hand, the camera firmly in his right. His fist grips my hair close to my scalp and my neck snaps back as he forces me to stare up at him. The time is ticking away as I gasp and scream into the camera with its steady red light.
“We’re making a family video, Delilah,” Brass says. “I need you to tell Marcus that he wasn’t supposed to intervene.”
Marcus. His name alone is chilling. I’m struck from hearing it. What does he know of Marcus? My Marcus.
Another second passes, and it’s too much time for Brass’s liking. With a nod to the masked man, he releases me. Falling to my palms harshly, I barely catch myself, struggling with the pain from before as a fresh burst of agony rips through me. The masked man struck me so hard on my cheek, my head whips to the right, blinding my vision and I’m knocked onto my back.
It happened so fast, I can barely grasp what happened.
Marcus. What does he have to do with Brass?
“He took what was mine. He intervened and broke our deal.” Brass’s anger shines through as he answers the unspoken question. My chest rises and falls faster and faster as I listen to him, slowly piecing it all together. “Herman was essential and Marcus knew that.”
Marcus did kill him. He killed him for me, and now …
Crack! I scream out as my body doubles over and I clutch at my stomach. I didn’t even see the kick coming. The pain radiates through me and I find myself huddled in as small of a figure as I can. It doesn’t help me, though. Even as the cry is still tearing through me, the masked man fists my hair at the nape of my neck, pulling me up and forcing my bruised body to unfold as I stand.
“Now, Delilah, you need to tell Marcus not to intervene. Do you understand?”
Fresh tears leak from the corners of my eyes and I stare ahead at Brass. He’s a man of confidence and so certain that he has the upper hand. I don’t know what Marcus has done, but I know if I do what he says, Brass could kill me. He feels he needs me now. That in some way, I’m a piece, a pawn, in their game.
Even as my lips quake, I press them firmly together, barely able to shake my head from the grip the man still has on me. He yanks at me savagely, forcing a scream from me and shoving my body against the wall of brick.
“Say it!” Brass screams, eating up the distance between us. “Say it!” His scream is so loud and so close, it vibrates my chest, making it ache and the fear of what’s next suffocates me.
Between every command is a beating. Merciless and unrelenting. I would stay silent if I could, but whimpers and screams are as constant as the commands.
“Tell him we had a deal.”
Blood coats my mouth.
“Tell him it’s his fault.”
Betrayal and hurt are the only thoughts that distract from the pain.
Brass’s next confession would hit me harder, if I hadn’t already suspected it. “Did you think the evidence disappeared on its own?” Brass licks his lips, getting so close to me that I can smell the stale coffee on his breath. “Marcus is the one who let me out. He’s the one who tainted the evidence. We had a deal,” he says, emphasizing the last part with his brow creased. “He did this to you. You should loathe him.”
Wincing, I expect another strike. Instead I’m released, watching Brass’s back as he paces to the other side of the room.
“Say it.” This time when he speaks, his voice is calm, gentle even. “Tell Marcus this is because of him.”
I’m given a small moment to consider it all. Every moment that led to this before I respond, knowing I can’t give him what he wants, regardless of my own conclusions.
“Our actions are our own.” It’s a truth I’ve said countless times before. It’s been followed by folders being slapped down on a steel table as I pulled the truth from criminals who committed atrocious deeds, but followed up confessions with buts and the names of others they blamed.
A huff that’s half disbelief and half disgust is blown from Brass as he rounds me. His boots slap on the broken concrete ominously, but not a single piece of me stirs. I accept it. I will take what’s to come now without hope of something more.