8. CARLOS
CARLOS
S tubborn. That's the word that comes to mind when thinking about Simon as I leave the club. A hot stubborn mess. It only pulls me in more. The reward will be worth it. I’ve never put this much energy into a guy before. He’s different.
My phone rings, and when I see it’s Lucas, I answer in hope that he has more information on what my dumb little brother is up to.
“Any news?” I say.
“Yeah we found him. He was hanging with a few guys from Santini’s crew.”
“Santini? Shit.”
“I know. The Kozlovs had some issues with them not long ago, to do with Lev’s guy.”
“Yeah, I remember. What the fuck is he thinking?”
“I don’t think he is. That's the problem. We’ve taken him back to his apartment and I’ve left two guys watching him. Didn’t think you’d want him to be left on his own.”
“That’s good. Thanks, Lucas. Talk to you tomorrow.”
“Cool. Tchau.”
“Tchau.”
I get into my car and start my drive home, thinking of all the ways I should just kill my brother and hide the body.
To think he always offered to replace me as heir to my father, but luckily my father would never allow it.
It would be carnage. The boy is stupid in all terms of the word. But I don’t trust him.
Maybe it’s time to send him on a longer trip.
One month later
A few weeks later and the shitshow of Enrico in my life gets worse.
Much worse. So bad that I have to acquire the help of Dima and Lev.
It was brought to my attention that Enrico had not only been stealing from my business, he had managed to convert two of my men to work alongside him.
The three of them have disappeared and I have my father breathing down my neck wanting updates on where the fuck-up has disappeared to, because he has now decided playing nice is over.
He wants me to return Enrico home. To Brazil.
I’ve refused, but my father promises he only wants his return and that I can leave freely afterward.
I would like to say I can trust his word, but something in my gut warns me against it.
Then my brain convinces me it will be fine as my father has always honored his promises.
It's a tough decision, but now that Enrico has tried to destroy my business, my life, I can’t keep him around anymore, and part of me wants to see what my father has planned for him. Hopefully death.
I received word of a location where my men had been spotted and forwarded this on to the brothers earlier, who have retrieved the boys and will bring them to this property I own, that is used solely for dealing with problems. Basically, violence.
It's a mansion I purchased a while back.
The recording studio is perfect for what I need as it's soundproofed. I’m currently twiddling my phone in my hands in the driveway, awaiting their arrival.
Keen to find out where the fuck my brother is.
A few moments later, a large vehicle pulls into the driveway where Jules, Simon and a guy named Ivan get out of the car.
Ivan is Dima and Lev's cousin and is a sight to behold. Complete lunatic though.
Simon walks past me like I’m not there, which is usual for him now since we kissed. I take it as a win, because the effort he puts in pretending not to notice me, shows he cares.
“Did it go smoothly?” I ask Jules as my men carry the two traitors into the house.
“Yep. They were drunk and passed out. I don’t think you’ll miss them, no self respecting guard would have been asleep on the job. Let's hope your brother is just as useless,” he says, and I laugh to myself. Because he’s not wrong.
We walk together, following the others down toward the studio, which is covered in a waterproof material to protect the floors and walls.
“Did anyone famous live here?” Simon asks, and I’m taken aback by him speaking so openly to me.
“I didn’t check. I just know a band used to rehearse here and it's soundproof,” I say while directing the guards with my hands to place the two prisoners on the chairs in the middle of the room.
Everyone spreads out just as Dima walks in.
My eyes settle on Ivan and a large bag that he has, and curiosity has me meander over to him.
I nudge his muscular arm and he looks at me.
“What’s in the bag?” I ask.
“Would you like me to tell you or show you?” he says with a flirty glint in his eyes that makes me chuckle.
I like this guy, but when I look up and see Simon clutching his fists at his side, glaring at me with all the ill will in the world, it makes me like Ivan even more.
Someone is a little jealous. Responding to Ivan in a voice that I know comes across as flirty back.
“I prefer visuals,” I say, and notice Ivan glancing at Simon. He’s doing this on purpose too, as he’s noticed the tension between us. Excellent.
“Then let me blow your mind,” he says with a wink as he retrieves a tattoo gun that looks custom made with a blade instead of a needle.
“Are we doing this or not?” Simon snaps, and the whole room puts their focus on him.
“Hey, watch it, Simon. I won’t warn you again,” Dima warns coldly. Simon nods and crosses his arms across his chest, on the verge of losing his cool.
Ivan takes his time, enjoying center stage, torturing these guys until they are a hot wet mess of blood and tears, until one of them finally gives up my brother's location.
“He’s at the Infinity Hotel in Manhattan. The penthouse,” the traitor admits, and it confuses me. Why is he there?
“A hotel?” I ask, perplexed.
“Yeah, he thought it would be clever to hide in the open where you’d never think to look. He has a friend who will be taking him out of the country in two days. That's all I know,” he wails.
“You want me to stop?” Ivan asks me, and I nod. Wanting to deal with these fuckers myself.
