20. Monster
Chapter 20
Monster
I sat on the edge of Octavio’s soft red couch with my fists pressed against my knees. My head was down as I tried to keep my evil thoughts from leaking out of my skull into the space that I occupied. Murder was all I could think about in different way then there was the deadly silence that followed behind my thoughts. It wasn’t rage at this point, it was instinct to survival. Not just for me but for my entire family.
It was like a pressure valve slowly turning in my chest needing to be released or I’d detonate. Octavio sat across from me legs crossed calmly like he hadn’t seen the look in my eyes. Detavio paced near the fireplace, his jaw was tight as he muttered something about trying to be logical.
“We have to think shit through, we don’t know the power that this Emi chick holds. She mentioned that she’s kept Impurity at bay, it’s evident that they work hand and hand.” Detavio spoke loud enough for both of us to hear as I looked around the space we was sitting in.
Something was different…the whole living room looked like it had been swallowed by Valentine’s Day. Curtain’s with red lace, the pillows on this ugly ass couch was heart shaped. I eyed the pink fur rug under the coffee table and knew damn well that it used to be steel gray. Even the air smelled fruity as hell. Octavio lived alone and whenever we came here it was plain with no bright colors.
“What the fuck is going on in your house, Octavio?” I asked abruptly as I eyed him seriously.
“We don’t have time to talk about this man’s love life! We are trying to think logical and get this shit over with as soon as possible.” Detavio interjected.
“Logical?” that word didn’t sit right with me since I came up in chaos.
“What is going on? A woman moved in?” I asked flatly.
Octavio reached underneath his wild curls and rubbed the back of his neck.
“I didn’t invite her…she just…made herself at home, a little,” he stated lowly as if she was somewhere listening.
I laughed once, hallow and tightly. They knew it wasn’t a real laugh like I knew. I didn’t need extra bullshit and whoever this bitch was playing with Octavio’s mind screamed trouble that I wouldn’t hesitate to mute for good.
“That is what happens when you leave doors cracked.” I muttered.
“They crawl in wearing sweet perfume and whisper about love like it’s holy. They tantalize you, seduce you, then weaken you.” Detavio finished my sentence.
“Rylie is misunderstood, she needs help but she’s my problem. Nothing for you guys to worry about. Let’s focus on what’s important.” Octavio removed his hand from the back of his neck and sat up straight.
He’s falling for her nutty ass. I thought to myself and left the conversation in the air. Detavio stopped pacing, he came and sat down beside me.
“I’m not thinking shit over, there will be no logical thinking either. This ain’t some shit that we need to put our heads together to discuss. Anybody from the past that thinks they can crawl back into our world will be dropped where they stand. I’ve been up for the past seventy-two hours and now I see shit clear.” I sat back until my back hit the couch.
“What is it that you see clear?” Detavio asked.
“Angel’s father James…” I started then gave Detavio my full attention with what I was about to hit him with.
“I’m going to pay her parent’s a visit very soon. James was Impurity’s lover and had all of his connections in order to save him when he was half fuckin’ dead before that fire started. It took for someone that knew the ins and outs of his estate well to get him out of there in enough time once I set the outside on fire. That is a big part on why Angel buried herself in her house, got rid of the baby without telling you and stayed to herself. She loves her pathetic parents like you loved Impurity through all of his twisted ways of living,” I stated flatly.
Detavio sat up and eyed me sternly.
“I will get all the answers I need, Detavio. I like Angel for you and don’t want to cause more confusion in my own home…” I shut my eyes and thought about Natavi.
It pained me that she was hurting, she tried to hide it well. She could hide all the questions that I saw in her eyes when I faced her. She even went so far to offer for me to fake things with Emi until I could kill her and come back to her and my son. That wasn’t going to happen. I refused to fake anything or be afraid of a bitch that took a million steps backwards by taking over an empire that ruined kids’ lives. An empire that ruined our lives.
Emi turned her pain into something demonic; in return, she admitted to doing to other innocent people what was done to us. Emi had to die, and I would make it happen very soon. For now, I made her think that I was playing along with her demands. I did my own digging, and found out that she didn’t have the biggest empire like she said she did.
Once I killed her, my men would go to Thailand and free whoever she held captive. Her entire operation would be turned over to the Feds who already had an open investigation on her.
