“Lucille and your uncle think you left on your own accord. They didn’t seem too surprised.”
It was odd hearing him call my grandmother by her first name.
“She might not like the choice I make, and she can have me committed,” I warned him.
“I would never let that happen to you. As long as you’re with me, no one else will hurt you in any way,” he promised, placing another kiss on the center of my forehead.
“I think I believe you…”
“You should always believe me. Even when I’m being cruel, it’s to be kind.”
And with those utterly confusing words, he left.
It was as I was stepping into the shower that I realized he’d said he was saving me.
What the hell was he saving me from?
Chapter Five
I walked into my family’s cigar bar with my brother Elias and our cousin Sergio right behind me, bypassing the guards without a word.
I knew the four falcons following me would stay inconspicuous—not that anyone ever fucked with me, but I certainly had enemies. Everyone did, which is why I always kept my guards anonymous and rotated them in and out.
It was too easy to recognize a face if you’d seen it too many times, and I quite liked the element of surprise.
The air was ripe with the scent of various spices from the few customers inside enjoying their stogies. A few women, high-class whores I professionally deemed as ‘escorts’, sat around waiting to be dispersed either for a fifteen minute fuck in the five-star hotel down the road, or to deliver product they had stashed in their tits or pussy.
I never had much to do with that part of my system; Sergio ran it for a nice cut of the profit, keeping the best looking women around and making sure they were well cared for and protected.
When they got to about two-hundred men, we killed them off rather nicely or sold them outright for around eight hundred dollars.
They waved at us with seductive smiles as we passed through.
I did the polite nod and kept it moving. I’d never touch Vice City snatch. I’d sooner stick my dick in a box-fan.
“Felix,” I respectfully greeted the older man behind the bar.
“Patrón.” He returned my greeting with a wide smile on his whiskered face.
I went straight to the private room in the back, taking note of the falcons standing by. I didn’t bother sitting down; I wasn’t staying long. I had too much shit to do.
Elias and Sergio took post on either side of me as they always did. We had always been each others’ shadows, protective and loyal to one another since we were young boys. My losses were their losses, my wins were their wins, and vice-versa.
My father was already seated, showing no sign of the pain we all knew he was in from being shot. The dumb fuck was lucky to be alive.
It was his idea to meet here, more than likely to escape the wrath he’d awakened in my mother with his most recent screw up. But she knew where he was; she always did.
“Meus filhos,” he greeted us.
My uncle Regaldo sat to his right, acknowledging me with a grin that matched Felix’s.
“You didn’t bring the book,” my father noted, seeing my hands were empty.
“You aren’t getting it back. I told you that already, and since you keep calling me about it, I thought I’d redeliver the message in person.”
He blinked, his eyes slightly darkening. I stood unfazed. His temper could be volatile, but mine was easily ten times worse.
I’d told Elena once that I was adept at listening without hearing words, seeing what others sought to hide. It was a skill I’d developed early on, and had only strengthened as I got older.
I could see him struggling with my blatant disregard of his wishes, and couldn’t stop myself from smiling.
“Is this how it’s going to be? You defying me now?” he questioned, his voice gruff.
“After this little fiasco with Eva, you’re lucky I haven’t planted a bullet between your eyes.”
“Who the fuck do—”
Before he could finish, I was directly in front of him, leaning down so we were eye to eye. “No, who the fuck do you think you are? I don’t take orders from anyone, especially not you.
“You put this entire empire at risk for a mangy piece of pussy every Tom, Dick, and Harry around here has sampled. You disrespected my mother, and sullied our family name. I will leave you to rot in the bottom of a barrel before I allow that to ever happen again.”
I kept my composure, kept my voice level.
I found threats carried better when spoken calmly. I meant every word, and he knew it. I didn’t bluff or talk out of my ass. He was well aware of that; after all, he was the one who took me out on my first kill for my fourteenth birthday.
Father or not, there were too many other people I had to account for to allow his wandering dick to destroy what I’d built with zero help from him, especially where my Elena was concerned.
Any man with a bit of luck could be born into power or passed the proverbial torch. But holding that power, making it grow into something no one dared fuck with?
That took work.
It took sacrifice, hard decisions, and building a solid foundation on top of blood and violence.
No one spoke. The room filled with tension as the other men waited to see what he would do.
“Meu garoto,” he praised loudly, a large grin overtaking his face. “Is my son not a natural?” he asked the room.
“You were born to be king of más alto,” Uncle Regaldo proudly agreed.
“And you’re right,” my father admitted. “I was an arrogant shit and you’ve done a damn good job of cleaning up my mess. Your mother and I are very proud of you. Now tell me, how does it go with my new future daughter?” he asked after he lit a cigar, relaxing back into his chair.
“I’m sending her to Juniper tomorrow,” I replied.
“Getting straight to it eh?” he laughed.
“I have somewhere to be,” I said, brushing off his last question.
At one point, I’d looked up to him. Now, I had surpassed him.
Learning his truths had forever tarnished the image I had of the man I thought he was.
He was desperate for my approval instead of the other way around. How the tables had turned.
