Page 108 of Thug

“Thanks,” Brisco said, his response long and drawn out.

“Still nothing?” Teddi asked.

Brisco’s gaze fell to the floor. “Nope.”

“That’s so weird,” she said. “How long has it been?”

“Month,” Brisco muttered.

“Man,” Teddi said, shaking her head. “I bet it’s been one brutal month. Has it just been awful?”

Still staring at the floor, Brisco nodded. “Worse than awful.”

Panzer glanced over his shoulder. “You know what they say when people are kidnapped.”

Brisco looked up. “What’s that?”

“If they aren’t recovered in forty-eight hours, they’re figured for dead.”

Brisco’s brows knitted together. “Why the fuck you wanna say something like that?”

“Just trying to better prepare you for the inevitable.”

“Fuck you,” Brisco whined. “I’ll get ‘em back. Kidnappers are probably holding out for more money.”

“Out of curiosity, what would you pay for ‘em?” Panzer asked.

Brisco gave him a shitty look. “What would you pay to get your sister back?”

Panzer jumped off the edge of his stool. He glared at Brisco with fire in his eyes. “Mention my sister again, and I’ll cut your fucking throat. That’s a promise.”

“God damn it, Brisco,” I snarled. “Have some fucking tact.”

“Sorry, Brother,” Brisco said, directing his comment at Panzer. “Wasn’t thinking.”

“Listen, I’m sorry about your cats,” Panzer said. “But you need to pull it together. You’re a fucking wreck.”

Brisco nodded and turned toward his table. “Doin’ my best.”

Panzer hopped on his stool. “Funny how shit changes.”

“What do you mean?”

“Six months ago, you and meathead over there were inseparable. Now, you two barely speak. How long’s this gonna last?”

I had no idea when it would end. I got tremendous satisfaction from seeing Brisco wallow in misery. The closer I became to Gray it seemed the more I enjoyed watching Brisco suffer. It did need to end, but I wasn’t quite ready.

I glanced over each shoulder. The closest men were Chin and Swag, and they were thirty feet away. Teddi was at the end of the bar, filling buckets with ice. I leaned to the side.

“I’ve got the cats,” I whispered.

Panzer shook his head. “Say again?”

“You heard me.”

“Got ‘em, like you’re the one that took ‘em?”

“No.” I sipped my beer. “Gray did. It was her idea. Figured it was a way for her to get back at him for what he did to her.”