He obeyed. Slowly. When he finally turned, I saw it immediately. The redness around his eyes. The dried tear tracks on his cheeks. The faint glimmer of something that had not been there this morning.
Hope.
His father had given him hope. And hope was the most dangerous thing a captive could possess.
“You disobeyed me.”
The hope flickered. Died.
“I… I just brought him food. Like you said.”
“You searched my home for a key.” I took a step closer. “You attempted to free a man who has openly stated he wants to kill me. You spent hours in that basement conspiring with him instead of returning to your studies as I instructed.”
The color drained from his face. “How did you?—”
“I see everything, boy.” Another step. “Every room in this house has cameras. Every word you spoke, I heard. Every embrace you shared, I witnessed.”
His eyes went wide. The fear was back now, flooding in to replace whatever foolish hope his father had planted.
“I’m sorry.” His voice cracked. “I’m sorry, I just wanted to?—”
My hand connected with his face before he could finish.
The blow sent him spinning. He crashed into the wall, sliding down to the floor, his hand flying to his cheek where my palm had left its mark.
“You wanted to betray me.” I stood over him, my shadow swallowing his small frame. “After everything I have given you. The food. The shelter. The education. The discipline that will make you a man. And this is how you repay me?”
“Please—”
I grabbed him by the collar and hauled him to his feet. Slammed him against the wall hard enough to rattle the windows.
“Your father is a failure. A coward. A man who abandoned your mother when she needed him most, who spent twelve years in prison while another man raised his son, who couldn’t control his impulses long enough to follow simple instructions.” I leaned close, my face inches from his. “And you chose HIM over ME?”
“He’s my daddy?—”
I hit him again. Harder this time. His head snapped to the side and blood sprayed from his split lip.
“He is NOTHING.” I threw him to the floor. “He was supposed to be a lieutenant in my organization. Instead, hemurdered one of my soldiers because he couldn’t keep his emotions in check. He is a liability. A disappointment. A waste of blood and breath.”
Yusef was crying now. Curled up on the floor, arms raised to protect his head, sobbing the way he had when he first arrived.
All my work. All my progress. Undone by one conversation with a man in chains.
I kicked him in the ribs. Felt something crack beneath my shoe.
He screamed.
“You think love will save you?” I kicked him again. “You think your father will protect you?” Again. “You think hope means ANYTHING in this world?”
“STOP! PLEASE STOP!”
I paused. Breathing hard. The cough was trying to rise again, but I forced it down through sheer will.
The boy lay at my feet, broken and bleeding. His face was swelling. His breathing was ragged, hitching with each sob. One arm was wrapped around his ribs where I had cracked them.
This was not enough.
He needed to understand. Truly understand. That sentiment was weakness. That love was a lie. That the only thing that mattered in this world was power and the will to use it.
