Chapter 30 Tennant
Ihold Jude’s hand as we head to my torture chamber. I hate taking him away from Antonio like this. Fuck knows nothing would get me to leave Roman and Emilio once they’re back, but this needs to be done, and if he wants to get his taste of revenge for what was done to his Boy…
As for inviting Marcus? War needs an outlet. My son put him through the wringer. While I can’t—won’t—apologize for the boy, I can offer up a reprieve from the madness. And even if I won’t admit it, my fucking arm hurts like a bitch after all the excitement earlier.
The sight of my warehouse makes my soul sing and a sense of normalcy washes over me.
I watch Jude carefully as we head in, noting his limp is more pronounced than it has been since recovering from the injury.
He’s pushing himself too hard to be everything Hollis and I need, plus his duties as a Council Second, and his responsibilities to his Boys…
He’s another one who won’t be leaving our bed once Roman and Lio are back.
Hollis and I need all our lovers in one place, and soon, before my Tesoro spirals even further.
My men stand to attention as soon as the three of us walk into the room. Their expressions are controlled, but there’s a thrum of excitement in the air. I was very clear in my instructions to Joel, they know something is coming, and things usually get…interesting after one of my experiments.
“She all ready for us?”
Joel doesn’t smile, but there’s a lightness to his brown eyes that shows more than his usual exasperation at my antics. “Yes, sir. Everything is set up. I’ll be on standby should you need anything else.”
“Good. Unless it’s Hol, or an emergency, don’t interrupt us.”
Leading Jude and Marucs into the largest of the torture rooms, I can’t help but smile at the sight of Cecily stripped naked and chained to the floor in the middle of the room.
She tries to stand, but the chain around her neck—connected to the ceiling hook—prevents her from doing so, lest she choke herself.
“Hello,” I tell her, keeping my tone light and pleasant.
“I realize,” I say, as I walk further into the room.
“We didn’t get to properly introduce ourselves.
I’m Tennant Mason, I work for the Council.
This is Jude Manassero, a Second in Command to the Council, and Marcus Martelli, he also works for the Council. ”
Silence lapses as the four of us stare at each other. I sigh and shake my head. “Oh, Cecily, did your father not teach you manners?”
She sneers. “Whatever you’re hoping to get from me, you’re shit out of luck.”
I laugh. “I love when they believe that.” Turning to Jude, I say, “I’m sorry, Agnellino, we’ve been lax in your training. Though, I am impressed with your skills as a Second. Let’s see how well you remember your lessons in interrogation.”
Jude smiles, but it doesn’t reach his eyes, and I know he’s still thinking of Antonio. Good, that will help bring out what I need from him.
“Unchain her, but not the one from the ceiling.”
Marcus jumps in to undo the chains keeping her to the floor. When he’s done, I loosen the one connected to the ceiling, giving her enough slack to stand without worry.
“Are you going to have your way with me now?” she asks, tossing her head, her hair falling down her back in what should probably be an enticing way.
I grimace. “Fuck, no. The only one here who likes women is Marcus, and I highly doubt he’d touch you with a ten-foot pole.”
The man wrinkles his nose. “Fucking hell no.”
“So you see, we’re just here to chat. This can be easy or hard, but that’s up to you.”
“Fuck you,” she spits. “I don’t have shit to say to you.”
I hum. “The hard way—my favorite.”
Leaving them standing there, I head toward the table with the knives. I thought about making her choose, a la Cristian style, but I don’t trust her near the weapons. Not that I’m scared she could actually hurt one of us, but still, why make it easy for her?
Choosing one of the dullest knives, I hand it to Marcus. “Antonio is your friend. How about you get this party started?”
He looks surprised, but weighs the weapon in his hand, looking between the blade and Cecily.
Marcus doesn’t disappoint, crossing the small distance between them, and even though Cecily tries to back away, tries to bring her arms up to defend herself, the chain is still around her throat, looser but not loose.
She chokes on a gasp when she reaches the end of her slack and can’t move anymore.
Marcus cuts deeply across her face. Dull the blade might be, but it’s still a weapon. He has to dig harder into her flesh to draw blood, but he manages it. The sight makes my heart pound in my chest, and my cock hardens with the adrenaline rushing through me.
Jude moves behind Cecily to hold her still for Marcus.
This would have been easier while she was still chained to the floor, but there’s no fun in that.
Watching her squirm between the two of them, her screams echoing off the cement floor and walls, as Marcus carves the word “BITCH” into her forehead, is music to my ears.
