This time, he looked her way. She opened her eyes wide and gave him a look of urgency. His face turned to confusion, and Gabi checked to be sure that she hadn’t also drawn the attention of the man with the assault rifle.

When she knew it was safe, she leaned toward the businessman and said, “If you could fake some chest pains, I can get us out of here.”

The look of confusion on his face didn’t change, and in what she guessed to be Japanese, he whispered a few words that she assumed to mean something like, “I don’t speak English, crazy lady.”

She clenched her fists in disgust, digging her nails into her palms. She just couldn’t catch a break.

Her heart jumped as the door to the vault room opened, and the giant stepped out.

“Sparks,” the giant said in his commanding and frightening voice. “Get ready to send out the next note.”

The younger black man with the military bearing asked, “Who should we use as the messenger?”

The giant circled them like a stalking predator. As he had done previously, he stopped behind the blonde woman’s chair. The giant bowed his massive frame down over the blonde’s shoulder. He seemed to be breathing in her scent.

“Leave her the hell alone!” Gabi yelled.

The big South African cocked his head and stepped toward her. In her mind, all she could think was crap, crap, stupid, stupid, but outwardly, she remained as defiant as ever.

She had learned from her three brothers to never let a bully see your fear or it will allow your power, your control, to become theirs.

The giant said, “Let me see your hand, please.”

She burned holes in his face with her hateful gaze.

He smiled and leaned closer. “It would be much easier if I didn’t have to force you, and we both know that I could.”

Without a word, she stuck out her hand, having no clue what he intended to do.

He laid her small slender hand in the palm of his massive paw. He looked into her eyes and smiled. Then ran a finger across her palm.

It felt like a terrible violation. Like she was back in her eldest brother’s bedroom. About to be desecrated.

She was approaching hyperventilation when, with a swift and precise movement, he snapped her pinky finger at the second knuckle.

The pain was sharp and terrible and traveled all the way to her shoulder in an instant. She forgot about her plans and leverage and her father’s teachings and could think of nothing but the hot, white pain.

The giant said, “Send the message out with the blonde.”

Chapter 31

GoBox had four separate locations in the Las Vegas area—the one in Henderson, two larger facilities just off the Las Vegas strip, and one in North Vegas that was still a month out from its grand opening. The limo pulled up to the North Vegas location, and August Burke pushed his way out of the vehicle like it was on fire.