“And I know just the place for that snivelling little cunt.” Red perked up, his face darkening.
“Shit,” I grimaced, “you’d better bring Bella with you when I call.”
“Arturo—” Lorenzo started, his tone lethal.
“Don’t.” I replied. “She made me promise.”
“It’s not fucking happening!”
“Lorenzo,” I lifted my hand before dropping it back down and sighing. “She deserves to get some closure. So either bring her orI’ll come back and get her myself. Your choice.” I glanced at Red whose lips ticked up.
He may be Lorenzo Ricci, but I’m Arturo fuckin’ Ramos.
And if my woman needs something to heal, then that’s what she’ll get.
Findingthe little ballbag took less time than I’d thought. One quick call to Jay got me the name of a guy on his payroll. After ten minutes of me and him going back and forth out the back of some restaurant in the Lower East Side, I was one address richer. Turned out that Henry had been busy making himself some side hustle by choking local businesses that weren’t in his father’s territory. The owner of the restaurant was only too happy to lend me his office for the night, with the arsehole gagged and strapped to a chair.
Couldn’t have him calling Henry and ruining the surprise, could I?
A little after 3am, I sat in the darkness of Henry’s bedroom. It reeked of desperation. The sad tosser had fucking satin sheets—the slippery kind— a video camera set up in the corner, and a shit tonne of bondage tools hidden in a cupboard beside his bed. Leaning my elbows on my knees, I trailed my knife back and forth along his sheets, bored out my skull.
Oh, look you’re ruinin’ his pretty bedding.
Ain’t like he’s going to need it where he’s goin’.
Nice to have you back, killer.
Only till this fucker’s dead.
We’ll see…
As I sat there pondering on where the dickhead was, I realised it had been a long while since my demons had risen to haunt me. That had been her doing. She was cleansing my soul from the inside out and making me feel all shiny and new again.Fuck.Anger slithered up my spine as I imagined her hiding in that loft, waiting to die. I had never killed someone I’d hated before, and the feeling of being desperate to wring someone’s neck was new… different. He’d hurt the only person other than my parents that I’d ever loved, and killed one of the few people that didn’t piss me off. Tyler hadn’t deserved to die. He’d been too young, too full of life. He was a good kid who had looked up to me, and I had failed him.
Henry deserved everything he got tonight.
My ears pricked up at the sound of a key turning in the lock.Showtime.But, he wasn’t alone. I shot a quick text to Danil to let him know his next move then shoved my phone back in my pocket and leaned back. The faint giggle of a woman assaulted my ears as I cracked my neck. Resting my ankle on my thigh, I began flicking my lighter open and closed, patiently waiting. A heartbeat later the door opened, revealing the prick of all pricks.
“Remember what your name is in here,” he murmured, pushing her onto the bed before unbuttoning his shirt.
“Isabella,” smirked the dark brunette, her legs falling open the second she hit the mattress.
I didn’t fucking think so.
“Seems like someone’s a lil’ obsessed.” I said, flicking on the lamp and rising from the chair. A scream left his date's lips. “If I were you, darlin’, I’d run and never look back. This geezer’s bad news.” I cocked my head toward the door and within seconds she was up and gone.
“Ugh, you. Have you got a death wish?” he drawled.
“Nah, mate. But you do.” I said, stalking around the bed. His eyes darted between me and the door, as he began backing up.“Ah, ah, ah. Move a fuckin’ muscle and I’ll carve your knee caps out.” I took two steps toward him before the tosser, bolted and sprinted out of the bedroom door.For fucks sake.I didn’t have time for a pissing game of chase. With the flick of my wrist, I threw my knife across the room, satisfied when it penetrated deep in the back of Henry’s knee.
He fell to the floor in agony. “Ow! You fucking bastard.”
“See, mate, I don’t like it when people don’t do as they're told. And you, you little cunt, never fuckin’ listen.” I scoffed, booting his ribs.
“F-fuck y-you.” he mumbled, curling up on his side.
“What was that? Fuck me? Don’t fuckin’ think so.” I replied, slamming the toe of my boot against his tail bone. He cursed and threw his arm out, grabbing my calf. Growling, I yanked his hand away and kicked him over and over in the ribs till the fucker coughed up blood.
“Stop. Jesus, Ramos. What the fuck do you want?” he wailed, curling himself tighter into a ball.