I DIDN’T KNOW if it was the couch or the nagging feeling that I was repeatedly fucking up. Preston was in the goddamn house—again—and he attacked Nikki. He…raped Nikki. No. I’m done delaying. I never should’ve waited on Vic. I should’ve killed Preston the first chance I had. Every single damn time I gave someone the benefit of the doubt, they’d fuck me over. Not any goddamn more.
I’m fucking livid.
My phone buzzed on the table. Looking at the time, I only had two hours before I had to go back to the hospital. I was going to ignore it until I saw who the call was from. That only meant one thing.
“Dom,” I answered, upset for a very good reason, “you mind telling me how the fuck Preston slipped by you?”
“I-I had to piss, man.”
He could’ve kept his excuses. There was no explanation for why he left his post other than if he was dying. That was the only explanation I would gladly accept. “Here’s what you do: You take a bottle of water, empty it, drain your goddamn bladder, and keep your eyes on the fucking house like I asked you to do.”
“I’m sorry, man,” he offered. “Won’t happen again.”
“You bet your ass it won’t.”
“I g-got news for you.” He stuttered while exhaling like he was smoking on a cigarette. “After the shit you pulled at the club, my people told me Vic was hiding him for a minute. I don’t know what happened between them, but word on street is Vic has a price on Preston’s head now.”
I got up so fast, the blood rushed to my head because my brain was set on panic mode. Vic protecting Preston. Preston fucking with Nikki. The two were tied together.
I figured out what I didn’t before: Vic…was a fucking informant from the moment he stepped foot in the States, maybe even before. It was the only thing that made sense. How the hell did a man like him find quarter in the States? By becoming a C.I., that’s how. I was so preoccupied with my own shit, I didn’t see it before. I knew there was more to what I hadn’t yet figured out. Preston would tell me exactly how much more before he died in an arduous and painful way. “Where the fuck is Preston? I can’t trust Vic anymore.”
“Never should’ve in the first place. Charlie warned your ass. I left that fucker for a good reason.”
“Okay, mom,” I shot back, irritated. I looked at the invisible trail of blood I cleaned up earlier. I stepped over to the sliding doors to cool off. I…wanted…to…kill…him. And I wasn’t going to fucking wait.
“Bro, before you up and fly off the deep end. Feds don’t know where he is and they are chasing their tails. I couldn’t get to Preston in time. But I called around after I saw him leave the house. He went to vet clinic to get checked out. Think he’s going to run.”
I shut my eyes and rubbed my forehead. “Do you still have eyes on him?”
“I do. Got someone I trust watching him, but he’s heavily guarded. Don’t know who the hell the dudes are that are protecting him. There is no damn way anyone will get to him.”
There is one. “Keep on him. And I need a couple of guys on Nikki when you’re not preoccupied, then I need you to watch her when I can’t.”
“It’s done, bro.”
I ran my hands through my hair and headed to the kitchen to fix up an ice pack.
She was face down in the middle of her bed. I pulled off the covers, careful not disturb her. I slid her shirt—the only thing she wore to bed—up her legs. Then I saw them again—the bruises on her thighs. Her hair was up in some kind of style, giving me a full view of the back of her neck. Just off to the side was a purplish bruise, indicating broken vessels.
I bit my lip hard enough to bleed as I gently placed the pack on the back of her legs. She jerked slightly and opened her eyes.
“It’s a rubbing alcohol pack. It will stay cold and help to keep the swelling down.” I fingered a piece of her hair, pushing it behind her ear. “Don't ever keep things like this from me again. Shit…” I felt it again. The same feeling that took over the moment she told me the truth about what had happened between her and Preston. "I have somewhere to be," I said, clearing my throat, "but some guys are going to sit on the house. Stay inside. I'll be back as soon as I can.”
“I don’t think you should go,” she whispered.
“It’s not up to you.”
She sighed and sat up, sprawling her legs out. “Preston…told me some things.”
“Did he?”
She spoke about Victor setting Preston up, and my heart began working overtime.
She was mid-sentence, but I didn’t need to hear much more. I kissed her, shutting her down. “Don’t worry, my twisted angel. I’m making good on my promises to you.” I glanced at the bruise on her thigh and shook my head.
I kissed her one last time and left before I put my fist through the wall.
I TOOK A DRIVE and picked up a phone I kept hidden away and hadn’t used in years from my hiding place in the basement of my place in the boonies. I called the only contact number the phone had. The line picked up, but no one answered.
