♫ Sarcasm - Get Scared ♫
I could hardly wait to see Roman’s face when his appointed escort threw him in the backseat and he saw me behind the wheel.
We hadn’t seen or spoken to one another since the night he beat me to a pulp, and I was more than ready to seek my retribution. A little banged up still with healing bones, but ready as I’d ever been nonetheless.
Liza promised I could bring him an inch of life as long as she got to finish him off. So I agreed, had a plan all set in my head. Before a single drop of blood was shed, I’d wear down his psyche to the bone.
To nothing.
A shell of the man he once was, he’d be so numb and broken afterward, he’d beg for mercy.
Unfortunately for him, there’d be no mercy to come.
No absolution.
And the glistening cherry on top would be the sight of me toying with his precious Lux, as Liza ended him and sent him straight to the fiery depths of hell once and for all.
Speaking of Lux…
It was time to fill her in and hook her into the plan.
Minutes before Benji emerged from arrivals with Roman in tow, I scrolled through my contacts and selected the little bitch’s name. It rang several times, so many I was sure she’d let me ring through to voicemail, but then suddenly, her voice erupted through the speakers of my rental SUV.
“What the hell do you want now, Vic? Don’t you think you’ve caused enough—”
“If you have any hope of keeping your man alive, you’ll shut up and listen very carefully to the words that are about to come out of my mouth,” I said—calm, cool, collected.
“What do you mean keep my man alive?” Unmistakable panic rang out in her tone.
“I have him. Well, I will. His flight just landed.”
Lux gasped, the horrified sound filling the cabin of the SUV. “What have you done?”
“Everything Liza asked me to do,” I cooed, grinning, my eyes glued to the doors of the airport.
“You’re working with Liza?!” she squeaked.
“Correction—I’ve been working with her for quite some time now.”
“You slimy ass backstabbing motherfucker! So help me God, when I get my hands on you, you’re going to regret every single choice you’ve made.” It was all an outraged growl, and while I knew what Lux was capable of, I wasn’t at all concerned.
In fact, I found her to be quite amusing.
Liza had a million times more crazy on her.
“Somehow, I doubt that. Unlike you, Liza and I are partners.”
“And somehow, I doubt that, and I don’t even know the chick. Where is Rome?” she questioned.
“About to get tossed in my rental.”
“Rental? Where are you?”
“Heathrow,” I explained, checking the time on the dash.
“You’re across the pond?! Are you bloody kidding me right now?!”
Regardless of the fact she couldn’t see me, I shook my head. “Cross my heart.”
“Let him go.” The softest snarl left her.
“Can’t do that, Lux.”
“Let. Him. Go, Vic,” she gritted out.
“I told you, I can’t do that. If you make it here in time, you may be able to save him, though.”
And there he was, only half-struggling, pushed along the way by Benji towards the SUV. We’d zip tie his wrists together once he was inside to avoid any sudden outbursts.
“’Cause you’re gonna tell me how to get to him, right? Do you think I’m—”
“It’s not a secret, sweetheart. Liza wants me to tell you.” It was the complete and honest truth. “Now, here’s the deal. Rome’s about to get in the car. Either you stay quiet or—”
The rear passenger door flew open.
“Get the fuck off me, mate!” Roman roared, resisting Benji’s attempts to toss him in the back. “I can get in the damned car myself!”
As he slid inside, I slung an arm over the passenger seat and waited for him to notice me. When our stares locked and his expression morphed into that of confusion, I flashed him a subtle grin.
“Top of the mornin’ to ya, ol’ chap.”
“Vic? What the actual fuck is going on?” he asked incredulously, completely oblivious of Benji securing his wrists behind his back until the door slammed shut.
“Rome!” Lux bellowed, igniting a raging fire in his eyes.
I sighed impatiently, squeezing the bridge of my nose. “Jesus-fucking-Christ, Lux, did I not tell you to be quiet?”
“Where is she?” Rome growled.
“Back home where you left her, safe and sound.”
“I’m coming for you, Rome, do you hear me? I’m coming for you! Vic, you better text me that information—I’ve already bought the next flight out. It leaves in two hours.”
“Excellent.” I nearly rubbed my palms together. Everything was falling into place famously. “In the meantime, here’s a little motivation to get you moving faster in the event you thought I was joking…”
With lithe speed, I reached for the pistol tucked between the seat and flung my arm back, whacking the damned thing against Rome’s head.
Roaring in pain, he fell back into the seat as deep crimson blood began trickling from his temple.
“Stop! STOP!” Lux screamed in terror. “Don’t touch him! Don’t fucking touch him!”
“Oh, I won’t be, but I’m sure Liza can’t wait to get her hands on him one last time,” I mused.
Very slowly, Rome turned toward me, squinting through the aftermath of my assault. “Liza?” he rasped.
“The very one.”
“They’re working together!” Lux yelled, widening Rome’s expression in tenfold.
“You’re working with fucking Liza? Are you shitting me?!”
“How do you think she found you, brother?” I flashed him another grin.
But it didn’t last long.
One second I was lucid, and the next, well, I wasn’t.
The world around me was fading.
Fading.
Closing in on me.
Black.