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Beau inched forward.
“We had to let the girl go. But only then. Only for a moment. Everett took care of her when everyone was gone. She was so drunk that she didn’t even realize what we’d been doing to her. That was the trick for Everett back then. Get them drunk. Then they don’t care, not until the pain starts.” He lifted the knife away from Kai’s throat. “He liked these so much. Loved them. Said there was nothing on earth like the slice into flesh. Don’t worry, I made sure that he got to feel lots of cuts before he died. A tribute, wasn’t it?”
Not exactly. Beau took a lunging step?—
“Stop!” The knife was back at Kai’s throat.
Beau stopped. Keep him talking. “How’d you get the inmates to attack Everett?”
“Like you are the only one with gang ties? How do you think I survived in New Orleans? The circles you and I ran in were so close back in those days. So very, very close. We could have been best friends in another life. A life without Avalon.”
Beau weaved. No, his damn knees buckled. A sudden wave of dizziness had him crashing back to the floor.
“That would be the tranquilizer. Okay, I’m starting to see why Owen Bell enjoyed it so much. Note to self, it can be useful.”
Beau blinked blearily. His eyes locked on the candle flame. It flickered over and over.
And then a booted foot kicked him in the face. Beau stopped tasting ash and instead tasted blood as he flew back. His head slammed into the floor, and the cuffs drove into his back as he fell on top of his bound hands.
Then the knife was at his throat. “I sent them after you in the hospital.”
The gang members that had come to kill him when he’d been sixteen.
“You were supposed to steal a car that night. Not steal my prey. I told them you couldn’t be trusted. That you were going to talk to the cops. Tell them everything about the car theft ring. You should have left my Avalon alone. Let her burn.”
“Not…” He spat out blood. “Yours.”
“She will be. You and that bastard over there? You’re both about to burn. You’ll be alive when it happens. That’s the best part. I’ll trap you in here, and you won’t get out. But first…about that bow that Everett wanted…” And the knife dropped down Beau’s body. It sliced open his shirt. And the bastard stabbed him in the gut.
Beau roared in pain. The knife stabbed him again.
And again.
His arms were behind him. He couldn’t fight back with his fists. His body was too damn weak.
“I didn’t want to kill Everett, but I had no choice. Then I had to take out the guard who’d helped us communicate because I can’t leave witnesses behind. That’s why I have to finish with Avalon. No witnesses.” He pulled the knife back. “I hate the blood. It gets everywhere. It’s slimy and messy, and I don’t know why Everett enjoyed it so?—”
Beau headbutted him. As hard as he could, he just rammed his head right into the prick’s. The knife flew from the guy’s hand. Beau saw it hurl across the room. But in the next instant, the man’s fist was swinging toward Beau’s face. One punch. Another. Another.
Beau’s head banged into the floor once more. Hard. He turned and he saw the flicker of that candle.
The fist hit him again.
He’d been stabbed over and over. He felt damn numb. From the tranquilizer? From the blood loss? Beau didn’t know. Part of him just wanted to close his eyes. To rest for a moment.
But another part of him…wanted Avalon. And he wouldn’t see Avalon again if he closed his damn eyes.
He rolled his body. A hard, awkward twist that got him away from that swinging fist. Then Beau heaved up on his knees. Freaking cuffs! His attacker came at him again, and Beau launched his shoulder into the man’s chest. They both crashed onto the floor once more. The candle wobbled. The flame flickered and flickered and…
“Beau?”
Someone was calling him.
“Beau!”
Someone important. The call pierced through the numbness. Avalon!
And the bastard with him was laughing.
