Chapter 38
EMRIS
I didn’t think about her coming down here with me, but she would’ve fought me if I changed my mind.
She deserves answers from Susie as much as I do.
Which is why I keep my eyes on Brielle as she leans against the wall, her gaze trained on Susie, who’s still in the same position as she was earlier.
They hold each other’s eyes until I break the silence.
“Let’s get this shit over with. I have better things to do with my time. Like kill your boss,” I say, pulling a metal chair up and plopping down in it.
Before we came down here, I asked Carson to take care of the dead body, and it looks like nothing ever happened.
“I won’t tell you anything,” Susie says, glaring at me even as fear flickers in her eyes. She’s scared of me after watching me brutally kill a man, and any sane person would be, at the very least, nervous. I can see it all over her face as she tries to hide it.
“What’s Peter planning, and why is he so interested in you?” I ask, knowing that I can probably get something out of her for Brielle. Anything to help answer the same question she’d asked me. I already know he uses her for women in exchange for drugs and money—that much is clear.
“I told you, I’m not telling you shit.” She spits at my feet, and I sigh.
“You will. Unless you’d rather I slit your throat right here and now.” I lean forward, my elbows going to my knees as I study her. Brielle lets out a small gasp, but she doesn’t say anything.
Susie stays quiet, so I shrug and stand, taking things to the next level. I was hoping this wouldn’t be necessary—not with Brielle down here—but this is taking too long. I didn’t get enough information from the first asshole, and I need more from Susie.
“When is the next auction, Susie?” I ask, stepping over to my table.
My eyes roam over each tool, trying to decide what would be the best to try out first. Nothing too extreme as I don’t want to scare Brielle, but something enough to hurt. I smile when my eyes land on the taser. I think this will do for now.
I pick it up and it’s heavy in my hand. Maybe a little shock is what we need to get her mouth to fucking work. The tap of my shoes on the floor is the only sound in the room. It’s deadly quiet, but not for long.
I press the button on the taser and watch Susie’s eyes grow wide, but I don’t waste a second before pressing the top of the taser to her stomach. She screams out in pain, and after a few seconds, I pull back.
“Ready to talk yet?” I whisper. “Because this will only get worse.” Her nostrils flare, and so much rage takes over her aged face. Yup, that’s exactly what I want.
“Never,” she seethes, and I smirk before pressing the taser to her stomach once again. We do this a few more times before Susie is a sobbing mess against the wall, her arms dangling above her in cuffs.
I’m going to have to try something else, and damn it, I was hoping this was enough to get the auction date out of her. Anger flows through my veins like molten lava.
When I stand and turn, my eyes lock with Brielle’s. I was worried I’d see hate or disgust from her, but I don’t. I see concern and love, and I know that’s for me, not the bitch behind me.
Needing to feel her, I walk over to her and lean down. Our lips press together, and the anger I felt only moments ago lessens.
“At any time, if this is too much for you, you leave. Understand?” I ask, wanting to make sure she understands. She nods before pressing her lips to mine once again.
Pulling away, I walk back over to my table.
So many options.
I could do several things to her, but what would actually work? Before I can decide, Brielle pushes off the wall, her hand going to the small of my back as she walks past me until she’s standing in front of Susie.
My hand pauses above a hammer. Drastic? Maybe, but I’m so beyond ready for this shit to be over with. I don’t grab it yet, waiting to see what she’s going to do.
“Why won’t you just tell us, Susie? It’ll be a lot easier if you give up the information now,” Brielle says, trying to reason with her. Whether it’ll work or not, I don’t know, but it’s worth a shot.
“You don’t understand, Brielle,” Susie begins.
“If I tell you guys anything, he’ll kill me, and everything I’ve done will have been for fucking nothing!
I deserve everything I’ve worked for. Every person I’ve handed over to him—” she stops mid-sentence.
Brielle holds her head high even after piecing together what Susie admitted.
“Kristie?” she asks, her voice only wavering a tad. “Did you sell Kristie? Is that why you told me to stay out of it? To not look for her?” Susie only stares at Brielle.
“I did what I had to do.” The second those words are out of Susie’s mouth, Brielle’s hand smacks across her face. Susie’s head hits the wall from the force alone, and blood trickles out of her mouth.
Damn, my girl is strong.
“What was the plan, Susie? Bexley was next, right? Or was it me? Is this what you do? You hire women who are desperate for help and then sell them to the highest bidder to pay off your debt?” Brielle lets out a laugh that holds no humor as Susie gives her a death glare. “Answer me,” Brielle growls.
“Yes! That’s exactly what I’ve been doing! The stupid bitches that come looking for work are the ones that sell at the highest price. I was so goddamn close to being free of Peter! You were it, Brielle! I only needed you, and I would have been free!” Susie screams, and spit goes flying.
“When is the next auction, Susie? You have nothing else to lose. You won’t be leaving here alive. Even if I’m the one to take your pathetic excuse of a life, so get it all off your chest now,” Brielle goads her, and it seems to be working.
“Two weeks. It’s in two weeks. I don’t know anything else,” she says, defeat crossing her face. “It’ll be at an underground warehouse on the outskirts of Jamestown.”
“How many women?” I ask, wanting to know how many rooms we’ll need to prepare and how much backup to bring.
“There were supposed to be fifteen, including Brielle, so fourteen as far as I know.” The way she so casually talks about Brielle like that makes me want to slit her throat and watch her bleed out.
I need to call Archer and Killian. This is a fucking mess.
Two weeks to find the hidden location, wait for a text message for the piece of shit I killed earlier to come through on his phone with the password to get in and the time.
Fourteen women who will need to be rescued and weaned off whatever drugs they got them addicted to.
I need air. I need something. I need to get out of this basement.
“I’ll be back. I need to call Killian and Archer,” I tell Brielle, and she nods.
“I’m going to stay here,” she says, looking back over at Susie, then to me. I know she needs more answers.
“I’ll be back in a few minutes. Just yell if you need me, I’ll be right out the door.”
I make my way up the stairs and pull out my phone, sending a message to Archer and Killian to have one of them call me ASAP. Let’s hope this is enough.