“Has he hurt other women?” This time her tone had a hard edge to it. She was coming alive.
There you go, wildcat.
King barely looked capable of breathing at the moment. Stripped to his boxers, he was tied to a chair, much as Mav had been just a few days prior. Only this time, there wasn’t a snowball’s chance in hell of a rescue. Blood ran, not dripped, from his nose, upper lip, and a few spots on his chest where it looked like Zach had gotten him with a knife.
Accidentally, of course.
Purple bruises mottled most of his upper body, and his head drooped onto his chest. A slight rise and fall of his shoulders was the only indication of life, and that wouldn’t be there for long.
With a nod, Mav said. “We got some intel during the days when I was gone. Three girls have gone missing from Gray Dragons territory over the past year. All late teens, and all three were assumed to be runaways.”
“Oh, God. What happened to them?”
“They became property of the Gray Dragons. Pimped out to sadistic sonsofbitches. Used up and murdered. Thrown away like trash. King killed each one of them.”
Tears filled her somber eyes, and Mav had the urge to reach out, wrap her in his arms, and hold her until this all passed. But it was a temporary fix. A Band-Aid on a hemorrhage. And now that she knew, maybe she’d purge any compassion lingering for the man.
“Are you positive it was him?”
“One hundred fucking percent. No question. We have evidence. Camera footage, witness accounts. Plus, he fucking bragged about it.”
“Okay then.” She faced King again and took three steps forward, her tennis shoes squeaking on the wet ground.
Slowly, King’s head lifted until he was able to see Stephanie coming toward him. She stopped about three feet away from him.
Open. Close. Open. Close. Her fists worked in a repetitive pattern.
Would she do it? Would she do anything? Hit him? Scream at him? Burst into tears?
Though his every instinct screamed at him to go to her, Maverick held himself still. This was her show. Her purging of demons. And he wouldn’t interrupt.
Her legs started to tremble. “I—I don’t think I can…” Side to side, she shook her head.
From Mav’s peripheral vision, Copper shifted, uncrossing his arms and taking one step forward. Mav sliced his hand in Copper’s direction. She just needed a minute to get herself together. The wildcat would win out.
Like a deadly animal sensing its prey had been weakened, King pounced. “Couldn’t stay away from me, huh?”
“Why?” she asked in a whisper. “Why would you kill those girls?”
King grunted out a laugh. “Why? Why the fuck not? We had no use for them anymore. But we sure made a pretty penny off ’em.” He grinned, blood outlining his teeth. “They liked it. Begged for it. Kinda like you were begging me for it the other day. You here because you’re unsatisfied? Huh, Ag—”
It happened so fast, neither Maverick nor his brothers saw it coming. One second they were about to step in and pull Steph back from the sick asshole’s taunts, and the next, her small, balled-up fist had plowed into King’s mouth.
And damned if that little bit of a thing didn’t pack a helluva punch. King’s head snapped back then rebounded forward as though rubber. With a groan, he spat a mouthful of blood at Stephanie’s feet. Either she didn’t notice or didn’t care because she didn’t so much as step back.
A cry of rage left her lips, and she was on him again. Hitting his face over and over with her one good fist. So engrossed in her anger and revenge, she wasn’t aware of the cut on her wrist opening and oozing.
King groaned and Stephanie yelled, “How could you?” over and over as she wailed on him, punching and kicking him for all she was worth. And she sure as hell didn’t hit like a girl. When she cocked her left arm, splint and all, both Maverick and Zach rushed forward. No way would he let her injure herself further by slamming her broken wrist into his face.
“Stephanie!” he snapped as he hooked his hand around her upper arm, stopping the broken arm from flying forward.
King’s head lolled forward, a trail of bloody saliva dangling from between his busted lips. No more taunting comments came from him. He was done. Ready for death.
“Oh, my God.” Stephanie’s hand slapped over her mouth and her legs sagged. “What have I done?”
Mav caught her around the waist before her knees hit the ground, gritting his teeth at the excruciating pain in his ribs. An amazing friend and brother, Zach nudged him aside and scooped her up.
Fuck, if seeing her in Zach’s arms wasn’t a pain worse than what was tearing through his torso. He was the one who should be holding her. He’d brought her to The Box. He set her on this path. He wanted to protect her. Comfort her.