“I need a favor.”
“Hello, Ethan,” said the man on the other line.
“I need a favor,” I said, slower than the first time.
“Hello, Ethan.”
Sighing and calming down, I tried again. “Mr. Sanderson, how are you this fine evening?”
“Better. What is it you need?”
“Preston. Alone. He’s heavy under guard, but since you can get anything done…”
“I’m going to need something in exchange, and a reason.”
“There’s only one; he crossed a line with my wife, and I’m willing to do anything to be alone with him.”
“Clarify.”
“He raped her, Charlie,” my voice cracked on the r-word. My hand began to shake, aching to hurt something.
“Your wish is granted,” he said, shocking the hell out of me. "Do whatever you want to him, but make sure he dies soon and painfully.”
Nothing usually comes that easily from Charlie—which was why he was my last resort. There had to be a catch. At the moment, I couldn’t care less about what my payment plan would be. “Clean your messes, Ethan. I won’t be understanding if you’re sloppy.”
THE FORMER PAPER FACTORY used to employ a few hundred people. It closed down a few years ago and turned into a fucking dump. The Ravers made damn sure of that by using it for their parties before building inspectors shut it completely down. Chain locks never stopped me, and as long as we kept things to one man screaming his head off, we’d be fine.
It was the perfect place. Forgotten. Secluded.
A drowsy Preston was tied up, each limb bound by rope and connected to several metal columns. With his legs spread, he was stark naked and ready for the torture I was going to inflict on his most treasured parts. It was a thing of beauty.
Dom had told me that Charlie had hand delivered Preston and even presented him like a gift by binding him up for me. Who was I to question? Gift Horse. Mouth.
I crouched down and slapped his face to awaken him.
He groaned through the duct tape on his mouth as his head lobbed back and forth.
I glanced over my shoulder at Dom. “I wanted him conscious. How many CCs did you give him?”
“He was kinda drugged when I got here, I didn’t know what to give him, and I don’t remember what I gave him.” Dom shrugged.
I narrowed one eye at him. “How the fuck do you not remember?”
He shrugged again. “I forgot how much you told me to give him. I winged it. I figured if I overdosed him a little, it would be okay. ‘Cause shock will wake him up or something.”
I curved a brow, shaking my head at him. “Bro? You’re a goddamn idiot.”
“Fuck you, man.” Dom threw out his arm and shoved at the air like he was swatting a fly. “Charlie had a lot of people with him when I got here, and they were making me nervous.”
I glanced back at Preston. “Charlie’s familiar boys?”
“Maybe. I don’t know. You know how Charlie is, man. He doesn’t keep the same people around him all the time. But they must’ve went through some hell to get that fucker.” He pointed to Preston. “They were up to the hilt in weapons and tactical gear.”
“Did they say who was protecting him?”
“Nah. But when one of them mentioned something—something about the guys with him having tattoos like ours—I guessed that the men protecting Preston were Vic’s guys.”
Victor was still protecting Preston until the end? Interesting, because from what Nikki had told me earlier, Preston had told her something completely different. Hell, even Dom claimed something different at one point.
Walking over to the folding table, I scanned all the devices at my disposal; Charlie spared no expense. I prepared by gearing up: a plastic apron, clear goggles and gloves were the accessories; the battery-powered oscillating medical saw was the main component.
Returning to Preston, I knelt down in the middle of his gaped open legs.
It wasn’t the grinding sound that woke him up. The moment the saw sliced into his testicles, spraying blood like a paint gun inside his legs…what do you know? The bastard woke up. Screaming and writhing in agony to boot.
“When you’re done crying like a pussy,” I began, taking my finger off the power button, “I’d like to exchange some fun banter with you. More or less one-sided. But that’s perfectly fine with me. Are you going to shut up, or should I take the saw to that thing you call a dick next? Damn, man. I didn’t have to move your cock to get to your balls. What’s between your legs is a tragedy.
“If Estelle was still alive, I think I’d give her an award. She was a phenomenal actress for how slightly convincing she was when she faked it with you.” Smirking, I played with the power button, turning it on and off to make him squirm. “She told me about the way you fucked. Not that I paid attention when I saw it firsthand.” I rolled my shoulders up and dropped them down. “Watching other men fuck, isn’t my thing. It’s no contest really, and I think I make men nervous when I watch too closely. I’m the master standing over the shoulder of the apprentice. It can cause performance anxiety.”
