Seven Deadly Sins - Pride (Book 1)

Chapter 3

Ruby slams her hands down on the table.

"Tell me what you know about Cascade."

Her voice is quiet, yet dangerous. She's more terrifying than Laia. Her silence is like death itself. 

"I-I really don't know."

The murky memories begin to come back to the surface. The screaming, and the laughter. The sick, slow, oozing laughter.

Ruby's eyes glint.
"You do know."

I shake my head violently. These women kidnapped me and took me as a prisoner. I don't want them to get the information they want. I don't want them to gain more power.
Her hands slide on the smooth, cold stone. Her voice is low when she speaks.

"Tell me, April. It'll be better if you do."

I back away from her, the chair screeching violently on the cement floor. She comes at me like a cat. She's quiet and expressionless, but the danger coming off of her is undeniable. She puts her finger underneath my chin. It's warm, which surprises me. I thought her hands would be as cold as her facade.

"We'll try this again tomorrow. And I won't be so merciful. Don't forget that." 

She pushes me out of the room, and I fall onto the basement floor. I can feel my knees scrape against the hard ground. I hiss in pain, and I hear a chuckle.

"She didn't hurt you?" Amber asks. She looks down at me, cleaning her gun. Her leg is propped against the wall, and she's wearing a black suit and a heavy silver chain. 

"N - no...." I begin.

She crouches, dropping down to my level. I'm still on the ground, nursing my scraped knees. The fabric of my pants has torn. 

"Then you gave her the information," Amber grins like a cat.

I turn my chin up defiantly.

"No," I say to her. Her face changes.

"Damn you...." She mutters. She grabs my arm and pulls me up.

"Hey!" I yell.

She looks back at me, her charming grin laced with subtle anger. 

"You're really not cooperating, are you?" She asks, rather rhetorically.

"Well, you did kidnap me." 

She stops walking.
"Because you had something we needed."

I look at her, gaping.
"You're kidding. That's your excuse?" 

She looks at me quizzically.
"What else did you think? The questioning didn't give it away? Did you think we kidnapped you for your looks? I mean, that's not really your department, is it," she plays with my limp brown hair.

"Thanks," I say dryly.

"Look. You give us the information, you go free. With the exception you don't tell the police. Because if you do, we'll find you. Understand?" Amber says.

I think about it for a moment.
"What about Cascade? What if he finds out I gave you information about his gang and their deals?" 

She grins.

"So you do know about him and his gang. Good."

Then I realize I've been played.
                                             ***

I sit across from Laia. We're in her office, and somehow the books and the large desk look even more menacing than before. Her eyes are stormy. Amber leans on the armrest of the chair, smirking, and in the corner of the room is Ruby. Her face is expressionless, but I can see the subtle interest in her eyes.