Page 21 of Tyler's Rule
Shade’s eyebrows rose. “Straight from one job into the next.”
We fell into step.
“Want the details?”
“Just the crime to justify me being away from Ev and the goal so I know how hard to hit.”
“He fucked up guard duty and wiped the CCTV evidence of Dixie possibly getting attacked the night she left Deadwater.”
Shade’s eyes darkened. “Let’s make it hurt, then.”
On that, we agreed. All new staff members and crew wannabes signed a contract that gave them their priorities in protecting the women. Buck had signed up on that and failed. He had what was coming.
With the way I was feeling, I doubted he’d make it through the night.
I forced a laugh. “There was me hoping you’d be the reasonable one.”
“When has that ever happened? Besides, Everly has had back pain for days. It kills me to see her suffer.”
“Because it’s your fault?”
I meant in his part of her being pregnant, but I couldn’t help the comparison with how my actions injured Dixie as much as they were intended to help.
Shade grouched, “Don’t fucking remind me. This it?”
We’d arrived at a shithole of a large Victorian, converted into multiple flats in an area of the city where howls of pain were commonplace. And ignored.
“Which?” he asked at my nod.
“Ground floor.”
Shade pressed the first buzzer and yelled, “Amazon delivery.”
Under his breath, he joked, “It’s the beatdown ye ordered.”
The door swung inwards, a mid-twenties gym bro appearing in the frame, his black skeleton crew sleeveless t-shirt cut low at the sides to show off new ink. His gaze ping-ponged between us, and the question on his lips failed.
“Shit,” Buck said.
He was right. In a heartbeat, I was in the hall, my arm against his throat and his back to the wall. Buck gripped my wrist. His legs kicked, inches above the floor.
“One guess why we’re here, motherfucker. Let’s take this somewhere private.” Shade gestured for me to follow him into the open flat doorway.
I dropped Buck then yanked his arms behind his back and forced him into the room. It was a bedsit, takeaway food containers strewn around the edges and a mattress on the floor with dirty sheets. I threw him onto it.
He curled in on himself and rubbed his throat, rasping, “Why are you here?”
Shade threw a punch, connecting with Buck’s jaw and sending him sprawling. He shook out his fist and glanced at me. “What, ye get to have all the fun?”
Buck groaned and clutched his head. “Whatever it is, I’m sorry.”
I stared down at the man who’d watched Dixie suffer. “At the brothel, do ye recall seeing one of the women take three men to a room on the last night ye worked there? Her name is Dixie.”
Blood stained Buck’s lips and teeth. “I remember.”
Anger coiled in me, hot and ready. I held it at bay to lead Buck to what I wanted from him. “I have questions about one of the clients, but the camera footage has gone. I think ye deleted it to hide your negligence, and you’ve already been punished for that by getting fired. It’s a shame because that might’ve saved your neck.”
Shade tutted and pulled a blade from somewhere on his person, twisting it to examine the edge. Almost comically so. “A real pity.”
