23. Sandro #2
The frown doesn’t leave Tennant’s face until he opens the door to the torture chamber. At that point, it’s easy for both of us to shift into our personas. The ones we’ve both learned over the years, and I’m once again reminded why he was such an exalted Second. Cristian truly was lucky to have him.
The man strung up is familiar to me. Robert. I shove my fury down, but cannot let it go completely. Not with the way he sneers at me, despite how the metal manacles on his wrists must be biting in, or how it’s keeping him balanced on his toes.
“Ah, the not so mighty Il Padrone finally comes to visit me. Although, what do you go by now? Considering you’ve been stripped of all your power, and have left your allies weak. You made it easy for me.”
“Do I seem weak to you?” I ask, mildly amused.
Considering everything I’ve been through, that seems a rather foolish assumption to make, but this is a man who puts more precedence in titles than someone’s character. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have fucked with Sarah.
He scoffs, his nose wrinkling up in distaste. “What else would you call it? The Martellis are no more. Finally. And soon, the Council will be crushed as well.”
“Hmm… You seem to have quite the accumulation of knowledge. Exactly how did you reach those conclusions?” I fire back, rocking onto my heels as if I’m not concerned, when really, fury burns inside my gut.
“You’re not the only one with reach. In fact, I have far more than you now. And if you’re smart, you’ll let me go. Kill me and the Senator will come down on you like nothing else.”
I snort and wave his statement away. “He’s welcome to try. Many have before.”
“And yet, it appears that they’re succeeding.” His smug grin mocks me, but I don’t blink. “And soon, that whore of yours will finally be thrown out of my hospital.”
Without any thought, I immediately backhand him. A punch would have felt better, but it was the most demeaning action possible to the asshole. How dare he call Sarah a whore?
Tennant rests a hand on my shoulder, drawing me back to myself when I realize I’m vibrating with the force of my anger and disgust. Breathing out, I note that Robert’s at least watching me warily. About. Fucking. Time.
“I wouldn’t insult Dr. Ranlen,” Tennant says smoothly. “She’s far above you. And we do protect our own.”
“And that’s the problem! She’s a faithful dog to criminals, and you integrated her within the hospital, sullying our reputation.
With as much blood as we see, as much suffering, it’s horrifying that we allow our reputation to be smeared with such an association.
” With a vicious grin, he gloats, “But that will end at the next board meeting. Finally.”
I shake my head, unable to believe his words. He’s the newest board member, and I never had him investigated. I’m regretting that now.
“She wouldn’t have to work at all if she didn’t want to, but she chose to do it because she believes in helping her patients and the community.
It would have made my life far easier had she chosen to be in my care full time.
The board has always backed her because she pulls in major donors and grants.
You think manufacturing some charges will really work? ”
“I know it will. The Senator has assured me he’ll donate enough for a new wing to be named in his honor. And with that, I can start campaigning to be the Head of the board.”
Recoiling, I share a look of disgust with Tennant, muttering, “And this guy thinks I’m pretentious? Never once have I donated money with the expectation of having my name on anything…”
“And when is this board meeting? Will the Senator be there to accept his accolades in person?”
“Two days. Two days and I’ll have it all.” Robert’s voice takes on a dreamy quality and my jaw drops. He’s strung up, has to know he’s going to die, and yet he still thinks he’s going to a fucking board meeting?
“And the Senator?” I cut into his delusions, my voice hard.
Blinking rapidly, he seems to take his predicament a little more seriously. Finally. He tries to shrug, although the aborted movement is unsuccessful given how he’s having to balance.
“I think we have enough, if he’s not going to say anything else,” Tennant murmurs in my ear. I nod and head toward the toys lining the walls.
Humming, I grab a hammer. Such a simple tool. And yet, when wielded correctly, it can be absolute perfection in torture.
“What are you doing?” Robert demands as I come closer, his voice almost squeaking at the end as hysteria creeps in.
“Oh, this?” I glance at the hammer in my hand, as if just noticing it.
“This is where I get to work out my frustrations. And you learn that you don’t fuck with me.
I may no longer be Il Padrone, but I’m still the monster in your stories, the villain who will go to the end of the world for those I care for—and that includes Dr. Ranlen.
Too bad the lesson isn’t going to be something you can use later on. ”
“You can’t kill me!” he shouts, his body beginning to shake as fear finally permeates his stupidity. “The Senator will know it’s you! And he’ll crush you!”
“Oh, I hope he knows it’s me,” I purr, before smiling widely.
“You’ll have to wait until he joins you in Hell to find out his reaction.
I don’t think you matter as much as you like to believe you do.
See, I’ve learned that small minds, easily warped with promises of glory, are the perfect prey for the Senator.
And you? You fit that bill perfectly. You’re useful so he strings you along, giving you promises to make you do things, to go against those lofty ethics you preach.
And blindly, you follow. When you’re gone, he won’t even blink.
He’ll just reach into his roster of other idiotic minions for another. ”
With that, I lift the hammer up, and using my entire body, swing down to where I hit his toes. His howl of pain is a shot of pleasure to my veins. Fuck, it's almost better than an orgasm at this point.
It’s been so long since I’ve gotten my hands dirty that I want to savor this experience, to soak in the sharp smells of blood and piss—because he will piss himself, eventually—and the anguished screams. I shut everything else out, humming a random song about being happy while I continue to smash his feet to hell.
Thankfully, Tennant moves behind Robert and braces him, so I have more of a target.
Such a perfect Daddy. Still, I don’t let myself get distracted from my goal.
After his feet, I point to his left knee, and wait until Tennant locks that area down.
The trust he shows in me, especially as I’m wielding a hammer close to him, is touching.
I’ll have to thank him later for it, and for indulging my need for vengeance.