Chapter 43
Zamir
Confidently striding into the holding room where Rhett and Dino have put the two fucks that were tailing my two favorite people, I announce my presence, “Anglisht?” They both nod, so I start speaking in English, making it easier for everyone here. “I’m going to ask once… who sent you?” They look at each other but don’t say a word. I grab the sides of both of their heads, slamming them together, causing the chairs they’re tied to to flip onto their sides. Their arms are trapped under the chairs, and all that does is bring a smile to my face. They both scream out, and I’m down on their level, speaking to them, “Pussies.” I turn to look at Marcello. “Boss, I want to have some fun in that branding room we passed on the way in here.”
Marcello nods his head. The two guys are screaming and pleading, and like we share the same brain, Marcello and I knock them out in one punch simultaneously. I don’t recognize them, but it’s not saying much with how long it’s been since being home.
I untie the one I knocked out, and Marcello does the same with the other. We drag them into the room where I see all the shit I could dream of for branding. Nash and Ellie follow behind us, just watching the show.
Quickly, I rip their shirts off and yank their pants down their legs. I tie them to the metal chairs that are sitting in the middle of the room while Marcello flips on the iron heater. I put their chairs back to back and then take one long rope, tying their chest together. One bucks around and so does the other. They’re not fucking up my branding. Nothing gets people talking faster than something as painful and permanent as a brand. Whispering to myself, I say, “I’ve missed this shit so much.”
Marcello chimes in like this is the most casual of conversations. “Usually, I have mine hanging from the ceiling, but it does mess up my brands when they squirm.” I’m pretty sure he’s just talking to himself. “Do you know about my branding?”
I give him a confused look. “What do you mean? Is this a Barone special?”
“I brand when I need to send a message, and it also tells whoever they cross next, because they will cross someone after, that they belong to me, including their organs.” Fuck, he is unhinged.
Nash finally speaks up after looking like he was about to burst, “I probably shouldn’t ask, but… do you sell the organs on the black market or something?”
“No, Il Novellino, I send them with Haisley—the nurse that works with Dr. Brock—around the states to people on the donor list.”
“Ho—how do you not get caught?” he stutters out, most likely realizing how fucking outlandish Marcello really is.
“Noah, my hacker, does all the paperwork. Haisley checks them for diseases, and the rest is just logistics. Of course, Doc actually has to harvest them, then hands them over to Haisley who looks like a normal organ-coordinating nurse when she shows up at the receiving hospital.” He shrugs like this is normal behavior… It’s not. Especially for the goddamn Mafia Don that he is.
They usually just kill to kill and have a crew come in and clean up. I’m sure he still has those fights and battles as well, but if he can prevent it, he’s using these shit-ass humans for good. He throws his finger up in the air like he forgot something. “And I own the Port Manager; he’s been in my pocket with all the blackmail I have on that one, so the airport is mine as well. We come in and out when we want.”
Nash just nods his head at all that, soaking all the information in. “Why didn’t Ellie get asked if she was all in with all this?” he questions.
“Because we’ve grown up together, and she will always be a part of this life. I secretly trained her when we were younger. I didn’t want anything happening to her just from being around my family. Her dad worked for mine and now works for me. She’s been surrounded by danger her whole life but never really acted like it. I stayed away when I took over, not wanting her to be used as a pawn… but now I’ll do anything to keep her. Even if that means dealing with you two fuck heads.”
“Aww, that was almost sweet, Bossman. If you all are done sucking one another off, I would like to get to the fun of this evening. We can save the circle jerking for later.” Nash blushes, and I think I might’ve even flustered Marcello with that comment. Ellie’s looking at me like she imagining said circle jerk. Goal accomplished.
I open the cabinet, looking for something to add to the torture. Something has me feeling extra spicy today. I see a can of powdered bleach and smelling salts. I murmur to myself, “Perfect.”
I walk over to the first one, running the salts under his nose, and right when his eyes fly open, I throw a hefty amount of the powdered bleach right into his eyes. Over his screams, I dully state, “Hopefully, you don’t take the eyes to donate, Boss.” That earns me a grunt, so I’m guessing I’m in the clear.
“Who sent you? And I would answer correct, or I’ll brand your mouth closed.”
I hear Nash whisper behind me, “Can you brand a mouth closed?” I whip my head around, silently telling him to shut the fuck up.
The one that hasn’t gotten his dose of bleach yet speaks, “You don’t know who they are.”
“Try me,” Marcello barks out.
“They threatened our families,” Bleach guy says between sobs.
“And what do you think they are to us?” I point at Nash and Ellie, full well knowing the fuck can’t see, but he knows what I’m talking about. They both hang their heads.
1“Now the fun begins.” I start to laugh, and Ellie steps up beside me. I look down at her. “You joining the fun, Shpirt Im?”
“Yeah. They were coming after me, so it’s only right… Right?” I lift my brows in shock, but she’s not wrong.
I turn to Nash, he’s standing next to Marcello, but he says, “Y’all got it.”
Ellie walks over to the hot irons and pulls hers out, looking at the symbol. It looks to be the Barone family crest.
The guys are screaming and spitting all over the place. I punch one in the jaw and get in his face. “If you spit on her, I’ll cut your tongue out. Never to spit again.”
Side by side, holding our brands, I lean in, placing a kiss on her pouty lips. She whispers against my lips, “This is what I was waiting to see come out of you. I knew you had some darkness lining that soul of yours.” She’s smiling up at me like she really is witnessing all of me. I never thought I would find someone who gets to see this side of me and accept it. Ellie passes all expectations with that as she presses the brand into his thigh. I follow suit, doing the same with Bleach Boy.
The screams they let out make me wish I had my headphones, but the laugh that comes out of Ellie after her guy pisses in his chair is worth bearing the screams.
We go through the next couple of brands before they both pass out. Marcello’s on the floor next to Nash, his hand comforting him on his thigh. He must’ve been shaken up, but I wasn’t paying attention.
I break out of that train of thought and announce, “One last…” I press the iron into the skin on his forehead. Right in the middle. “One.” Thank fuck he passed out earlier. I was tired of hearing the blood-curdling screams. I pull the brand back and admire my handy work.
“Pazzo bastardo,” Marcello mumbles to himself. I’m sure he’s talking about me. He can’t be the only unhinged one in this quad. I have a suspicion every one of us has some darkness trying to claw its way up to the surface.
Ellie’s guy is up and finally screams out the answer we’ve been looking for, “Enis!”
Marcello’s off the floor and in his face in seconds. “You’re a fucking rat, and you belong to me from here on out. Now scurry back to your pals and let them know Enis is dead for a fucking reason, and anyone wanting to keep their soul on this planet needs to stop taking orders from anyone other than me. I RUN VEGAS!”
1.Tell Your Friends - The Weeknd