hell, I didn’t even know why she was torturing him or who he was to her.
“Akio!” Mom shouted. “Come here.”
“I don’t want my clothes to get blood on them.”
“Here. Now!”
After growling under my breath, I crossed my arms and walked over to her, making sure to keep a good few feet away. This was now my all-time favorite shirt, especially after Nicole had ground her pussy all over it at the library. I didn’t want to ruin it.
Mom held out the knife. “Your turn.”
“No.”
“Take it.”
“No.”
“Akio!” she growled, pressing the knife against my neck. “Take the motherfucking knife.”
Blood dripped off it, rolled down my neck, and stained my shirt. I snatched the blade from her and clenched my teeth together. Now, I would definitely have to clean this tonight. Curse that wo?—
“Now, kill him.”
“No.”
“You’ve killed my men before,” she snarled. “So, kill him.”
“He didn’t do anything to me,” I said. “No.”
She stalked around me and nodded her head, not breaking eye contact with me once. “Oh, so you only kill men who betray you. Tell me, son , what did Santos do to you? Because the only thing that he had been doing that night was Nic?—”
I sliced the knife into Duncan’s throat, killing him instantly.
I didn’t want her to continue talking. I didn’t want her asking questions. I didn’t want to get Nicole involved with my mother and her dogs in the slightest. If they found out that she was the reason I’d killed Santos, God only fucking knew what Rick would do to her.
Duncan’s legs gave out, and the guards dragged him out of the room.
“Are you happy?” I asked, shoving the grip of the knife at her.
After taking it from me, she narrowed her eyes. “Get out of here.”
I twirled around and grabbed my coat from the table by the doorway. My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I snuck a peek at it while Mom shouted at one of her men to bring the next guy she would torture into the room.
Nicole: I know it’s late, but wanna meet up?
Eyes widening, I stared at the message. Nicole wanted to meet up with me at this time. It was nearly one in the morning, and we had school tomorrow. If she wanted to meet this late, it was either something serious or she wanted to hook up.
Me: Are you sure you have the right number?
Nicole: Yes, I’m talking to you, Akio.
While I thought she would’ve been off calling Jace Harbor, I wasn’t going to pass up the chance to see Nicole. So, I slipped out of the building and headed for my car parked a few buildings down.
Me: I can be at the Overlook in ten minutes.
Nicole: See you then. 3
A heart? My eyes widened even more that I thought they would burst out of my head.
Nicole: SORRY, I MEANT :)
As I slipped into my car, I ignored her last message and pretended like she had meant to send me a heart. It hadn’t been a slip of her fingers, accidentally hitting an emoji on the keyboard. She’d actually had to type the less-than symbol and the number three.
Warmth spread throughout my chest.
But even if it had been a mistake, maybe, one day, she’d mean it.