Page 49 of Dangerous Promises

The moment is broken as Alexei's eyes shift away and he grabs me more forcefully. "Back up," he says, taking us both a step back as the man vomits all over the floor in the place we were just standing.

Alexei drops his hands from me and my body goes cold. I feel like I might sink to the ground without them. He recovers far more quickly and I'm left feeling empty and stupid.

"Ready to tell us where we can find Chet?" Alexei asks, pacing around the vomit.

The guy spits again. "I couldn't if I wanted to," he says. "Chet will not come out of hiding for just anyone."

Alexei smirks, pausing before he addresses me.

"Alright, princess head back in," Alexei says, pointing to the knife.

"No, no, no!" the guy says. "Just wait a second."

Alexei raises his brow, unimpressed. I know we need information out of this guy. I know this is important. But I can't focus on anything other than the power that Alexei has as he moves. The muscles in his back. The way he commands the whole situation.

"Chet, he, um, he had some stuff delivered to a flower shop not too long ago, in the middle zone. I don't know what he wa-"

"Seriously," Alexei says, flicking his wrist. "That's the best you've got?"

The guy grimaces in anger this time, knowing full well that information isn't good enough to keep him alive.

"What does he want?" I ask, voice shaking as I make a step to stand next to Alexei.

"You," he says, smiling at me. "Both of you."

"We're right here," Alexei says. "He could come get us."

"He won't show himself until he knows he has you. And then for you, it's too late."

Alexei sighs. "This is information we already know."

"There's nothing more I could tell you if I wanted to," the guy says. "I don't suppose no matter what I say you're going to let me live."

"No," Alexei agrees. "But if you give us what we want, then I will kill you. If you don't, she kills you."

I frown. "How is that any different?"

"You are a novice," the man answers, rolling his eyes. "You will kill me slowly, and badly. It will probably hurt more."

"You don't know that," I roll my eyes.

"I don't know what you were thinking making a death promise with him," the man says, smirking at me. Alexei narrows his eyes but remains still to see where the guy is going with this.

"Chet knows about the death promise?" I ask.

"Yes," the man replies, happy with his upper hand. "It was the first interesting thing you've done in a long time."

"Besides killing Victor?" Alexei asks, curious as he steps closer.

The man frowns, looking between both of us. "She killed your brother?" he asks. "This is what the death promise is about?"

"You didn't know that?" I ask. The man doesn't answer, which tells me he didn't in fact know that. How? I'm not sure. I thought it was common knowledge amongst our circles why Alexei and I were fighting. And what for.

"Chet thinks she'll be easy," Alexei says, smirking. "That all it takes will be to move her away from a bodyguard and then she'll be ripe for the picking."

The man licks his lips, before smiling. "Is that not true?"

Alexei backs up on a laugh. He turns to me and places a much larger hunting knife in my hand.