“Your little play thing is not welcome in this establishment,” I tossed over my shoulder as I made my way out of the room.
I heard a gun cock and the woman gasp a second before Sergio casually told her to shut the fuck up when she called my father’s name, and planted a slug in her skull.
I didn’t care enough about his reaction to look back and see it. I imagined he was scrubbing the brain matter off the side of his face.
The man had preached about family values all my life, but had started to forget what those were. I had no qualms about reminding him.
“I’ll see you Saturday,” I said, just before the door to the private room slammed shut. None of the patrons inside the bar uttured a syllable or made eye contact as we passed again.
I silently pulled on a pair of black leather gloves as Sergio drove towards our next destination.
Elias sat in the backseat, mimicking my actions, removing his tie in the process.
I’d texted my doorman, Alfredo, to check on Elena when she didn’t respond to my text message and her cell went to straight to voicemail. He assured me she had gotten something to eat and was now wandering around the house.
“Are you sure you’re ready for this?” Sergio asked, breaking the heavy silence.
“Is there really a need to ask that question?” I replied, sliding the duffel bag out from beneath my seat.
“We’ve been waiting on Ace to fuck up for five years, Serg. Of course we’re ready,” Elias added.
“Just double-checking.” He flashed me a quick grin.
I leaned back in my seat, retrieving a Black Dragon cigar from my inner pocket. There was so much to do within such a short space of time.
I had bales of marijuanga currently coming up the coast and a delivery of yayo arriving at one of my safe houses in less than an hour.
The most crucial endeavor began at sunrise. This round of roulette was going to be unlike than any of the others. It wouldn’t be my last one wiping out an entire family, but I no longer had a desire to hook a woman and then leave her in shambles as I usually did once her mind was broken.
I’d wanted Elena for a long time.
My obsession started as a need to protect her, and then quickly spiraled into a barbaric urge to make her mine.
She was so refreshingly different, the only woman I’d ever wanted to keep. I wanted her in my bed with her pussy wrapped around my cock every single night.
She was a pristine canvas I could paint however I wished. She had a past full of pain that would only make her more cutthroat. My twisted angel held so much potential, all I had to do was dirty her up a little.
My methods would be unorthodox and immoral, but so was our relationship. That was what made it so much more perfect.
People who didn’t understand our world would question me for sending her into the fray, so to speak, but it had to be done.
I couldn’t coddle her. I wouldn’t. Too much effort had gone into acquiring her.
Torture, murder, trafficking…she needed a spine of steel to deal with this lifestyle, and she knew it. Otherwise, she’d be torn apart.
I didn’t want her hiding behind me. I wanted her by my side as the weak knelt at our feet. Eventually, I wanted her swollen with my heirs time and time again—precisely why her abomination of a last name needed to go.
This situation, however, went beyond even that, and until I knew her capabilities and could trust her mind not to completely shatter when all the deceit came to light, I would keep a few skeletons locked away.
I had no choice but to keep dragging her further and further under my control. She would either break and fold, or she would become the queenpin of Vice City.
Chapter Six
It was a simple cape cod with old furnishings.
Thanks to Elias fucking the woman of the house for the past month, he was able to copy the key without her ever knowing.
He went upstairs. Sergio remained by the front door, and I made my way into the kitchen with the duffel bag. It didn’t take long for the soft moans of two people fucking to echo from the second level.
Given the fact that the woman didn’t scream, I surmised Elias had done this before.
I put on a pot of coffee before unzipping the bag and pulling out what I needed, briefly pausing when a muffled yelp came from the upper level.
Approximately twenty minutes later, the sound of footsteps coming down the stairs alerted me to Elias’ approach.
I shook my head, taking in the blood sprayed across the front of his shirt.
"Enjoy yourself?” I asked, quirking a brow.
"I’ve had better, but one last hurrah was still worth it before the stupid cadela meets the Holy Ghost. Do you want me to bring her down?" Using a damp paper towel, he wiped some of the blood away from his face.
"Not yet. Where is she?"
"In the bathtub." His eyes flashed to mine, a smirk on his face.
"Good. Pour this on her, and come down in ten."
He caught the lighter fluid and gave me an army salute before walking back out of the kitchen. A light tap from the living room came from Sergio, letting me know the man of the hour had arrived.
The key turning in the front door sent a jolt of excited anticipation coursing through my veins. I listened closely, tracking his movements. His heavy boots thudded across the dull hardwood floor; a tired sigh left his mouth.
I saw him before he saw me. The man looked like shit. He'd gained a considerable amount of weight, his face looked like it hadn't been shaved since the Jurassic era, and he had a distinct musty aroma.
I cleared my throat to get his attention when he still hadn’t spotted me. Most people would be aware there was an unwelcome guest lurking in their kitchen.
“Patrón.” He looked directly at me, brown eyes widening.
"Alex. It's been a while.” Keeping my posture relaxed, I leaned against his pinewood countertop and intertwined my leather-gloved hands together.
"Is Abby home?" he nervously asked.
Biting back a smile, ignoring his question, I gestured to a chair, indicating he should sit.
What he really wanted to know was if I’d fucked his girlfriend.