I walk over to Ivan and shake his hand.
“Thank you for your assistance, Ivan. We got it from here.”
“Great. Now let's get out of here, as I need to get back,” says Dima, who also shakes my hand, along with Jules. But not Simon. He just scowls at me.
“No goodbye, little lion?”
Ivan laughs, and I know Simon must have been bitching about the term of endearment I have for him.
To be fair, I haven’t hidden my desire for Simon from anyone, so it's pretty obvious what my intentions are and I can see the boys love watching Simon squirm. I do wonder if they know he likes men. I still don’t get why he hides it, that family is a walking gay hunk dream.
“You’re a fucking asshole, don’t talk to me,” Simon says as he shoulder slams me. I see red. The little shit dares to challenge me in front of everyone. I don’t think so. I grab his arm.
“Careful, little lion,” I warn, tension boiling in my blood, rushing to the surface at his defiance. Forgetting he is unpredictable, I’m caught off guard when he lands a punch across my face, just as my guards and Lucas jump on him, pulling him back.
“Get the fuck off me,” he shouts. All I can do is laugh loudly because I warned him before what would happen if he raised a hand to me. Dima won’t let this slide, and I intend on making my stubborn little cub pay.
Dima, as I predicted, looks horrified and walks over to me. He’s well known for his professionalism and this won’t go unpunished.
“Carlos, I’m sure we can work this out,” Dima says, trying to de-escalate the situation.
“No, it's fine. Let him go. But now you owe me, Simon.”
His face pales as horror and regret take over that stunning face.
“I don’t owe you anything,” he says.
“Simon, shut the fuck up before I put a bullet in your head myself,” Dima shouts at him and its a promise, not a warning. I rub my jaw, thinking of things he could do to repay my leniency.
“He’s quite the liability, Dima. But I'm a reasonable man. I’ll forget this whole thing, as long as Simon fulfills whatever request I have for him. One favor in return for his freedom,” I say, and I’m struggling to contain my excitement, because Simon has no choice. Nowhere to turn.
“When?” Dima asks. I already know what I want from him, but I'll make him sweat a little first.
“What! You can’t be serious Dima, he fucking deserved it!” Simon argues on deaf ears.
“Simon. Shut it!” Dima roars, and Si looks down at the ground in defeat.
“There is no timeframe. He’s lucky I’m allowing him to walk away. Other men in his position would be dead.”
“We understand, don’t we Simon?” Dima says.
“Fine,” Simon grits out before storming out of the room.
“I’ll be in touch, little lion,” I shout after him, seeing him stall for a moment, before finally retreating.
“I don’t know what his problem is,” Dima mutters.
“Oh I do. Don’t worry. He’ll be fine. We need to finish up here, so you can see yourselves out,” I say before turning my attention back to the two idiots tied up in front of me.
As the Kozlovs leave the property, with only myself and my men remaining, I get to work.
Standing in front of the pathetic shits who betrayed me, excitement starts to peak as it’s been so long since I’ve been hands-on.
“I don’t need to make a speech on what you did wrong or why you are about to die. I don’t think you’re that dumb.”
“Please…please, I swear I’ll disappear. You’ll never hear from us again, please, please don’t do this!”
“I take it back, you are dumb. Can one of you fetch my pliers, please?” I ask one of my men. Mark, one of my newer members, walks to the unit in the back of the room and brings me my pliers.
“Lucas, help Mark hold their heads. I wanna take my souvenir,” I say as I walk toward the first guy, who is still passed out from Ivan’s efforts.
The second guy is screaming his head off.
I fix the pliers around the first guy's canine tooth, and set it free.
The force and pain is enough to wake him up out of his unconscious state.
As I tear the tooth away, blood flows down my plier onto my hands while the man cries out in agony.
Moving over to the loud fucker, who is still pleading for his life, I repeat the same thing, although this is harder as he is moving around more and requires both Mark and Lucas to hold him down.
Sweat beads across my forehead as it's quite the exertion removing teeth on a living and conscious human, but I get the tooth, and place it in Lucas’ hand with the other tooth.
“Make arrangements for them to be gold plated and sent straight back to me.”
“Sure. How do you wanna dispose of them?” Lucas says, nodding over to the toothless pricks.
“Shoot them. Quick and easy and get rid of their bodies on the containers. They can be fish food.”
“Got it,” Lucas says as he orders the guys to get on with the killing. I stand back with my arms folded across my chest and watch as a bullet is delivered into each of their brains. Fast and clean. No fuss.
“When you’re done here, head over to my place. We need to arrange to collect my brother.”
Lucas nods in agreement and I head out. Tonight has been a brain fuck. From my brother scamming me to such epic levels, to finding out I had disloyal workers, and then Simon acting like a brat, making a show for everyone.
I’m not too mad at Simon, though. I’m actually happy he threw a tantrum, because now he’s mine. He owes me.
Shame on him, he doesn’t know he’s about to take a little trip with me back home to Brazil.
I cannot wait to tell him the news.