– XX –

The door was unlocked just like I expected. I didn’t even bother being quiet, I didn’t see the point.

“Finally!” I’ve heard Mickey’s voice from the living room. “Took you a while! I got bored, had to start without you. Hurry up already!”

I walked into the medium size living room. When I saw Dylan, I almost shot Mickey right then and there. Dylan was handcuffed to the old heater, his face so pale that it seemed unreal. Mickey turned around and literally froze in his spot when he saw me. He looked like he was wearing some demented Halloween mask. I smiled at him.

“Hey”, I said softly. “Having fun?”

“What the hell…” he said and moved towards an old desk that was sitting in the corner of the room.

“Nope”, I said lightly and pointed the gun at him.

He stared at me in disbelief.

“Connor”, he said in a low voice. “I don’t know why the hell you doing this and I don’t want to know, okay? This is between me and this son of a bitch over there…” he nodded towards Dylan whose eyes were closed. “Did you know that I ended up in jail thanks to that bastard?!”

“Was it before or after you attacked Kay?” I asked politely.

“Kay was a mistake”, he grimaced. “All I wanted was to beat the shit out of this prick… He killed my fucking dog, Connor! He sat it on fire, okay? I didn’t even know that Kay was home when I got there, okay? And the next thing I know, fucking cops are coming for me, okay? So I get arrested and thrown in jail, okay? My Uncle got me out and I moved here… And then I meet this dickhead in the middle of the street and…” he took a deep breath. “Look at me!” he pointed at his face. “Just look at me, okay?”

His manner of saying “okay?” every ten seconds made me smile.

“Uncuff him”, I said calmly.

“Connor…”

“Do it”, I nodded.

He gritted his teeth and his eyes darted behind my back. I knew what – or rather who – was there.

“Come in, Tanner”, I said evenly without looking back. “I am almost done here. Uncuff him, Mickey.”

“I’m sorry, Mickey”, Tanner said quietly from behind my back. “Do what he says, will you?”

Mickey looked dumbfounded.

“What the hell…” he muttered with a frown that made his already distorted face look even more distorted.

“He has Jenny”, Tanner said helplessly.

Mickey blinked and looked at me in disbelief. I gave him a very small smile and nodded.

“I’ll do anything for him”, I said simply. “Now uncuff him please. Otherwise I will shoot you and then I will do it myself.”

Mickey blinked and slowly walked towards Dylan.