“Ohhh, the cute, tatted little princess. She was nice.” He closes his eyes and hums in fond remembrance. “You know, I sent my regular stable off once she got over you.” He chuckles with malicious delight.
I want to cave his fucking face in. Instead, I strap his head down with a belt. He doesn’t even flinch. Just looks at me with a wavering silver regard.
“Oh, yeah?” The question is almost lost as I step away, beginning to fill the buckets lining the wall. Six. I rarely have to use more than two.
“Yep. She was so sweet. Really broken up over you turning out to be a good-for-nothing pendejo trafficker. I had no choice really but to console your little ward. That’s wild too. Her being your ward and all. I suppose a crush is to be expected, but she got over you in due time—” his words turn into sputters as I pour water over his face in a steady stream.
“Where is Saban Toussaint?” Ceasing the flow of water, I question in the same soft manner once his thrashing ceases.
“F-fuck you, snake-ass motherfucker,” he spits out once he’s cleared the water. “Just like I fucked your little princess.” A rough chuckle follows as he smiles widely.
“See, I must be off my game.” I say calmly, pouring the water in a steady stream a beat faster. “You’re still able to run your mouth. I just need a location, Oz.” Letting none of the fury I feel to enter my words.
Keeping them companionable, I increase the pace and speed of his torture.
“I don’t break. Loves don’t break, bitch.” He strains against the constraints after three more sessions. “Tell that big bitch I’m coming for everything he loves.” His wild, hate-filled eyes hold a promise of retribution.
“He loves Easy.” Taking off the sopping wet cloth, I meet his rage-filled gaze with the gentle reminder.
“Yeah, but she’s not the only thing he loves.” The evil of his smile is unmatched, unhinged and full of malice.
Checking my watch, I note the time. Nearly an hour has passed for a task that rarely takes ten minutes.
“We have plenty of time to work things out, my friend. You’re already wet. How about we make use of that?” Patting his shoulder, I move over to the wall, taking a charged car battery from the wall.
Adjusting the position of the gurney, I don’t bother calling my men. “Some people find the smell of burned flesh to be off-putting,” I muse, walking over to where the rubber suits line the wall.
When we discovered this area of the compound, we marveled at the sheer level to which Oz had gone to equip and set up his particular brand of executions. Any remorse my dark soul may have felt about my actions quickly disintegrated, realizing if we failed, this is exactly where we would have ended up. I doubt not even Ezekiel-Jane could have stayed her cousin’s hand.
His only redeeming quality — not enough to save him were he not Ezekiel-Jane’s cousin — is, like us, he and his other Bastard Brothers made it a point to put traffickers in the ground. Their network is vast, spanning continents. They know who the traffickers are, and he knew we weren’t involved in any of those networks. He could have told Saban and Easy the truth months ago, but his petty ass just didn’t want his innocent cousin marred by Angel. Now he gets to pay for fucking around in business that doesn’t concern him.
I may not be able to kill him, but he will always carry the reminder not to fuck with me and mine, ever. As for him fucking Saban, that’s her punishment to endure. She alone owes me loyalty.
Zipping up the rubber suit, I eye him. He’s gone silent.
“Why so silent, my friend?” I ask, pulling on the rubber boots.
“I ain’t your fucking friend.” The southern lilt that should have long ago disappeared peeks through his words, making me smile a little.
“Well, that’s true. Keep in mind you wronged me first.” I remind him, taking the leads from the device, clamping it to the points on his body.
“Be glad I’m letting you keep your dick.”
Stepping away, making a cold assessment of his body, I ask. “Last time, where did Saban go?”
Silence.
Turning the current up to the lowest setting, I send a little zing of current through him. Hands fisting, teeth involuntarily clenching, he looks at me like he can’t wait to kill me. I hope he finds a chance. I welcome the fight. Hell, I nearly get hard in anticipation.
“I won’t ask again?—”
“Snake.” Looking over my shoulder, I see Rocco looking my way then anxiously back over his shoulder.
“Fuck.” Hissing, I flip the switch for good measure for five seconds, sending the hot joules of electric current through the guy who bragged about having my girl.
His feet kick out. His body flexes hard against the bonds. Finally, his eyes roll to the back of his head. He passes out.
“Easy’s on her way.” Striding over, he checks Oz’s pulse, flicking a worried look my way.
