Page 72 of Dark Things
“Nope,” I say, before putting a bullet in his head. Brains and a bit of bones splatter on my pants. I shake it off and move further down the corridor.
I move silently toward a light shining from the open door at the far end, but I hear shouts coming from inside another room. I follow the trail, keeping my gun trained ahead of me.
Gino’s voice filters through, and I know I have the right place when I hear Haunt laughing. He sounds hurt, and that makes my blood boil. Nothing is standing in my way.
“Who the fuck was that!” a man’s voice yells from inside.
“That was your reckoning,padrino,” Haunt says, amusement in his voice. He’s enjoying himself too much for someone who’s been tortured for more than twelve hours. But he’s talking, and that’s the important part.
I hear a slap and then a moan. Oh, he just did not hit him while I’m out here. This cocksucker is going to fucking die.
I slip into the doorway and immediately take in the scene. Haunt is on a meat hook in the middle of the room, his face and body covered in blood.
“You’re going to pay for that,” I growl, shooting Gino in the head before turning back to Mario. His hands are held up in front of him. I see movement off to the side, and when they step out of the shadows I let out an exhale. They’re alive and whole. No one gets to kill them besides me.
“Ah, the infamous Pitch. I didn’t think you’d get through the guards so quickly. They do speak the truth about you,” Mario says, lowering his hands but keeping them in front of his body.
“Get him off the fucking hook,” I say, walking further into the room.
Mario glances at the guys on the side of the room, eyebrows raised. “Are you going to take care of this?”
“Nah, but we’d never turn down a good show. Make it hurt, Pitch,” Colter smirks.
Mario’s disappointment is all over his face. When he turns back to me, he must know his end is near. I will cut this asshole everywhere Haunt is hurt. I will make him bleed for days for what he did to my love. No one touches what’s mine.
“We can come to a compromise. You must want toget out of Stan’s control. Maybe get your brother back?” Mario says.
“Motherfucker, do not fucking talk about him!” I scream.
“Tell me what you want, and I’ll give it to you. Your old life back, your brother…I’ll make you a very rich woman...again. You could take them and leave. Or you can work for me and get rid of everyone who’s ever hurt you.” He turns his head to the guys, and I know he’s about to say something I don’t want said. I need to put his attention back on me.
“No deal. Get him down or I’m going to gut you from throat to dick and then I’m going to pull your intestines out, tie them around your neck, and hang you from that fucking hook!”
“Bloodthirsty. We can make a good team, Pitch…or do you prefer to go by your birth name? You know I was there that night. In the room when it all went down. I watched you from the shadows. Saw what he did to you. I’m glad he’s dead. No one should have to endure what you went through at such a young age. He was a pig, your uncle. A waste of a man who should have been put down sooner than he was.”
I shake my head, my teeth clenched so hard, I’m going to snap my jaw. “And you did nothing. You let him hurt me!”
A tear slips from my face, but I don’t allow any more to fall. If I had wanted to kill Mario before, I wantto annihilate him now. Every part of his business, his men, his life.
“Sometimes we have to take one for the team or so they say, right, Colter?” Mario says.
I don’t look, but Haunt extends his leg, rubbing up against my calf.
“No more fucking talking. Get on your fucking knees, and I’ll make this quick. Or don’t, and I’ll have my fun before the night is over.”
His whole face turns beet red, and his lips curl. “You know I’m not the end game. He’ll never let you go. I’m your best chance at getting what you want, Be…”
I don’t let him finish his sentence. I squeeze the trigger twice, one for each knee. He crumples to the ground. I leer over him, pushing the gun to his forehead. “My name is Pitch. That other girl died a long time ago, and I will never be her again. You took that from me when you watched him destroy me. This is your reckoning.”
I’m too far gone to pay attention to anything else besides my fury. Once I’m done, Mario is going to look like I gave Dozer love taps.
Haunt picks up his head, shaking it for a moment before he smiles at me. “Gioia mia.” His voice cracks and another tear leaks down my cheek.
I switch my gun to the other hand and pull out my knife. My hand strikes out and I stab Mario in the stomach with my blade. He bellowsand throws a punch, making contact with my shin. It hurts like a bitch, but I only slightly stumble back.
“BK, get him off the fucking hook!” I yell before turning back to Mario. But the second it took to look in Brooks’ direction cost me. Mario’s gun is in his hand, and the shot rings out. I feel it hit, lightning coursing through me. I drop down and pull my gun up. I shoot blind before falling to my back. My breaths come harder, and warmth pools over my chest. I don’t know where I’ve been hit, but it’s bad.
“Haunt,” I whisper, my arm outstretched to him.
