Chapter Seven
Fred’s prayers are heard even outside of the room.
Black walls lead us to where Arius is doing goddamn what to him. It’s the first time I’ll ever meet him in person, and for fuck’s sake, I’m pretty nervous.
Arius Novak doesn’t like to be around people so that’s why he always works behind computers.
Me and Allan arrive at the room and a masked bodyguard nods in respect when he sees me, and then he opens the door for us.
He’s one of the Empress’s bodyguards.
When the Empress appeared for the first time decades ago, she created a whole new army with loyal men. Masked bodyguards that would die for her.
We enter the dark room which is lit only by a single light bulb in the middle of the ceiling. Fred is in the middle of the room on his knees, naked, whimpering like a baby, while Orion is behind him with his eyes on everyone.
And Arius Novak is in front of Fred, tall as a mountain and dressed in a black suit. His dark hair is messy and the black masks with big pink X’s as eyes
and a mouth sewn in the same color covers his whole face, leaving his identity hidden.
“Do you know why you’re here?” Arius asks the same question as mine. Unlike the Empress, Arius uses his real voice.
“Si.”
“Brava ragazzo.” Arius says with a little laugh. He then, turns his head toward me and comes slowly to my side. “It’s nice to finally meet you, Boss.” He raises his hand, and I took it in mine.
“Likewise.” I say in a serious tone. I hold his hand in mine a little longer. “Do we still have our deal?”
“Straight to the point I see, but you need to get this into your head. I am a man of word. You got me my prisoner, and you’ll get your information as soon as I find it.”
I nod shortly and move towards Fred, lowering myself onto one knee, because I wanted to be at the same level as his body.
“Do you have the answer?” I ask while taking another cigarette out.
“S-Sir, please,”
“I didn’t ask you to beg.” I light up the cigarette and inhale a big part of it. “If you don’t choose anything, I’ll do it for you.” I let the smoke out, blowing it in his face.
He starts to cough, and I bring the cigarette close to his face.
“Just kill me, Capo, please.”
“You’re no fun.” I say disappointed. “Option number 1 it is then.” And I shove the cigar on his cheek until I feel it penetrating his skin.
His whimpers are quickly starting to become roars of pain. And this is just the beginning.
“Orion, bring me the pliers, the one I usually use to
cut the big screws from cars.” Fred’s eyes widen and I rise from my position.
“What are you doing to him?” I hear Arius’s voice.
“You’ll see.” That’s because of what he did to my sister.
I still remember how red her skin was because she tried to wash his cum until she tore off almost all the rows of skin.
Orion comes next to me and handles me the pliers, then he went behind Fred, in case he needs to be held.
“Try not to scream too loud. Outside are people who are having fun.” Allan warns him and I laugh.
I take off my jacket and put it on the only chair in the room, to then lean back in front of Fred.
“Remember that you didn't choose.” And I grab the pliers, bringing it to his face. “With what should I start? Your eyes?” Then I move the pliers lower to his hands. “Your hands?” And before I can cut the first finger, a muffled vibration is heard in the dark room.
Then another one.
“Allan, bring me my phone, now.” I say angry.
Who the fuck is sending me messages?
When the phone is in my face, I grab it and open it quickly.
Unknown Number : Ivan told me where you are.
Unknown Number : Not that he had a choice.
Unknown Number : Cut that motherfucker’s dick until he dies in pain.
I am perplexed. Completely shocked.
Although the contact is named as 'unknown', these words belong to only one person.
A person who will bring me to despair.
Me : I’ll make sure to send you his dick with a ribbon around it, wife.
Little fox : Not your wife.
Me : Yet.
I hold back a smile that I don't know where it comes from.
I hand Allan the phone and refocus my attention on Fred.
“Change of plans gentlemen. It seems that we have a third option suggested by my wife.” I say with a smirk and Fred’s eyes fill with hope.
“His wife?” Arius’s confused voice is making me roll my eyes.
“I think you’ll like this more than what I had in my mind.” And I move the pliers until the cold metal is touching his member.
“Oh God, please no. No, no, no, n-“ But his pleads are interrupted by the piece of material that Orion shoves into his mouth.
“You see, Freddie, what my wife wants, she gets.” I smile at him and then cup one of his balls into the pliers. “Do you want to count? Maybe it’ll hurt less.”
“Please.” His begging is doing nothing to me.
Not when my sister is in the game.
I start to put pressure on the plier and I can feel the skin breaking under it.
His screams are louder, but that just makes me continue.
I tighten the plier until I feel something hard and I stop.
Blood is leaking to the ground and in the room is
nothing but Fred’s whimpers.
“Did that feel good?” Arius asks and comes next to me.
Fred starts to shake his head, and a few tears are rolling down his face.
“Good.” And I move the plier to the second ball, doing the exact thing I did with the other one. Fred’s almost passing out and Allan comes with a buck full of cold water and throws it on him.
