Gates of Thread and Stone(12)

I didn’t think the Raging Bull ever closed, but with no receptionist and no security guard, it felt unnervingly empty. I could tell it wasn’t, though, by the smells. A mix of soured sweat and overly sweet perfumes.

Joss’s door was closed. I dropped my bag and leaned it against the desk. I wiped my hands on my pants, then slapped my palm on the little bell at the corner of the desk.

Joss sauntered out of his office, brown liquor bottle in hand, followed by another of his security guards. Reev had introduced us once. I forgot his name, but I remembered the guard had an easy laugh.

When he spotted me, he immediately looked away. My hands curled into fists.

“Knew you’d come back,” Joss said.

“Where’s my brother?”

Joss scratched his forehead with the bottom of his bottle. “I told you. He left.”

“Reev hasn’t come home yet. Did anyone actually see him leave?”

Joss clucked his tongue. “Really should leave it alone.”

There was a challenge in his eyes, daring me to push him despite his warning. He did know something.

“What did you do to him?” I asked, my voice shaking.

“What makes you think I did anything? I’m his boss, not his babysitter.”

“You almost fired him the last time he was late. His shift started hours ago, he’s not here, and you don’t seem to mind.”

“Maybe I gave him the day off.”

“You’re lying,” I said, slamming my fist against the desk. Reev had never been given a day off in all the years he’d worked for Joss.

For a long moment, Joss stared at me.

“All right,” he said, tilting his head and jutting out his chin. “If you want to know so badly, I sold him.”

I repeated the word in my mind—sold, sold, sold—but I didn’t understand its meaning. “What?”

“You know, exchanged for credits,” he said slowly, as if I was an idiot. “Peddled. Bartered. Pitched.”

“To who?” How was this possible?

“The Black Rider. Ever heard of him?”

The Black Rider wasn’t real; he wasn’t—

“Gave me a price I couldn’t turn down. I’m a businessman, after all. I know how to spot a deal.” His eyes trailed down my body.

I crossed the room in an instant. The guard grabbed me. I thrashed, fists aiming for whatever they could reach. I could see only Joss. The smug curve of his mouth. His eyes on me. Gloating.

Something dark and wild twisted inside me.

“Calm down, Kai,” the guard said, his soft voice countered by his hands like steel binding me. “This won’t end well for you.”

“I’ll kill you. I’ll drekking kill you!”

The guard grabbed my flailing wrists and secured them both in one hand. He clamped his arm around my shoulders and chest, lifting me and pinning me against him. Joss watched me struggle, taking a languid sip from his bottle.

I immediately stopped. He enjoyed seeing me like this. My heart raced, pounding against the arm that held me immobile.

“You know, I was willing to give you time,” Joss said, leaning close. “Time to realize that working for me was your best option now that big brother’s gone. But I’m glad you came back. Expedited the process, so to speak. And let’s not kid ourselves here. I know you want this.” His breath was thick and cloying against my cheek. “I’ve seen it in your eyes. You’ve thought about it.”

I spit in his face.

At first, he did nothing. Then pain burst in my jaw, my head knocking into the guard’s shoulder. My vision blurred. I could hear a low buzzing laughter.

I groaned and blinked. My face throbbed. Only the arm around me kept me upright.

“Didn’t know you had a temper,” Joss said, leaning close again.

His fingers dug into my chin. I couldn’t stop the tiny moan of pain that slipped past my mouth.

“Look at your pretty face. Now we’ll have to wait for you to heal up. But we’ll open the bidding in the meantime. Those eyes ought to intrigue a good number of clients—never seen blue that pale before. And you’ll need some training.”

It was taking way too long for the spinning to stop. I squeezed my eyes shut, senses extending around me. My mind skipped across the threads, waiting. Time vibrated against me, as if in anticipation. But the guard still had me pinned. I wasn’t sure I could break his hold even with time slowed.

The front door opened. Maybe if I shouted for help—but if it was a customer, I doubted he’d care. If anything, he’d probably start the bidding.





CHAPTER 6




“KAI?”

Avan! I spun my head around, the sudden motion making my jaw ache. I craned my neck, twisting my body, but I couldn’t see past the guard’s burly shoulder. What was he doing here?

The guard turned. I saw a dark shape, then there was the crack of knuckles meeting cheekbone, and the arm around me slackened.

My mind jumped at the threads. Time crawled. I dropped to a crouch, wrenching my wrists free. Then I spun around and kicked out at Joss.

My grip on the threads slipped. Time flew forward. My foot smashed into Joss’s knee, and he went down in a tumble of limbs. His head smacked the floor. I grabbed for time.