Spark of Hope (MacKenny Brothers #3) - Kathleen Kelly Page 0,16

it to will assume he’s not good at the game, and he also does it at half-speed. I won’t play the game with Sean. The way he moves the knife up and down between his fingers is lightning quick. Half the time, he doesn’t even look. He sits there moving the blade and staring at you. Even for me, it’s freaky.

Ben’s dinner table is never going to be the same by the time Sean is finished.

Me, I prefer Russian roulette.

“I told you I don’t know anything,” says Ben as he puts his hands under the table.

“And we believe you, don’t we?” Sean stares up at me and winks. “But, you see our President, well… Kyle doesn’t. He’ll insist on some blood being spilled, better it is in a bit of fun than…”

The grin he gives Ben is nothing short of terrifying. Sean has this way of keeping his emotions out of his eyes so when he smiles at you, you know he doesn’t mean it. It’s a glimpse of what’s to come, and even the hardest of men flinch under his intense gaze. Ben shakes his head, and the smile on Sean’s face slowly disappears.

“Put your hand on the table.”

Slowly, Ben puts his fist on the table, and Sean shakes his head. He straightens his fingers out, and I move to stand behind him. Sean glances at me and leisurely stabs the knife between Ben’s fingers.

Your natural reaction is to pull away, and Ben is no different.

I grab him to hold him in place, and Sean increases his speed, never looking at the knife but at Ben, who begins to scream. His body is rigid as he stares down at his hand and the blur that’s Sean’s hand wielding the blade.

Sean stops.

Ben lets out a long breath.

I know what’s coming. But Ben, he has no idea.

“So, Lola?” asks Sean with that creepy smile.

Ben shakes his head. “I-I don’t know.”

Sean stands, tapping the blade to his chin, and then he stares down at Ben. “You sure?”

Ben nods. Sean copies his movement, then swiftly plunges the knife into Ben’s hand. For a second, Ben is frozen, and then he screams. Thankfully, I’m prepared and shove a dishtowel into his mouth. Sean bursts out laughing, and then Kyle walks back into the room.

“Fuck! You played five-finger filet with him?” Kyle glares at Ben and shakes his head. “And not very well.” Kyle pulls out the knife and hands it to Sean. “Let’s try the other hand, shall we?”

Ben begins to thrash around, eyes wide, his fear permeating the air.

I pull out the dishtowel and say, “Tell us what we need to know. ‘Cause, buddy, once he’s finished playing this game, there’s another one, and it involves taking your fingers off one by one.”

The color drains out of Ben’s face, and Sean makes a noise. So, we both look at him.

“You wreck all my fun, Cutter. Now, hold his other hand out.” Sean chuckles and wipes the blade on the dishtowel that was in Ben’s mouth and hands it to him to wrap his hand.

“Wait!”

I grin at Sean and Kyle from behind Ben and give a small shake of my head. They always give in.

“Do you know something about Lola?” asks Kyle as he sits opposite Ben.

“It was Garry.”

I slap the top of Ben’s head. “We know that, numbnuts.”

Ben peers over his shoulder and up at me. “It was his idea. We owe the Rochas, and we don’t have the money. Garry and Mom came up with the idea. I have nothing to do with the drug trade.”

Kyle casts a glance into Ben’s kitchen, which is littered with drug paraphernalia, needles, burned spoons, even a bong.

Ben follows his gaze. “That’s for personal use. I don’t deal. That was all Mom and Garry.”

Kyle places his hands on the table, stretching his arms out, then he leans forward, and in a quiet, level voice says, “I don’t give a fuck. All I want is Lola. Now, either you tell me what I need to know, or I’ll let Sean and Cutter do whatever they want to you.” Ben glances at Sean, who grins at him and taps the knife on the table. “Not only did someone take my woman, but someone killed one of my men. So, you see, I’m invested.” Kyle stands, points at Ben, and raises his voice. “Tell me what I need to know.”

“It was Garry, Tommy, and Suzie.”

“Suzie as in Lola’s friend, Suzie?” asks Kyle.

“Yeah, she was supposed to get Lola to