Chapter 39
Iheard her screaming at him about the death of a baby, her baby.
I’m a monster, and even I think killing your own child is reprehensible.
Had he never hurt Bianca otherwise, I’d kill him for that fact alone.
Child abusers and baby killers piss me off.
My own issues are probably the reason for that, but I prefer not to think about it.
“I need you to be a good girl, and stay sitting until the doctor gives you a clean bill of health. Can you do that for me?”
She nods, and I wipe her tears away with the pad of my thumb.
“I promise you, he will suffer.”
Walking back over to Sullivan, he doesn’t look so tough now. The vile words he spoke to Bianca only moments ago are no more.
“Nothing else to say?” I ask, as Reaper and Psycho come up on either side of me.
According to my father, the oldest Bonetti son enjoys blood, while the youngest, my apparent clone, prefers a silent kill.
I’ve spent a great deal of time considering the reason a killer uses the method he does.
Is it childhood trauma? An early memory of seeing someone die in the same manner?
I’ve never come to a solid conclusion, but I’ve also refused psychiatric care.
Why would I need therapy, if I don’t want to change?
Reaper pinches the exposed bloody tissue again, and a scream rings out instantly.
“He asked you a question. Stop being a little bitch, and answer him.”
His eyes go to Bianca, not us, and he spits more bullshit at her.
“I’m guessing you’re fucking this guy. Do you think he’s going to treat you better than I did? He’s a fucking killer, Bianca? What is it with you? All you ever do is put yourself in a worse situation.”
I grab the bottom of his jaw and yank down forcefully, causing him to scream and, before he realizes what I’m doing, swipe the scalpel over his tongue. Blood pours from his mouth, as he cries out with a gut wrenching scream.
“That’s the last time you speak to my girl.”
I start whistling, as I continue slowly cutting and peeling his skin down. From behind me Bones groans. “He fucking whistles while he kills. Fantastic.”
Reaper leans in with a chuckle. “That’s a family trait.”
I do know that, but I don’t say anything. I keep whistling while Sullivan trembles in pain. I’m sure he wishes he had drugs like the patients he has operated on. This is a painful way to go.
Reaper asks, “How will he die once you’re done?”
I stop and shrug my shoulders, because I never know for sure.
“Blood loss. Infection. Shock. There are many things that could kill him, but I’m really hoping when we leave, animals will get to him before he’s dead.”
I pull the skin down over his eyes, and Reaper says, “Oh, that’s cool.”
Psycho takes his knife, and jabs it into his eyeball, with a sadistic smirk on his face.
We all laugh at the garbled scream he lets out. Kage and Bones move closer, as I pull his skin over his nose. “He looks like a character in a horror movie,” Kage says from behind me. He doesn’t sound shocked or judgemental, more like it’s just an observation.
I suppose he does without skin covering his face. Once his flesh hangs under his chin, I glance at Psycho.
“Any chance I could use your knife?”
He looks at me like I asked if I could have his firstborn.
“Why?” He asks cautiously.
“I want to cut off the fingers that dared to hit my girl.”
“No, but hold on.” He turns and runs back to the SUV. Several moments later, he sprints back to us, handing me a different knife.
“My other knife will not cut through bone, but this one will.”
As Sullivan hears our conversation, he makes two tight fists, as if that’s going to stop me.
“Isn’t it funny how, even when they know they’re completely fucked, they still fight to survive?” Reaper says, more to himself than to us.
Psycho chuckles beside me.
“Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.”
I try, but can’t pry open his fingers, as he fights hard to keep his digits. Bringing the knife up, and then back down, I cut through his fingers, even with a closed fist. He cries out, trying to say something, but he can’t, with his shredded tongue.
I do the same to his other hand, and growl, “That’s for touching her violently.”
As I make a move to walk away, I turn back to him and stab him in the stomach.
“And that’s for killing her baby. Enjoy your night, doctor.”
I wipe the knife off on my pants, and hand it back to Psycho.
“Thanks for your help.”
I scoop Bianca into my arms as I look around, wondering where the hell the doctor is.
Bones speaks up, answering my silent question. “There’s a hotel two miles up the road. She’s set up there, waiting for you. We can talk there after your girl gets checked out.”
Bianca wraps her arms around my neck, and I carry her to the SUV with two of the brothers on either side of me.
Despite being related by blood, I can’t help but resent them for our differences growing up.
Reaper and I seem to have things in common, but I won’t forget how they have been given the world, while I was tortured repeatedly. I can’t forget, and I don’t want to.
I slide into the middle row with Bianca on my lap, while Reaper sits beside me, and the other two brothers behind us.
Bianca asks, “Why does that man look so much like you?”
I speak quietly to her.
“We have the same father.”
She blurts out, “You’re brothers. Are you all brothers?”
I nod, but say, “We all have the same father.”
Staring at the bruise on her cheekbone, I ask, “Does it hurt?”
She glances away from me, as if she doesn’t want to discuss it.
“I’ve had worse.”
My reply is immediate.
“That isn’t what I asked.”
Laying her head on my shoulder, she admits, “Yeah, it hurts.”