Caught Up (Into Darkness Trilogy)

by Navessa Allen

“What do you want?” “You owe Mr. Strickland two million dollars and you’re late with your monthly payment again.” Why Tyler had chosen that name for a cover, I hadn’t asked, nor did I really care. As far as aliases went, I’d heard much worse. “I can pay,” McKinney hissed, trying to squirm away from me. I squeezed the pliers hard enough to pinch. “Stop moving. Mr. Strickland has given you more than enough chances.” “Wait!” he said. “I can pay! I’m just waiting for a check to clear from a bunch of dirty perverts who rent one of my units.” That almost made me laugh, thinking back to the other night and Taylor calling me a dirty little slut as I said goodbye to Lauren. “It’s too late,” I said, dropping my voice to cover my amusement. “I own your debt now.” McKinney’s breath wheezed out of him as he tried to get a better look at me. “Who are you?” “People call me Junior, but all you need to know is that instead of owing a bookie, you now owe the mob.” He made a distressed sound that made me think he’d finally realized just how fucked he was. “What do you want?” “That building full of dirty perverts.” “What?” he said, still trying to crane his head up. I put my boot on his cheek and held him in place, twisting his arm a little harder, squeezing the pliers a little tighter. “The deed.” McKinney started to struggle. “You can’t be serious!” “Keep your voice down,” I said, my own deadly calm. “I won’t tell you again.”