Slow Agony (Assassins, #2)(34)

Two hands slapped down on the bar next to me. “Hello, piglet.”

My heart caught in my throat. I knew that voice. It was Greasy Hair, or Wolfman, or whatever he liked to be called. I raised my gaze to make sure.

The bartender returned with my check.

“I’ve got that,” said Wolfman, snatching it from the bartender.

The bartender shrugged and sauntered away.

“I’m going to scream,” I said.

“You won’t,” said Wolfman. “Not yet. Because if you do, I’ll shoot everyone in this bar, and you’ll have to watch.” He grinned at me. “And then I’ll do all kinds of nasty things to you. Until you’re begging me to shoot you too.”

I swallowed.

Wolfman threw several bills on the bar. He grabbed me by the arm. “Let’s go.”

I let him drag me out of the restaurant, my heart pounding. What was he going to do to me? He’d said before that he wasn’t allowed to play with me yet. Was he allowed now? And what did that mean?

“I didn’t think you’d be away from Griffin,” he said. “I’m not allowed to see Griffin. Not yet. But if you’re alone, I get to come visit.”

“What are you going to do to me?” My mouth was dry.

He giggled. “This little piggy had roast beef,” he murmured into my ear.

I shivered away from the touch of his lips on my skin.

“This little piggy had none.” His fingers moved on my arm, pulling my hand against him. “You want beef, right, piglet?”

I shrank from him, going cold all over. This couldn’t be happening.

“Take me to your room.”

Silas had given me the key to his room. I need to get to Silas. I nodded, swallowing. “Okay.” And I started to walk.

He came with me, still clutching my arm. “Wee, wee, wee, wee all the way home.”

He was disgusting. He was crazy. He was going to hurt me.

As we approached Silas’ room, I wanted to give him a heads up, so I tried to talk loudly, hoping Silas would hear us, and know something was wrong. “So, you’re forcing me to go somewhere with you so that you can hurt me?” I nearly shouted.

“Keep your voice down, piglet.”

“What are you going to do to me? Are you going to kill me?”

“Shut up,” he growled.

I stopped in front of the door. “Well, this is the room. We’re going to go inside there now,” I said as loudly as I could. I pulled the key out of my pocket.

Wolfman grabbed it from me. “I’ll open the door if you don’t mind.”

I couldn’t stop him, could I? Maybe I could get the attention of people in the parking lot, but they’d be no help against this guy. He was psychotic. I didn’t have any weapons, which was beginning to look like a really stupid, careless mistake. If we got out of this alive, Silas was so giving me a gun and that was all there was to it.

Pulling me in front of him, Wolfman inserted the key inside the door.

“You’re opening the door,” I called out. Please hear me, Silas. Please.

“Shut up.”

The door swung inwards. It was dark inside. I couldn’t see anything as Wolfman propelled me inside.

Silas and the girl were only dark shapes on the bed, but Wolfman saw them. He turned to me, seizing by the neck and pushing me up against the wall. “There’s someone in here.”

“Silas,” I managed. “Help.”

Wolfman slammed my head into the wall. “Naughty piglet.”

The impact sent shocks of sharp pain through my skull. He was strong.

Silas was yanking the girl he was with off the bed. I could hear his voice. “Stay down, you understand me?”

Wolfman knocked my head once more. “Very naughty.”

I felt dizzy, like I might lose consciousness. I couldn’t move or speak. I could hardly breathe.

“What’s going on?” the girl was yelling, panicked.

“Stay the f*ck down.”

Wolfman let go of me. I gasped for air as I slid down the wall, my hand at my throat.

Wolfman flipped on the light.

Silas was behind the bed, buttoning his jeans. He wasn’t wearing anything else.

Wolfman reached into his pocket and pulled out a knife. He slid the blade up and snapped it into place. It was only about three inches long, but it was sharp. It glinted.

I struggled to my feet. I launched myself into Wolfman, knocking him off balance.

He and I both went down, a tangle of limbs.

In the background, the girl was screaming.

Wolfman tossed me off him like I was nothing but rags. I collided with the wooden entertainment center in the room, my back glancing painfully against it. I cried out.

“Leigh, I got this,” Silas said. He was heading for his gun. I could see it lying on the bedside table. It was black and solid and comforting.

Wolfman was back on his feet, moving across the room to intercept Silas.

Silas feinted, still reaching out for his gun.

Wolfman anticipated the feint. He grabbed Silas.

Silas’ fingers brushed the gun.

Wolfman’s arms wrapped around him. His knife flashed.

And punched into Silas.

Silas’ eyes bulged.

The knife came back out.

Silas stumbled backwards, hands at his stomach. Blood was gushing out onto his fingers, crimson and thick.