𝐒𝐮𝐠𝐚𝐫 ✓ [𝐁𝐎𝐎𝐊 𝐎𝐍𝐄]

✎chapter seventeen × torture and tulle

ʟᴀᴢɪᴏ, ɪᴛᴀʟʏ
ᴀᴅᴇʟᴀsɪᴀ ᴍᴀɴᴏʀ

ᴇɪɢʜᴛ ᴀᴍ

━─━────༺༻────━─━

"I say we kill them."

"Absolutely not!" I cry out.

Claude, Angelo, Armando and I stand in a semi-circle around three battered and bruised men. Their faces are bloody and discolored and I only recognize them as yesterdays attackers by the clothes they're in.

"Slaiman really did a number on them. Can't believe they're still alive." Armando says with a low whistle.

"He does his job well." Claude remarks.

"Not well enough apparently." Angelo says. "We got nothing out of them."

The three men before us are motionless. Armando says they're still alive, but I'd believe you if you told me they weren't. One sits with his mouth open, a loose tooth dangling, almost out of its socket. Another's eyes are swollen shut and hold a gross purple tint.

"I wouldn't call this nothing." Armando says, tossing a big gaudy signet ring between his hands. Inscribed on the inside of the band is the name 'Delafonse'.

"We don't know if it's real. Plenty of guys carry fakes around to make it look like they're working under Delafonse, you know that." Angelo rolls his eyes, taking the ring and handing it off to Claude, who tucks it into his pocket. "I'll have it checked for authenticity." He states.

We stand in the steel-doored white room of the mansion, albeit a hell of a lot redder than it was not too long ago. The tools in the box on the table have lost their sheen, seeing as they drip with blood.

"Slaiman checked for wires and such, but none were found." Claude mentions.

"See," Angelo gloats slightly. "Delafonse always bugs his guys."

Armando rolls his eyes at his brother's pretentiousness, then checked his watch. "I've got a dinner party to get to."

Angelo holds a look of mock offense. "And you didn't think to invite me?"

"It's not my place to invite anyone, that'd be rude. Besides, I doubt you would want to attend if you knew who the host was." Armand teases.

Angelo shoots him a questioning look and Armand rattles off a name.

"Valentin Laurent."

Angelo laughs. "What made you think I wouldn't want to say hello to an old friend? I'm sure he'd be glad to have me."

"Valentin? I remember him, he was at the Paris cotillion wasn't he?" I interject.

"So Miss Castillo has already had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Laurent, then?" Armando says with a smile.