Malo looked at the people beside Butcher. He noticed the doubt creeping into their expressions. Their shoulders dropped slightly, and the tough looks they had been wearing just a minute ago started to melt away into something hollow and unsure.
"Kraven..." Malo called. His voice was steady, the words coming out clear in the quiet morning air. "I heard from Checkers. He was talking about why Butcher never sold you or Bambi."
"What are you talking about?" Bambi muttered. She lowered her baseball bat just an inch, her fingers tightening around the taped handle as her chest rose and fell in short, sharp breaths.
Butcher's mind wasn't even there. His eyes were still glued to the numbers on his phone. He was running his thumb over the screen, staring at the bank alert like he was under a spell, completely ignoring his own kids standing right next to him.
"Nobody wanted to buy you. You're worn out because of the burns covering your body," Malo said.
