CHAPTER 26
Nirah
“YOU NAMED YOUR shark after me?” I gasped, and he looked over at Cesar—standing in the doorway—then back at me.
“Remember the excitement in your reaction right now the next time you call me sick,” he couldn’t help but tease.
I opened my mouth to defend myself, but shut it. I opened it again and shook my head. “Well, maybe if he wasn’t such a creep, he’d still be alive,” I crossed my arms over my chest. “Did he say why he took it?”
He seemed reluctant but answered my question nonetheless. “Logan was ill,” he explained, and I shifted on his lap. “And he just… liked you.”
His jaw clenched, and I could hear the bitterness in his tone.
I was reluctant at first but eventually gave in. “Don’t you think that was a little extreme ? He only stole my bra.”
“Well, tesoro ,” Antonio began. “I had a fuck-up in one hand,” he lifted his left hand. “And four hungry sharks in another,” he lifted his right hand.
“Two birds with one stone?” I asked, and almost as though he was impressed, he nodded— once .
“And, I don’t take disrespect towards you lightly.”
There was something so sinister about his tone that my words were almost caught in my throat. “Well, Logan’s gone now.” I got up and stared at Cesar. I whipped around, showing Antonio my biggest smile. “Can I have Cesar back now?” I whispered so that Cesar wouldn’t hear me.
“Have you learned your lesson?” he leaned back in his chair.
“What exactly was the lesson?” I hesitantly asked—rubbing the back of my neck—and I heard Cesar snicker behind me. Antonio’s eyes shot to him, and he cleared his throat.
Antonio sighed—giving in—and nodded. “Thank you!” I beamed, leaning forward to kiss his cheek.
Before I could move away, he grabbed my face, crashing his lips to mine.
Resting my hand on his thigh, I leaned into the kiss. He took my bottom lip between his teeth as I pulled away.
“Friends don’t kiss on the lips,” I sternly reminded him, and he grinned.
“Friends don’t fuck like we do either.” Damn him.
I immediately pulled back, fighting a smile as I walked to Cesar in the doorway.
“Hello, Miss Nirah,” he looked down at me and I broke out into a broad smile, leaping into his arms.
He, for once, hugged me back and I couldn’t help the warmth exploding across my chest. I broke the hug, slinging one arm around his neck as I lifted my leg.
“Come on!” I encouraged him and he scooped me up bridal style.
“We’re disappearing off into the sunset, bye Antonio!
” I called out with both arms around Cesar’s neck.
Cesar carried me away and when I glanced up at him, he chuckled, shaking his head down at me.
“I don’t want to die, Miss Nirah.”
“If he even laid a pinky on you, I’d chop his dick off. He wouldn’t risk it,” I assured him.
As soon as we reached the basement door, Cesar carefully lowered me to the floor and opened the door. I was hesitant, but he stood firmly at my side. “I’m right here, Miss Nirah.”
His words wrapped around me like a comforting hug, so with a deep breath in, I headed downstairs.
It was cleaner than before, and the stench wasn’t as bad either. There wasn’t a single drop of blood in sight, including on the weapons. The only blood I saw was the blood dropping straight from Sylvester’s veins. “Did you…” I trailed off, looking at Cesar and he gave me a single nod.
“Mr. Antonio informed me that you did not like the sight of blood,” he said and my stomach grew warm. Did you just get heart flutters because of that? Maybe … Oh, Nirah, that’s fucked up.
After ignoring the unimportant and judgmental voice in my head—
I was not judging —hush!
I finally glanced over at Sylvester.
He raised his head with what looked like a lopsided smile—a grin maybe—and I swallowed the lump of fear down my throat. “You miss me, princess ?” His croaky voice sent shivers down my spine.
“Where is he?” I asked, looking into his weak and dangerously low eyes. He knew who I was referring to. Alexander .
“Why? So that you can send your fucked up fiancé after him?” he coughed.
“You’re one to talk,” I scoffed. “You let Alexander do all those things to me when I was nothing but good to both of you,” I snapped, feeling bile rise in my throat. “How could you?” I asked in disbelief. “You were a cop , and I needed you.”
“How could I?” he laughed but groaned in pain.
“Darling, who do you think gave him all those little ideas? Who do you think watched as he took advantage of you?” he asked and my stomach dropped.
“Who do you think watched when he let both men into the house?” he bitterly asked and my eyes stung with tears.
“Who do you think watched when you got in and out of the shower?”
“What… h—how did you—”
“Camera’s, princess , I couldn’t miss the fun, now could I?” he chuckled. “I had convinced him to ask you to move in with him for the time being. It wasn’t long but it was enough.”
“Why?”