When he’s finished, Cecily’s face is almost unrecognizable due to the blood and cuts. “Your knife sucks,” Marcus says casually.
I laugh. “Don’t worry, I have more toys. Go ahead and release her, Little Lamb.”
Jude’s arms drop from Cecily so fast she stumbles, no longer having anything to brace herself against.
“Now that you’re nice and primed, how about you tell us what we want to know?”
“Fuck. You.” Blood spills down her chin as she tries to spit at me.
I sigh and shake my head. “They never make it easy on themselves, do they?”
Walking over to the crank in the ceiling, I start raising her up. The tension forces her to walk back to the center of the room, so she doesn’t choke to death. Once she’s in position, I move to her, taking the chain from around her throat, enjoying the pattern of bruises already marring her skin.
Jude helps me chain her arms, knowing how I like my subjects.
“Marcus, if you would be in charge of the crank, please?” Once he’s in position, I say, “There are two levers, please lower the second one.”
Threading another chain through the hook, I wrap it around her throat again. “Now, lift her, please.”
With her arms above her head, her toes barely touch as Marcus lifts her off the ground.
Her head and neck are stretched, as he uses the other hook without needing instruction.
I’m sure he can guess at my plan. I don’t need her too high, but her throat…
too much pulling and we’ll surely choke her to death.
What a sad, bloodless way to go. She better not make us resort to that.
“Where are Roman and Emilio?” I ask.
She laughs. “You actually think I’ll tell you that?”
Turning to Jude, I tell him, “Pick out whatever catches your attention, Agnellino.”
For a moment, I wonder if he’s going to use his cane, as he did once before. The way he tightens his hand around the walking stick makes it seem that way, but he ends up heading towards one of the cabinets at the far end of the room.
He returns with a rolling cart containing pliers, a set of long, thick needles, and a sharp knife.
“You hurt someone I love,” he tells Cecily casually.
“We don’t normally go after family members, because that’s a waste of our time, and we much prefer getting revenge directly from the source.
However, had you not already killed your brother, I would be giving him the same treatment as you did my Bel Fiore. ”
She jerks in her chains, choking herself. “My brother was an idiot, but I’m glad he’s dead if it keeps him away from you.”
“Aww.” I step closer. “Is that real emotion I hear in your voice?”
She glares at me, but sadly, doesn’t say anything.
“Are you going to answer our questions?” Jude asks.
“Go to hell.”
Jude shakes his head. “Mind getting me a chair, Ten?”
Grabbing a stool from the corner of the room, I set it in front of Cecily.
“Please, raise her up, so she's no longer touching the floor,” Jude instructs Marcus. “If she tries to kick me—choke her.”
Jude grabs one of her legs and sets her foot in his lap. “Such a nice pedicure is wasted on you,” he mutters.
Cecily tries to extract her foot, but he holds it tightly, and Marcus gives a pull of the chain, making her gasp and choke as her face turns red. Jude grabs one of the needles and teases her foot with it, leaving light scratch marks across the top.
“So? Roman and Emilio?” he asks.
“Fuck off.”
He shrugs and tightens his grip on her foot, bending over it a little to carefully slide the needle under the nail of her big toe. She squirms and he squeezes her foot until she stops.
“Tell me now before this gets painful,” he says softly.
“You’ll never get them back…and if you do, they sure as hell won’t be the same.” She smiles, as if she’s in any position to be so smug.
Jude shoves the needle deeper underneath her nail, making her scream. He winces and reaches up to adjust his hearing aids, before grabbing another needle. He shoves two more beneath her toenails before looking back up at her.
“So? Where are they?”
“I’m not telling you shit,” she spits.
Jude sighs and drops her foot, letting it swing back into place while he reaches for the other one. She kicks him. Marcus chokes her and I pull my knife as Jude sits back, cupping a hand over his mouth.
Gripping her breast in my hand, I tap the blade against her nipple. “You’re not in charge. Get that through your fucking head. Any other moves against us and I will rip your skin off inch by painful fucking inch.” Without ceremony, I lop off her nipple, the nub falling to the ground.
She screams, shrill and loud, and painful even to my ears. I shake my head at her. How she managed to join the FBI, let alone climb the ranks, is a mystery. I wouldn’t be surprised if her daddy paid for her position. No balls on her at all. Rather sad.
“Okay, Agnellino?”
Jude swipes at his split lip. “Fine.”