“Angel would never forgive?—”
“Fuck that! You would have to learn how to live without her if her parents don’t comply and that’s me being nice! People don’t get to live in my world after they pull bullshit. You and I both know this already, so I won’t press forward and say much more about it. You talk to her; I don’t give a fuck if she warns her parents that I’m coming…there’s nowhere for them to run. So, they better be prepared to comply with my line of questions and the whereabouts of Impurity before he’s able to strike against us. Your company is on the line, Detavio. Impurity is using someone to stay anonymous in rebuilding Arkville. Shit is getting ready to hit the fan and actions need to start by tomorrow,” I lowly stated.
“I understand,” Detavio muttered.
“Good,” I stated.
“What do you guys need me to do?” Octavio asked.
“Stay low, until the smoke clears,” I offered without looking his way.
I had a million thoughts popping in and out of my head. I was frustrated with everything; I wasn’t myself to my wife or my son with so many enemies lurking. It’s what kept me from not sleeping. I remember when there used to be no fire behind my actions, my heart used to beat out of sheer habit and not because I willed it to.
Now I had my son, wife, and brothers to consider. They gave me reason to want to live, enough proof that I was worthy. I refused to lose myself again to full-on darkness that I dwelled in so comfortably. Natavi wanted us to travel the world together. She was the first woman that went out in public with me. She looked at me like I was the most handsome man to ever grace her with their presence and it did something good to me.
She saw parts of me that I kept hidden in the dark, my soul was tied to hers. I needed to make all of this right with ensuring my family safety. I had a beautiful surprise for Natavi when all of this was solved. A beautiful house that I paid for built from ground up. I considered the house we lived in done for. Too many walks of life passed through there, I wanted Natavi in something brand new, something she could make into a home like she did my shack of a house that was barely holding on.
“I want to be the one to kill Impurity this time. I know that I can do it,” Detavio said, breaking me out of my thoughts.
“I’ll give you that, there cannot be any hesitation or trying to hear him out. One wrong move and you will be the one dead. I’ll have all the information I need about his whereabouts once I pay Angel’s parents a visit. Octavio, talk to me about this chick that changed your home around.” I smirked over at my youngest brother who looked perplexed and nervous about everything that was just said.
“I’m concerned about her mental health and mine.” Octavio uncrossed his legs then sat up in his love seat.
“She might be the one then. Any time you start questioning your own mental because of the opposite sex…it screams soulmates.” Detavio smirked.
“Have you looked into her properly?” I asked.
“I did…her parents are in jail for fraud and scamming. She broke into my house in the middle of the night and seduced me.” Octavio sighed.
“You didn’t tell her to get out?”
“I did…I don’t know, it’s just something about her that feels so familiar. It’s clear that she suffers from impulsive behavior, she has mental issues that she can’t help which is why I try my best to be patient with her.” Octavio confessed.
“Well, aren’t you such a gentleman.” I chuckled out.
“I mean, I couldn’t treat her fucked up. She was here the next day after she broke into my house…my mind was clouded after I—I mean she, fucked the shit out of me. I never had what she gave?—”
“Wait!” Detavio held his hand up.
“You let that broad dominate you?” He bunched his brows together.
“I did…it felt right. It’s hard to explain but before y’all came…I rushed home to tell her to go.”
I noticed when something bothered Octavio, he’d tug at his beard hairs.
“Why? I would have liked to meet her.” I retorted truthfully.
“I got here, and she switched my entire living room around.” He held his hands out for emphasis.
“Then she went into rare form. It wasn’t bad but it wasn’t good either. She called me by the name Jalissa gave me growing up.” His eyes left mine as he looked at nothing in particular.
“What name is that?” Detavio asked.
“She called me Octavia…” He bowed his head.
“It was the name Jalissa enrolled me under at school. In her eyes, I was the little girl that she always wanted. Till this day, I don’t know if it was because she didn’t want me to be like you guys since that’s what she preached about all of the time. Growing up, I never knew what it was like to wear boy clothes or even use my real voice. I went along with it all because I didn’t have much of a choice. I look at regular men and wish that I possessed the masculinity that y’all have. When I tried, it all seemed forced, down to trying to capture my masculine voice. Kids didn’t fuck with me growing up, I had a friend here or there…most of them were girls that just felt sorry for me. The older I got, the more confused I became…I remember…” Octavio stopped talking to look up at me and Detavio.
“Let it out bro, this is what we have each other for. Natavi told me that it’s good to talk about the past rather than hold it in,” I told him, wanting him to relieve himself of any painful memories that troubled him.
“If I say this…will you tell me about how certain shit made you feel in Thailand. I feel like you should trust us as well, Monster. We not here to judge but to help each other heal.” Octavio eyed me seriously.
“I will… now tell me.” I swallowed down my own emotions.