“I told you. Worthless, pathetic little girls like you, belong to powerful men like him and I.”
“How many?” I questioned. No answer. “How many others were there before me?”
“Too many to count.” He attempted to laugh but winced in pain. He cursed and I let out a shaky breath.
“And, when I found out you were Nereus’ sister, man did I—” he groaned, coughing out blood. I turned my head, taking a deep breath in as I suppressed my nausea. “I couldn’t let you go just yet.”
“You’re never getting out of here,” I shook my head, goosebumps trailing up my neck.
“You’re not going to hurt me or any fucking one else, ever again.
Neither of you will,” I assured him, stepping closer.
“I will watch Antonio hurt you, over and over, so that you can feel just a fraction of what I would feel, every time I tried to be happy.”
He lifted his head, his expression clear. He was mad. “Your fiancé is pathetic,” he spat out. “He’s nothing but a psychotic killer who needs his head checked out. He’s no better than—” I cut him off with a smack.
“ You don’t get to talk about Antonio.”
He scoffed, shaking his head carefully. “One day he’ll hurt you too. He’ll never be capable of being a sane human being. He’ll always be screwed up.”
Just then, the door opened and footsteps descended the stairs. I turned back to see Antonio stop at the bottom of the stairs, rolling up the sleeves of his white dress shirt to his elbows. I turned back to Sylvester and he shook his head.
Antonio stopped beside me and turned my face to him. Using his thumb, he wiped a tear—that had unintentionally fallen—off my cheek and looked over at Sylvester.
“You’re making her cry?” he asked and I watched Sylvester swallow hard.
Antonio walked over to the steel table. “Tsk, tsk, tsk.”
He opened a packaged box—it seemed new—and Cesar walked over to him.
Antonio pulled out a thick, silver chain and Cesar picked up the blow torch. I watched as they slipped on black gloves, heating the chain. I hugged my stomach, stepping back.
Antonio looked over at me and I gave him a single nod. “Wait!” Sylvester cried out, grabbing my attention. “If I tell you his location, you have to promise you won’t let him use that on me,” he breathed heavily.
“I don’t care about the torture. I just want his location,” I said and Sylvester looked between the three of us. “Just tell me,” I softened my voice to a plea. There was momentary silence before Sylvester spoke.
“Your first Christmas together,” Sylvester said and it only took me a second. I know where he is.
Antonio walked over to Sylvester with the heated chain and Sylvester shook his head.
“Nirah, you promised,” he said, eyes ridden with fear and I slightly tilted my head to the side.
“You were the first man I called that night. You promised me something too, remember?” I asked and he slowly shook his head with a plea.
“Nirah, please .”
“Don’t you wish you had kept that promise?” I asked and did not miss the grin of pride on Antonio’s face.
I walked as far back as possible and Antonio turned to face Sylvester.
The chain sliced through the air and when it came crashing down on Sylvester’s skin, I squeezed my eyes shut, whipping my head to the side. One whip. Two whips. Three whips.
The room filled with Sylvester’s cries and I slightly flinched at his loud wailing. Antonio heated up the chain again and whipped him three more times. Sylvester’s body went numb as he hung like a puppet. My heart hammered in my chest as I opened my eyes.
Antonio walked over to me but I didn’t tear my eyes off Sylvester. “Are you sure you want to stay?” he asked and I looked at him.
“I—”
“You’re both fucked up,” Sylvester slurred between reluctant sobs.
“Yeah, I’m—”
“ El demonio will make you both pay,” he interrupted me again and I sighed, looking up at the ceiling. I opened my mouth to speak but so did he. “I’ll end up winning, just you wait,” he promised—his head still hanging low.
“You’re starting to piss me off, Sylvester,” I warned and he spat out a chunk of blood towards me.
“I can’t wait to see you both burn in hell,” he gritted through his teeth. Oh yeah?
Walking over to the steal table, I picked up a can of gasoline.
“May I?” I asked Antonio and he eagerly nodded.
Opening it up, I soaked Sylvester in the gasoline, allowing it to seep into his raw flesh. He wailed in pain, saliva and blood foaming at the corners of his mouth. I dropped the can on the steel table, picking up the lighter. “You’ll never be able to see that. But we will.”
The world slowed, and with a flick, I tossed the lighter toward him and watched his eyes grow wide with the reflection of the flame in his eyes. No. I win.
The flames consumed Sylvester, swallowing his body whole as he cried.
Gripping onto my waist, Antonio pulled me back—away from the burning body.
“Would you like to stay and watch him burn or would you rather me take you shopping for tomorrow night?” Antonio asked, slipping my arms around his waist as he pulled my back to his front.
I couldn’t tear my eyes off Sylvester. “What’s tomorrow night?”