↳ 𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐄𝐑 ー 𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐋𝐎𝐆𝐘

𝐗𝐈𝐕 ー 𝐛𝐚𝐝

◉

Tied to the chair with a fist slamming into his cheekbone, the man hisses when the ring brings a new cut that stretches across his bruised skin.

"I won't ask again," Kaden growls and towers over him. When his lips recede into a toothy smile, red pools between the gaps and stains the white of his teeth. Copper fizzing across his tongue.

"Beat me all you want, I'm not telling you shit."

Kaden sneers coldly. Throwing knife being plucked from his back pocket, he twirls the blade and jabs it into his broken hand without looking away from his eyes. Grayson smirks when he cries in agony.

"Still don't wanna talk?" Kaden roughly retracts the blade, only to slam it back down.

His howls carry through the office, if not the entire house, when he glimpses the missing finger and the frightening amount of blood pooling by his bound feet.

Kaden tips his head back, inhaling calmly. Then dark eyes return to the man's swollen face and the back of his hand strikes his grazed cheek. He grips his jaw harshly to straighten his head again.

"Daddy?"

This time it's Kaden's head snapping to the side, lips parting to find Hope stood in the doorway, rubbing her eye with her tiny fist. Round eyes jump from the severely wounded man to her father.

"Hope what are you doing?" He stands upright. She glimpses the crimson covering his knuckles. "Gray."

The man swiftly picks her up and closes the door behind him, taking her back upstairs despite her jumbled protests.

"So that's your kid." Cohen smirks. Left eye bulging and forced shut thought it doesn't phase him. "Hope." Kaden stiffens from the way her name rolls off his tongue. "Pretty name for a pretty little thing. Your girl choose that name for her?"

Kaden forces his mouth open and digs his knife inside. His cries are arranged as he fidgets in the seat, tugging with all his strength on the restraints. The severed tongue lands by his writhing feet.

"You don't talk about my family," he spits with venom. "If you won't tell me where Lace is hiding, you don't get to speak at all." He slams the knife on the desk.

"Daddy." Hope pouts as she's placed down.

"He's busy."

"Bad man?"

"Bad man." He nods. Eyes twinkling sadly, she moves forwards to hold onto his arm. Grayson's brows furrow as she clings to him with a whimper.

"Want daddy."

○ ○ ○

A while later Sierra returns after spending the morning with Eiza. "Hey," she greets. Her smile fades when Kaden runs a hand through his hair, pacing back and forth outside of the office.

"What's wrong?" He shakes his head in response. "Kaden. Hey," she murmurs softly. "Stop, talk to me." Her hands on his chest encourage him to stand still.

"She saw me."

"I can't help unless I know all the details."