Page 47 of Pretty Poison

“I didn’t miss anything, Dario, I fucking swear I didn’t,” he continues. “Every single piece of evidence we collected was concrete—it tied them both to the treason or whatever the fuck they were planning. Why couldn’t I find out what they were herefor? This shit doesn’t add up. I swear I didn’t miss anything, but I must’ve; it’s the only thing that makes sense right now.”

“Don’t overthink it,” I admonish him. “When she wakes up, we’ll question her, see what she knows about her brother and his friend. If we get a picture of what they were like, it could lead us in the right direction.”

“And if she knows nothing?” he asks, venom shooting from his tongue.

“He’s her brother, damn it. She must know something—anything.”

“He’s herolderbrother,” he corrects me. “He wouldn’t tell her shit. He would’ve worn a façade and he would’ve done it with pride. No man would ever bring his younger sister into his mess, not one with a conscience, at least.”

“What makes you think he has one?”

“All men have one to some extent. If she knows her brother at all, then she’ll believe anything he says as if it's gospel.”

“She told me a few days ago that she and her brother hadn’t spoken in years because of her father. She wanted him at the wedding—”

A breathy laugh slips free from him. “That isn’t happening, Dario. He’s been here for three years and he’s told us nothing. He’s most likely sleeping or unconscious now; he’ll be out for hours. Three days isn’t enough time for her to get him to spill his secrets, and if by some miracle it is, it wouldn’t make any difference.”

He inhales, filling his lungs to capacity and rubs his face. “I know what it’s like to be in a hellhole, one similar to the one they’re currently in, and I know how it fucking destroys you. If at firstyour captors don’t succeed, they’ll find new and creative ways to break you down little by little until they finally succeed in what they want.”

“They didn’t break you,” I tell him, unrelenting. “You stayed strong and we found you. They were unsuccessful in their mission.”

“But they broke me in ways I could never explain in words,” he expresses, a slight croak in his tone. “You found me before they could inflict any real damage, but them? They’ve been here long enough that what we’ve done should’ve broken them—should’ve, but didn’t. I don’t think I need to tell you that it can only mean they were trained to show no weakness, to cut ties with their families to save them from the heartache of their death or so their families wouldn’t become their downfall. They were programmed into a weapon of their creator’s own design, intended to be used against people like us. While they might’ve been good people before, I guarantee you they aren’t anymore.”

“You don’t know shit about them,” Liana says, her voice weak and it draws both of our attention. “Ace was the kind of person that cared, like, he actually cared what you had to say. He made me realise that I did in fact have a voice and I wasn’t destined to live in my father’s or brother’s shadow my entire life. He was a great, kind and thoughtful person and you can’t convince me otherwise.”

She pushes herself up from her position on the bed and continues. “And my brother? He was the best man I ever knew. I lost him when my father decided that old-fashioned thinking was more important than his own son’s happiness. But he would never do anything to harm anyone. Whatever you think they did, I can promise you, they didn’t. They were the greatest menI knew.” Her voice is louder now, the words filled with anger, startling everyone awake.

Remi stands, clenching his fists at his sides. “You notice how you only used past tense there? ‘He made,’ ‘He was,’ ‘They were,’ ‘I knew’… Your words have proven that you did know them in the past, but you no longer do. Not the way you think, anyway.” He flexes his fingers. “Ace, as you called him, has been here for three years, while your brother has been here for four… Time, torture and torment change people, Liana. The sooner you realise they aren’t the men you once knew, the better.”

He turns to head for the door, but she stops him. “I’ve known them both considerably longer than you assholes have kept them here for. You’ve got your own picture of them painted in your mind, and I have mine. Believe what you will and I’ll do the same.”

He huffs, storming out of the room and slamming the door behind him.

“Keep your brother on a leash, Dario; he’s making it difficult for me to see him in a better light.”

“He’s feeding on his anger, Liana, exactly as you are. You’re not as different as you think you are.”

“You’ve told me time and time again that we don’t know each other—that hasn’t changed, so stop trying to convince yourself otherwise. It’s an unhealthy mindset for you to have.”

“He’s right,” Kat says, placing a soft hand on Liana’s shoulder that she roughly pulls away from. “Remi has been through hell and back, and then some, just like everyone in this room; he’s dealing with it the way he taught himself to. Don’t take his words personally, Lia. He means well, but he’s… doubting himself right now.”

“I don’t care what he’s doubting or thinking or even doing with his stupid, small-minded life, but he’s a prick who needs to learn when to shut his fucking mouth. He deals with shit one way and I deal with it another; we clash like sun and rain, like prey and predator… like life and death. He needs to understand that sometimes what he says hurts people and I don’t think he realises that until it’s too late.”

“One day, that smart mouth of yours is going to get you killed,” Red says, glaring at her.

“Do you want another kick to the balls?” she answers. “Because I could really use the release.”

He squints at her, biting his tongue. He flips her off—a childish action he uses regularly.

“Real mature,” she mutters, pushing herself off the bed. “Don’t fucking follow me, Dario,” she warns through gritted teeth.

“We’re not done, Liana,” I answer, pulling myself off the floor.

“Yes, we are,” she spits. “I don’t want you or your fucked-up family. I thought I did. I thought you were all I had, but what you showed me—what I now know you’re capable of—I want no fucking part of it. I’d rather go back to a father who has proved he never loved me than stay with a man incapable of showing remorse or guilt for his actions.”

“Liana—”

“NO!” she screams, her voice cracking with the simple syllable. “You did this! You ruined any good we were meant to have. There’s no turning back now, Dario. You have to fucking own what you’ve done, not try to sweet-talk your way out of it.”

---