Chapter seven #2
Dr. Mariam assured him she was already been in labor well before our attack.
I don’t think he would have ever forgiven himself if he caused her to go into premature labor by what we had to do.
The baby is full term and healthy, which makes the conception the first time they were together or soon after, if my calculations are correct.
“Fuck that. He’s your people — not mine.” Scoffing, I stare out into the room where we have the man who took out nearly a dozen of our men on his own. Not to mention, he caused complete havoc in our lives, harboring his fugitive cousin and my ward.
“You are also my people, and I need you to chill. I wanna kill that slick mouth bitch as much as you do.” Angel cuts a look Oz’s way. Instinctively, I know the truth of those words.
“He knows where she is,” I say to Angel, who nods, knowing there is nothing I won’t do to get back what’s mine.
“Do your thang,” he mutters, but his next words halt me in my tracks. “But don’t kill him. Ezekiel-Jane would never forgive us.”
Nodding without looking back. She probably won’t anyway if she ever finds out what I’m about to do.
“Tie him down — on his back.”
My masked commandos follow my instructions without complaint.
“Leave,” I tell them. There will be blowback regardless. I’m willing to take it all on myself.
“Where is Saban Toussaint?” The question is soft. My tone a mild inquiry as I set up my tools. Tasks like this take little effort. Interrogations like this are best done simply.
“Ohhh, the cute, tatted little princess. She was nice.” He closes his eyes and hums in fond remembrance. “You know, I sent my regular stable off once she got over you.” He chuckles with malicious delight.
I want to cave his fucking face in. Instead, I strap his head down with a belt. He doesn’t even flinch. Just looks at me with a wavering silver regard.
“Oh, yeah?” The question is almost lost as I step away, beginning to fill the buckets lining the wall. Six. I rarely have to use more than two.
“Yep. She was so sweet. Really broken up over you turning out to be a good-for-nothing pendejo trafficker. I had no choice really but to console your little ward. That’s wild too.
Her being your ward and all. I suppose a crush is to be expected, but she got over you in due time—” his words turn into sputters as I pour water over his face in a steady stream.
“Where is Saban Toussaint?” Ceasing the flow of water, I question in the same soft manner once his thrashing ceases.
“F-fuck you, snake-ass motherfucker,” he spits out once he’s cleared the water. “Just like I fucked your little princess.” A rough chuckle follows as he smiles widely.
“See, I must be off my game.” I say calmly, pouring the water in a steady stream a beat faster. “You’re still able to run your mouth. I just need a location, Oz.” Letting none of the fury I feel to enter my words.
Keeping them companionable, I increase the pace and speed of his torture.
“I don’t break. Loves don’t break, bitch.” He strains against the constraints after three more sessions. “Tell that big bitch I’m coming for everything he loves.” His wild, hate-filled eyes hold a promise of retribution.
“He loves Easy.” Taking off the sopping wet cloth, I meet his rage-filled gaze with the gentle reminder.
“Yeah, but she’s not the only thing he loves.” The evil of his smile is unmatched, unhinged and full of malice.
Checking my watch, I note the time. Nearly an hour has passed for a task that rarely takes ten minutes.
“We have plenty of time to work things out, my friend. You’re already wet. How about we make use of that?” Patting his shoulder, I move over to the wall, taking a charged car battery from the wall.
Adjusting the position of the gurney, I don’t bother calling my men. “Some people find the smell of burned flesh to be off-putting,” I muse, walking over to where the rubber suits line the wall.
When we discovered this area of the compound, we marveled at the sheer level to which Oz had gone to equip and set up his particular brand of executions.
Any remorse my dark soul may have felt about my actions quickly disintegrated, realizing if we failed, this is exactly where we would have ended up.
I doubt not even Ezekiel-Jane could have stayed her cousin’s hand.
His only redeeming quality — not enough to save him were he not Ezekiel-Jane’s cousin — is, like us, he and his other Bastard Brothers made it a point to put traffickers in the ground.
Their network is vast, spanning continents.
They know who the traffickers are, and he knew we weren’t involved in any of those networks.
He could have told Saban and Easy the truth months ago, but his petty ass just didn’t want his innocent cousin marred by Angel.
Now he gets to pay for fucking around in business that doesn’t concern him.
I may not be able to kill him, but he will always carry the reminder not to fuck with me and mine, ever. As for him fucking Saban, that’s her punishment to endure. She alone owes me loyalty.
Zipping up the rubber suit, I eye him. He’s gone silent.
“Why so silent, my friend?” I ask, pulling on the rubber boots.
“I ain’t your fucking friend.” The southern lilt that should have long ago disappeared peeks through his words, making me smile a little.
“Well, that’s true. Keep in mind you wronged me first.” I remind him, taking the leads from the device, clamping it to the points on his body.
“Be glad I’m letting you keep your dick.”
Stepping away, making a cold assessment of his body, I ask. “Last time, where did Saban go?”
Silence.
Turning the current up to the lowest setting, I send a little zing of current through him. Hands fisting, teeth involuntarily clenching, he looks at me like he can’t wait to kill me. I hope he finds a chance. I welcome the fight. Hell, I nearly get hard in anticipation.
“I won’t ask again—”
“Snake.” Looking over my shoulder, I see Rocco looking my way then anxiously back over his shoulder.
“Fuck.” Hissing, I flip the switch for good measure for five seconds, sending the hot joules of electric current through the guy who bragged about having my girl.
His feet kick out. His body flexes hard against the bonds. Finally, his eyes roll to the back of his head. He passes out.
“Easy’s on her way.” Striding over, he checks Oz’s pulse, flicking a worried look my way.
I shrug, turning the machine off. “He doesn’t know when to fucking stop.”
“And you believe him? He got under Angel’s skin, too. Help me move him.” Striding out of the room, he comes back with a hospital bed.
After getting his heavy ass on the bed, I leave Rocco to it. I haven’t seen Easy since we took the place. Now she knows the truth. I know she will tell me where Saban is.
“Don’t even think about it. You are out of control.” Angel’s cold answer heads me off the moment he sees me.
He’s bristling like a rabid wolf, ready to protect his wife. The only difference is he has his family safe. I don’t even know where to look for Saban.
“Look, I know how you feel — better than anyone.” He eyes me like he figures I’m about to attack him. He’d be right, gotdammit.
“All I need is for her to point me in the right direction.” Conceding I’m not in the frame of mind to see his little wife, who just gave birth to his son, I can’t do anything but let out a frustrated sigh.
“Go check out his office. I’ll talk to Easy.
I know they made contingency plans.” Knowing he wants to get rid of me before she shows up to check on her worthless cousin, I head towards Oz’s office.
He’s right and knows me better than anyone except the person I’m hunting for.
The smallest thing could have me taking out my knives and ripping out that motherfucker’s throat.
I’m in his office well into the night when I find a lead of Saban’s whereabouts.
“Any luck?” Padre’s head perks up when he hears my low whistle.
He came in to help me when the others went to pack to leave. Angel is taking his little family back to the States. We’d already shipped our fallen home and compensated their families. Now, only those in our core group remain.
“Yeah, I see where Oz took possession of several villas throughout the continent. Bamako, Mali; Nairobi, Kenya; Accra, Ghana; Monrovia, Liberia — Dakar, Senegal. Obviously to send us chasing after false leads, or perhaps Easy and Saban couldn’t decide where they were going to end up.
” I wave the ledger I’m holding, smirking.
“But he made a mistake?” Comes the inquiry as Padre makes his way over to my side. Tracing a line on the leasing paperwork, looking up at him, I smile, “You could say that.”
Pointing to the only residence that is above a shop.