From behind me Dom loudly cleared his throat. I shot him a look, reminding him to keep quiet while I played in my sandbox. “I was going somewhere with that.” I turned my attention back to Preston and added in a Eureka! moment, “Right. Estelle.
“Did you know she said the only time she could feel anything with you is when you hurt her? Which would explain why she asked you to beat her so much. She could barely feel your cock. I’d give you the benefit of the doubt, because I might’ve stretched her out a little too far.” I tapped my lips and pretended to be deep in thought. “No. That reason wouldn’t work at all.” My eyes flickered to his. “Because every time I fuck Nikki, she is just as tight as she was the first time I fucked her.
“Were you jealous, Preston? Is that why you had to get a taste of it? Is that why you had to force your useless fucking dick inside my wife?” I cocked my head, fingering the tear that streamed down his cheek as he bled profusely from between his legs. “I’m not usually this hands on, but for you, I’m making a big exception. Now that we’re here, we’re going to have so much fun. On second thought, I am. You? Not so much. Day after day, I’m going to cut away every single appendage you have until there is nothing left for the rats to feed on. How long do you think you’ll last?” Dropping my chin to my chest I eyed his cherry red nipples. I bit into my smirk and turned to the table. Standing, I paced toward the table, making my steps painfully slow to fuck with him. I grabbed a pair of pliers and held them up, making sure he saw my new torture device. “Still have nothing to say, Preston?” I turned on a dime and glared down at him.
He blankly looked up at me. I wasn’t going to get anything out of the fucker until he was tortured a little bit more. Not that I needed the information. I had the elements, but I needed more. I wouldn’t get that with Preston, but I would get it with Vic.
Torturing Preston was necessity, because he dared to lay a finger on Nikki. He dared to damage what belonged to me after I granted him clemency.
Besides, it would be pretty fucking therapeutic.
Crouching down to his level, I took in every blink, every wince, every tear shed as I clamped the pliers around his nipples. I yanked my arm back, coming back with his nipple and the surrounding flesh.
His muffled screams through the tape were a beautiful sound. He writhed around as if he thought he stood a chance of slipping out of the restraints.
My smile broadened. “I’m not done, Preston. Save your voice for the really good part.” When I glanced at what he called a cock, he started to cry like the little bitch he was. “Are your ready to play nice?”
He gave me a tepid nod.
Without babying him, I ripped the tape from his mouth, causing him to thrash around and stifle a scream through his closed mouth.
“You’re wasting time again,” I barked while spinning the handle of pliers between my hands. “In the meantime, you’re bleeding out a little faster than I’d like. Keep up the stuttering, and I’ll use the blowtorch to cauterize your wounds. You know, to help you regain the lucidity you fucking lost.”
He started to sputter for a while longer, claiming my patience before he finally blurted out, “Nikki isn’t who she seems.” He started to laugh manically. “She’s going to fuck you up, Eric. She’s going to fuck you up so badly. I wish I could live to see it all happen. You don’t know the woman you call your wife. Not very much at all.”
I rolled my eyes to the ceiling. Balling my fist, I punched him in a very strategic spot. The music, otherwise known as cries in agony, made me feel a little better. “I just dislocated your jaw. I’m sure you’re in quite a bit of pain right now. I need to be sure you’re taking this situation as seriously as you possibly can. I don’t care what you have to say about Nikki. What I want is information on Vic.” I grabbed his jaw and with a hard thrust, popped it back into place. He screamed again, and I had to say, it was no longer soothing, but very grating. I vaulted to my feet. Turning back to the table, I retrieved a fresh roll of duct tape and the blowtorch from the folding table.
“Nation. Nation X,” Preston blurted out.
I looked over my shoulder at him, suddenly interested in what he had to say. “Go on.”
“Promise you’ll let me go,” he begged, the glint of hope I would agree to releasing him was behind his eyes. Fucking idiot. “I’ll tell you all that I know if you give me your word.”
With my bloody finger, I crossed my heart, leaving a mark on the apron.
Preston wouldn’t survive more than a month in my care—I would make absolutely sure of it. I never made idle threats. He would pay for what he did to Nikki. His punishment would be brutal, and endure over the course of however long I could keep him alive without sepsis or blood loss taking his life.
For a few minutes, I would be a patient listener.
I pulled up a chair and waited eagerly for Preston to spill his guts.