"Abby isn't exactly my type. Plus, I’ve heard from a few of my men that she gives shitty blow-jobs. I don't know how you've put up with that for so long. Well, then again, I’m sure you don’t mind the taste of cock."
His fists clenched beneath the table but he forced out a laugh to save face. This man was a pitiful pussy.
"I thought it was time we had a little chat. I'd have come by sooner, but as you know, I’m a very busy man. This won’t take long.”
Reaching into my back pocket, I removed the photograph of Elena and held it up for him to see. He squinted. A second later, his adam’s apple bobbed.
“I, uh, I—”
“I take it you remember her?”
His wild eyes found all the supplies I’d placed on the opposite countertop. From the look on his face, he finally realized I wasn’t standing in his kitchen so we could catch up on old times.
The fear radiating off him was almost a physical entity. He knew I knew that he was there that night.
"They made me do it,” he rushed out, already shaking.
"Calm down, Alex. There’s no reason to be afraid. Let me pour you some coffee." He let out a soft sigh of relief when I turned my back.
Grabbing the old style glass pitcher, I turned back around and flipped the lid up.
He’d stupidly remained sitting, easily allowing me to dump the scolding caffeine over his head.
His skin sizzled and burned. He bellowed, his hands flying up to pointlessly swipe at the liquid.
I swung the pitcher and cracked him in the back of the head, sending him to the ground. Blood immediately began to pool in his dirty blonde hair, dripping onto the ugly tiled floor.
Moving quickly, I tied him up with the thick chains I’d brought, clicking a padlock shut around his neck. The weight of it all forced his body to slump in a hunchback position.
By the time I was finished, Elias was watching the festivities from the doorway and Sergio was securing Abby the same way.
When Alex finally stirred, the first thing he saw was his girlfriend restrained. She was a shaking, pissy mess.
The right side of her face was swollen; a few of her teeth were missing. She was in nothing but her birthday suit. Every time I inhaled, I breathed in the putrid smell of coffee, urine, sweat, and kerosene.
"Do you know why Abby is naked?" I asked Alex. With a bloody dish towel wedged in his mouth, he couldn't answer me.
"She decided to fuck my little brother in your bed."
“She’s quite the catch,” Elias cut in, patting him on his sticky head before circling behind Abby’s chair.
"See?" he taunted, reaching down and spreading the mousey redhead’s legs apart.
A strangled sound that could only be described as an angry sob came from his mouth.
"It's a shame, isn't it, when someone you trust betrays you." I moved behind Abby’s chair and pulled her away from Alex. Then, I looked to my brother.
"Did you bring it?"
"Of course." He fished in his pocket and tossed me the blue lighter he’d brought for this special occasion.
"I'm not going to kill you yet, Alex. That would be too kind of me." I grabbed the extra containers of lighter fluid and began to dump them around the kitchen. Someone could get high off the fumes that permeated the air.
Lighting a rolled up piece of old newspaper, I approached Abby and lifted a strand of her fuel-soaked hair.
Simultaneously, they both began screaming behind their gags. I held the flame to the red strand and watched it ig
nite.
Abby screeched in terror and pain. Grabbing the back of Alex’s chair, I dragged him towards the doorway, making sure he remained facing the woman he claimed to love, the one who had his engagement ring on her finger. I wanted him to remember her suffering before I put him through his own.
Just as I crossed the threshold to leave, Abby tipped over, making her situation ten times worse as fire rapidly spread around the kitchen.
I knew the flames would be burning the epidermis layer of skin, causing it to peel away. After a few more minutes, the dermis would begin to shrink and split open, causing her body fat to leak out.
If she got lucky, she’d be dead before that happened. Worst case scenario, it would be fuel for the fire. Continuing to drag a hysterical Alex out of the house, I smiled to myself.
My last stop wasn’t a planned one.
The minute I got my confirmation call, we headed to the Rias estate after dropping Alex off at the stables.
As I stared up at the building, I wondered why I hadn’t just torn it down.
It stuck out like a sore thumb amongst all the other homes due to its lack of upkeep since Ricardo and Rihannon Rias ceased to exist.
They’d left the door unlocked, allowing us to walk right in. The men I’d called for a small favor hadn’t arrived yet.
The house was sterile inside, dark and cold. It was far beneath Elena’s caliber.
“Haven’t been inside this tomb this much in years,” Sergio muttered, closing the front door.
“It certainly leaves much to be desired,” I noted on my way towards the stairs.
“Which one do you want?” Elias asked, following behind me.
“I’ll handle Lucielle. You two find Samuel. If he isn’t in bed, he’s off drinking his life away.”
The soles of my shoes lightly padded along the marble floor.
Retrieving my gun from my waistband, I tightened the silencer before slipping into Lucille’s bedroom.
It was just as sterile as the rest of the house—more like a hospital than a home. It was almost fitting.
She was dressed in a pink, nearly translucent moo-moo, her dark hair pulled back into a bun. If anything, I could sleep well knowing Elena’s beauty wouldn’t be fading anytime soon, which I felt was a lucky break considering she was a byproduct of incest.
Old Money Roulette: Complete Trilogy Page 14
