Page 75 of Silver Sinner

"She would." I meet his gaze. "I'm just not sure I could handle the answer."

Willingly being in contact with someone like Trik speaks dangerous volumes, especially since Trik has never once hidden what he is. Facing Layla without all the information runs the risk of me ending up hurt.

"She's not your ex," Moses replies softly. "I think you can trust her."

Anything else I want to say fades as my phone buzzes to life and the demand I sent to Trik earlier is finally answered.

"I don't need to ask her," I murmur as I show Moses the phone. "I can just ask him."

Trik agreed to meet me at a bar in the city that's closed down for the night. After sending a text to Adrian to let him know exactly where I'll be, I climb out of Moses' car and face the door. Moses follows but keeps a respectable distance as I walk up to the door. It swings open at just a touch and it takes me a few seconds to adjust to the low light.

The drive over here did nothing to quell the anger in my heart, or the rampant worry that Trik is somehow involved with my girl in a way that I won't be able to save her from. Any action I take here risks igniting something horrific with Pavel, but with Layla on the line, I have no qualms about a war.

Trik sits alone at the far end near the jukebox, nursing a beer and seemingly distracted by something on his phone. The barmaid flinches slightly at my arrival and shoots me an alarmed look, like a deer noticing a hunter for the first time, but I don't have time to spare for her. My focus remains on Trik as I cross the polished floor.

"You brought your little guard dog?" Trik snorts, not looking up.

I don't need to look at Moses to know the exact irritated look that's crossed his face. "Problem?"

"I came alone." Trik sets his phone face down on the table and looks up.

"No you didn't," I reply. "That's where you and I differ, Trik. You're still playing games. You're always playing games."

Trik's brows narrow and he snaps his fingers, drawing a slight squeak from the barmaid. She hurries close and replaces his beer with a fresh bottle, leaving one for me as well as I sit. I don't drink it.

"Games." Trik runs his tongue along his upper teeth. "You want to talk about games? You summon me here like you have any power over what I can and can't do, talking bullshit like you're in the market for some deal with my father when I know the truth."

We're getting straight to business, it seems. My limbs burn, throbbing with the repressed urge to fly across the table and beat the truth out of him. I've managed to keep some restraint, but every time he sucks on his teeth, it grates on my patience. Moses stands nearby, a silent shadow just watching and waiting.

"The truth?" I repeat. "I won't deny that I used false pretenses to draw you here, but the goal remains the same. I want to talk."

"Talk," Trik drawls. "You old bastards and your desire to talk everything out. As if a long conversation holds any worth these days. You know what really speaks to the people?" He points at me with the neck of the bottle. "Action." His free hand rests on the table and his fingers curl under his palm. "Action speaks a thousand times louder than any fucking debate."

"If that's the only language you understand," I reply tightly. "Like some dumb ape."

Trik's eyes narrow once more and his chin juts forward. "I know why you're here. Surprised it took you so long."

"Enlighten me."

"Layla."

Hearing her name come from his foul mouth is like a punch to the chest. The air thins and anger crawls up the back of my throat like vomit. How dare he say her name. How dare he sully her with his fucking tongue? I'll rip the fat thing right out of his fucking head.

"Look at you," Trik hisses. "I can see you wanna hurt me. You might be all respectful, but is she really worth it? The shit that would fall on your family if you did anything to me. Is one woman worth that? I followed you, y'know. The night you rushed from that meeting after threatening us. I was going to kill you and dump your body in the river until I saw where you went."

My blood runs cold as Trik cackles.

"Imagine my surprise that you ran to a woman I knew? That you rushed in like some motherfucking hero. Honestly, Pierce, what do you see in a woman like that?"

"What's your business with her?" I grind out through clenched teeth.

"My business? For fuck sake, can't you talk like a normal person? You and my father are both stuck in the fucking stone age."

The air around me shifts as Moses rocks closer and I sit up in my seat. "She used to work for you."

Trik looks surprised. "She told you? Shit. I was gonna use that to force a little more out of her." His lips pull into a cruel smirk. "Did she tell you everything?"

"Yes." The lie rolls off my tongue before I can stop it. I can't be seen as weak in front of this bastard, but the restraint not to harm him is quickly fading. "Which is why I'm here. To find a way to ensure that you will never, ever bother her ever again."