Page 56 of Callous Shot

“No! One of the guys in the warehouse. Don’t worry, I stabbed him.”

“Nice.” Ry leaned forwards, holding out his hand for a fist bump. Jay rolled his eyes, climbing to his feet.

“I’ll get you the cream and some painkillers.”

When he was gone, Ryker leaned back, his gaze scanning my face. His expression was as impassive as usual, and I had no idea what he was thinking.

Then he opened his mouth.

“What’s going on with you and Bellingham?”

26

LINCOLN

Stopping inside the opulent entrance hall of Thorpe Manor, I stared down at the message on my screen.

Dad:

I went to a lot of trouble to get you an invitation for this event. Find out something tonight that your uncle can use. You know what will happen if you don’t.

Tilly’s face flashed through my mind, and I swallowed hard, straightening my shoulders. This was the first time I’d been back in Thorpe Manor alone since that first night I’d been asked to pass a note to Daniel. Tonight wasn’t a party but a charity event—the kind of function the Thorpes threw every now and then to pretend that they were upstanding citizens, rather than criminals. I spotted Mayor Sullivan and his wife chatting to—oh, shit, that was Mike’s boss. Turning on my heel, I headed in the opposite direction.

“Mr. Bellingham. How lovely of you to join us. The young people are in the basement.” Ryker’s mother appeared in front of me with a false, polite smile painted on her lips. Her eyes were almost as empty as her son’s. “Take the stairs at the end of the corridor.”

“Thank you.” I cleared my throat. “My parents send their apologies. They’re both caught up in cases in London, and they weren’t able to get away.”

She inclined her head. “Of course. We understand. Enjoy your evening.”

As soon as the heavy iron door leading to the basement swung open, I heard the music, a pounding, heavy bass line that reverberated through the soles of my feet and up into my body, until I felt as if I were vibrating with it. I was already on edge, knowing who waited for me beyond this door, but I steeled myself, putting my game face on as I descended the stairs. I was immediately hit by a wall of scent—weed, heavy in the air, overheated bodies crushed together, and the sweeter fragrance of various perfumes overlaid with cheap beer and expensive champagne.

Hostile gazes swept over me, but I ignored them, scanning the crowds for the one friendly face I knew was somewhere here. I swerved past couples and groups of people with hands and mouths all over each other, uncaring who saw them, and eventually, I made it to an empty corner. My shoulders loosened, relieved, as I finally spotted the person I’d been looking for.

“Bells.” My team captain thrust a bottle of beer into my hand. “You’re brave, showing up here.”

I exhaled, leaning back against the stone wall. “I’m not here out of choice.”

Enzo smirked. “Don’t think any of us are here out of choice. You, though… A lot of these people class you as the enemy.” He paused. “Then again, you’re not the only one here on the right side of the law. Remember, this is a charity event.”

“Right.” That was code for “play nice.”

“My advice? Help yourself to the free drinks, find yourself a hot woman or two, and make the most of it. That’s my plan.”

“Yeah…I’ll do that.” I clinked my bottle against his.

“Bellingham. A word?” Shit. Ryker Thorpe stood in front of me, radiating hostility.

“Yeah. What’s up?”

He jerked his head towards a door to my left, and I pushed away from the wall, following him. He punched in a code on a keypad, and the door swung open.

When it clicked shut behind us, Ryker flipped on the lights, illuminating a cavernous space with concrete floors, slightly sloped to a small drainage channel with an outlet at the far end. A row of cabinets lined one wall next to a long, low counter, and the rest of the room was empty other than a large metal table and a chair in the centre, both bolted to the floor. As my gaze swung upwards, it caught on a huge, sharply curved iron hook hanging from the ceiling. I swallowed hard.

Ryker smiled the smile of a psychopath, and it sent chills down my spine. “I don’t think I need to tell you what this room is used for.”

“Uh, no.” I rubbed my hand across my jaw, despising the tremble in my fingers.

“Good. You mess with Dan, or his family, or anyone I care about, and you’ll be getting to know this room a lot more intimately. I have zero fucking problem with teaching you a lesson you’ll never forget.”