AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I grabbed the one with the mustache and pulled him to his feet and away from the contraption. I tugged him a short distance then let him stand there alone for a moment, then with all my might I drilled my fist straight into his chest directly over his heart. The man staggered back as his heart fought to absorb the blow and his lungs emptied of air. As he struggled to breathe, I steadied him then drove my knee into his face. I heard his nose break, along with his cheek. More than likely, he was now blind in the right eye. Not that it would matter. I let him lie in the sand where he landed.
I pulled back a moment and let his pain wash over me, fuel me, drive me into what I needed to do next.
Fuck, I loved a good killing, but I loved it even more when it was a means to an end.
I quickly moved to the other two men and pulled out one of them and drilled the heel of my shoe into his ankle. His screams made me grin. I danced around to the music in my head as the rush of endorphins filled me with each bone I broke.
I grabbed Mr. Mustache as he’d dared to sit up and took him by the arm. I held it up and kicked his back and sent another blow to his heart. When he gasped, I shoved his head into the fine dust and listened to him suck in the tiny particles. His lungs rejected the invasion, and he started to cough uncontrollably.
I focused on the last fellow and broke his bones as if I were creating an artistic masterpiece.
“This is my favorite right here,” I looked over at Tupot’s horrified expression, “I call this the rag doll.” I broke the man’s shoulders and reconfigured his arm positions.
“Dear Lord!” he shouted, and I relished his mental trauma.
Big and small bones snapped and echoed in the quiet of the night. Crickets and beetles didn’t dare give up their location in case they were next. The men were soon past the ability to scream and were now in a state of shock.
The man in the middle had vomited, and his blindfold was soaked with sweat and tears. I ripped it off and let him take in his mangled buddies, now part of my artwork. I slowly removed all their eye coverings as I prepared for the grand finale.
I shook my hands to bring the feeling back into my battered knuckles as I walked toward a sick looking Tupot.
“The trick,” I bent down over him to bring more impact to my words, “is to bring them to the brink of death, let them feel the pain, then let them get a taste of the sweet bliss the afterlife offers. No pain exists there, just endless sleep. Then when the Reaper is circling, you yank them back.”
I waved at Rail and Brick, and they hauled the three men back into the middle of the contraption. Then I caught Tupot’s eye and dramatically pressed a button. Spray came out from misters and covered the men in a light dusting of gasoline.
“What is that?” He blinked at the display in front of him, then the breeze carried the smell to his nose. “Is that?”
“Yes, Tupot, just enough to coat the skin, a little jolt to bring them back to life before the burn kicks in.”
I turned off the misters, lit the lighter, and watched the three lines of flame from the gasoline poured earlier travel toward them.
One by one by one, the three men were jolted from their coma-like state to the pain of their flesh as it burned.
Rail pulled out a bag of marshmallows and started to eat one.
“You ruin every childhood memory for me,” Brick grunted, and Trigger chuckled as we watched and listened to the men’s screams as they barbequed. Tupot’s cries of horror blended in like music to my hardened soul as I caught the bag of squishy treats Rail tossed my way and we stood together until the flames died.
“You have thirty days to rebuild what the fire took,” I looked hard at Tupot, who stood quiet and pale. “My hotel will be complete in time for the grand opening. Do I need to make it any clearer?”
“No, Mr. Gates, that’s impossible.”
“No, Tupot, nothing’s impossible, and because of the trouble you caused me, you’ll do it for free.”
His eyes bulged, but he nodded. “Yes, for free.”
“Good.” I turned to Trigger, who looked at me with pride. He nodded at me, impressed. He’d been my mentor since I was nineteen and had filled an empty space inside me that no one else could. He slapped me on the shoulder and nodded toward my car, to let me know I had to go. My other life waited for me.
Jesse and I slipped into the car, and for the first time since the fire, I could take a deep breath. There were still unanswered questions, and the Cartel being behind things almost made sense. At least it was a devil I knew. Not knowing what I was dealing with was worse. At least it was a start.
Simon
I enjoyed dinner by myself. It gave me time to think things over without the need for forced conversation. Plus, everyone was getting ready for the fundraiser, so I knew I would be left alone for the most part.
My wagyu steak was, of course, cooked to perfection. Chef Dale never disappointed. It was the only reason I’d decided to eat here in the first place. I’d considered several options, but the thought of that steak made my mouth water, and everything else paled in comparison.
I dipped the medium rare meat into the gooseberry chutney and savored the warm flavors of cinnamon and cloves. Dale had paired the steak with fresh carrots and a few baby potatoes with a creamy, buttery sauce.
“Should I interrupt?” Kenna smirked at me. “Because you look like you might want to take that home tonight.”
