Page 10 of Be My Vengeance

Fortunately, the road was deserted, but in this area people mostly never saw anything. We drove off back toward Northchester to the port where the crates Gideon owned were located. I wasn’t sure how long the drugs would keep the brothers out, but I knew once they woke up they’d wish they never did.

CHAPTER FIVE

Alex

The crate that we brought Sasha and Ruslan to wasn’t the same one Mila’s brothers and Benito had been in. Gideon had ordered that one thoroughly cleaned and destroyed—it was likely at the bottom of the ocean somewhere.

Toni and Gideon were waiting in the crate as soon as we arrived, and a few minutes later we had the brothers tied to chairs.

“Where’s Penn?” Danny asked as he grabbed the smelling salts.

“Home. Matteo is sleeping over, so he’s determined to beat him in at least one video game.”

Danny nodded. “Yeah, my money’s on Matteo.”

Gideon snorted. “Don’t tell Penn I said this, but I agree.”

“Okay, let’s wake these fuckers up.” Danny held the salts under Ruslan’s nose first. The brother woke with a start, his eyes frantically searching, only to stop once he saw Sasha, still passed out, in the chair next to him.

He immediately began talking in Russian, and I thought maybe we’d need a translator to come and help us until Gideon spoke.

“English.”

Ruslan narrowed his eyes and, in a thick accent, answered. “What is meaning of this?”

“Do you know who I am?” Gideon ignored his question, and the man shook his head. “My name is Gideon Hendrix.” Ruslan’s eyes widened. “Ahh, there it is. Now you know who I am.”

“You’re making big mistake.”

Gideon shrugged. “Nah, see, the mistake was when your boss ordered the deaths of people we care a lot about.”

My fists clenched at my sides. I wanted nothing more than to beat the shit out of him. Danny came up beside me and nudged my arm. I glanced at him, and he smiled.

“Breathe,” he whispered. Oddly enough I did, and I relaxed my hands.

“I know nothing about that.” None of us had expected Ruslan to offer anything right away, so his denial was no surprise.

“Now, now, Russ, we all know that’s not true.” Gideon patted the man’s cheek, earning him a growl, which just made Gideon laugh.

“You are wasting your time.” Ruslan looked at Sasha, who was still out. “Is he dead?”

“Not yet.” Gideon walked over to Sasha and pulled his head up by the hair. “I’m giving you a chance here. Your brother will never have to know, and your boss won’t either. Just answer my questions.”

Ruslan released a slew of Russian, and I didn’t need an interpreter to tell me that nothing he’d said was nice.

“First question.” Gideon released Sasha’s hair and walked toward the table against the wall, where some instruments had been laid out. “What was the business you had in the house tonight?”

“None of yours.”

“Ha!” Gideon chuckled and picked up an ice pick. “Clever.” He moved back to Ruslan. “Everything that happens in this state is my business.”

Ruslan stared unflinchingly at Gideon, refusing to answer…but he would. I wouldn’t leave this crate until they were both singing.

“I honestly didn’t think you’d just start sharing without incentive, so how’s this?” Gideon plunged the ice pick into the side of Ruslan’s knee. His shout echoed inside the crate, and it was enough to rouse Sasha.

“Wha…” He looked around in a daze.

“Oh, good. Your baby brother is awake.” Gideon moved closer to him. “Russ here isn’t telling us what we need to know. What about you, are you going to be more forthcoming?”