I grunt, seething through clenched teeth as the pain floods me, but I don’t cry out. I won’t give him the satisfaction.
“Talk, Gio,” he says. “I wanna know everything about the Romanos and their enemies. I want names. Your father already sold you out. Your very own flesh and blood sold you out for a position in our familia. Can you imagine that?” I hold back the pain, even though I already knew it. It fucking hurts. He clucks his tongue and shakes his head. “Well, he won’t last long with us. We don’t take kindly to rats, although I do appreciate him showing me where my Grace was locked away.”
I grunt and flex against my bonds, trying to get free. Anger viciously tears through my body, and I know only violence will sate that anger. I can barely breathe at the thought of my father giving her back to him. Handing her over to a man who caused her so much pain. The betrayal of that is far greater than what he did to me.
My piece of shit father. This bastard, Grace’s father. Both men are dead. I’m going to tear them limb from limb until they’re screaming for my mercy. I won’t stop. I won’t ever stop.
“Go fuck yourself,” I say to him just beneath my breath.
He laughs and carves into my other leg, the sharp knife slicing easily. I wince and grunt in pain, clenching my teeth and barely falling forward, but I still don’t cry out. I’ve had worse. I can handle this.
I’d rather die than be a fucking rat. I’ll let him destroy me if I have to, but I’ll never talk.
It goes on like that for a while. I don’t know how long. He asks me questions, I don’t answer, and then he cuts into me.
He gets creative after a while, taking thin slices and pouring salt onto the open wounds. At least that makes it numb for a while. I'm in so much pain that my vision becomes blurred. They give me breaks, even feed me and give me water, but the pain comes back.
I sleep at least once. I don’t know for how long. I’m in that room, strapped to that chair, and it’s all I know.
I don’t say a word. I’ll never talk. I can feel my life hanging in the balance, and part of me wants it to finally end.
But the other part, the stronger part, wants to survive. I want to make it through this until I get the chance to have my revenge.
I’ll kill them. I’ll maim them. I’ll tear them into pieces. For my princess. I have to live for her. I have to save her.
That’s what sustains me. Rage and violence. Even through the torture, my silence never wavering, the only thing keeping me going is the rage. I worry about Grace every second, but my revenge will be for both of us.
Without her, my life is finished. I’m okay with that. I can handle that. When I’m through, I can join her, wherever she is.
For now, though, I survive. Cuts and kicks and bruises, I survive. A day, maybe two days, I can’t be sure.
I don’t know what time it is when Toni appears in the room. He stands near the door, his arms crossed, a smile on his face.
“The cameras were smart,” he says, as if from a distance. “But you were never going to get to me. Maybe my brother, but never to me.” He laughs.
“Fuck you,” I mumble. It’s all I say anymore.
“Right, of course. Fuck me.” He grins, and I want to kill him slowly. “I’m actually here to show you something, Gio. I think it might help you find your tongue.”
I spit onto the floor and stare at him.
“Okay,” he says. “I just want you to know that I hold no ill will toward you. I understand that you’re just doing your job. Well, except with Grace. My lovely niece, Grace. She’s wonderful, isn’t she?”
I stare at him, my heart beating rapidly. I hate that he’d ever use her name. None of the Rossi family deserve her.
“You wanna see her, don’t you?”
I won’t give in to their tricks. It’s just a stupid game they’re playing.
“You’re desperate to make sure she’s okay. Well, I can do that for you. Would you like that?”
Yes, I want to see her. I want to make sure she’s okay. But not like this. Not when I can’t save her. I don’t give him anything. Nothing. I’ll give them all nothing. “Fuck you,” I mumble.
“Grace,” he says. “Come in here.”
The door opens with a loud creak, and daylight filters into the room. The Don steps through, grinning wickedly.
Followed by Grace. Her head is held low.