“Don’t fall asleep, bro. This is supposed to be fun.” I look at Allan and try to see him through the dark aura that is flowing around him.
He’s always drowning in darkness when he is torturing someone. And as much as I try not to involve him that much, he can’t stay away from this.
I tried to make him talk for years, but whatever he went through, is still haunting him.
And I can’t help him.
Because he doesn’t let me in.
I move the plier toward his member and the terror in his eyes makes me smirk.
“Salute my enemies when you arrive in hell for me.” And without warning, I cut until the plier has gone through the meat.
The mansion is quiet when I go out of the car.
The lights are out and the wind is almost as quiet as the house. The bodyguards are at the entrance and are as tall as mountains.
How is Hanibal training these people?
The hall is dark, and I don’t feel like going to bed. I change my direction and I move my legs toward the garden.
Perfectly shaped trees, a fountain in the middle of it and a swing are making this feel like a fantasy.
But what makes me almost gag is the huge snake statue that is in the middle of the fountain. The details are too perfect. It’s like he took a real snake and put someone to paint it with marble.
A sudden sound breaks the silence and I turn slowly, my hand on the gun in my waistband.
My breath is gone when I see Althea in the swing, wearing a black summer dress and smoking a cigarette.
I shouldn’t feel this when I see her.
Her hair is loose and it reaches right above her ass. Even her face is flawless without any makeup.
I should hate her for what she put Keres through.
“Did you bring my dick?” Her question makes me crack a smile.
“I still have to put the ribbon around it. Consider it a wedding gift.” She lets the smoke out as she shows me a sarcastic little smile.
And even that little smile makes her face more soft, more relaxed. Like she’s actually twenty-three years old, not forty.
“A wedding gift will be canceling the wedding.” She looks at me like she expects me to agree with her.
“I will make you my wife even if the wedding will turn into a bloody massacre.” She stands suddenly and comes toward me.
“Do you plan to kill me too?” She spats.
“What. Did. You. Say?” I feel my body grow in anger.
“Does the truth stings?” The venom she has in her
eyes make me even angrier. “Admit it, Keaton.”
“Admit what?” I say in a low voice. We were dangerously close and if one of us snaps, we would kill each other.
Because Althea knows how to fight.
“That you broke the promise you made. Do you remember our first ever conversation?” She throws the cigar on the perfectly green grass and she squeezes her hands into fists.
It feels like yesterday. Our first ever conversation. We didn’t even greet each other. Never said ‘hello’.
There are two conversations going on at the dining table that the Famiglia’s Capo arranged for our arrival.
I came here to ask the girl who saved me to marry me. Because I don’t want anyone else as my wife. I am twenty-three years old and soon I will take over the mafia.
I’ll be more powerful with a wife next to me.
My father and Hanibal are talking about the union of the two mafias, while my mother is talking with…her.
Keres.
My future wife.
Her blonde hair is tucked under a low bun and her blue eyes have sparkles in them. Her smile is contagious and her posture is perfect.
“You are late.” Hanibal’s harsh voice is making Keres’s smile disappear and look behind her. A shadow is at the door and then a feminine figure is making her way known into the room.
“Nobody died, isn’t it?” Her voice creates goosebumps down my spine. Her brownish skin and brown eyes are making her look exquisite. Her frame is small, but her body is ready to make you a sinner.
Why can’t I take my eyes off her?
“Althea, please.” Keres’s pleading voice is making me
frown.
“Please excuse my daughter. She has quite the mouth, just like her mother.” Hanibal is almost hissing.
I never knew that Hanibal has two daughters.
Two daughters that are so different.
Althea chooses to sit on the chair next to me.
She looks at me with small eyes and I can see a trace of redness in them and cheeks. Althea leans towards my ear and the sweet smell of vanilla and cigarettes overwhelms my senses, making me feel trapped in a trance.
"If my sister suffers something, I will make sure that no one will find your body." My eyes widen when I hear her words.
Who are you Althea and why does no one know about you?
"I promise I'll take care of her." I say the words with difficulty, as if someone is squeezing my throat.
"Be careful, Keaton, that's a promise you can't keep."
"Then I promise I'll do my best to keep her safe."
“I did keep her safe.” I say through my teeth.
“So good that she is in a casket, six meters underground.” I lean forward, feeling how my blood is boiling. Her eyes are showing no trance of fear.
“You’re angry about me breaking my promise, when you left her all alone.” This time, her eyes widen and her lips parted. “You turned your back on her when she needed you, like she was some trash. And she kept making excuses for you. Why aren’t we talking about that?” I almost spat the words, letting the anger win.
And something happens, something which I didn’t expect.
Althea bows her head, her fists still clenched and leaves the garden in a hurry. Almost running away, leaving me all angry and confused.
What the fuck happened?