A Promessa

Debolezza

He was still in the room when he awoke. His arms and hands were still tightly tied against his body with thick leather belts; his ankles and tail were still shackled together, preventing him from using the latter as a potential weapon; the long piece of cloth used to silence him was still firmly tied up around his head and snout.

And the bastard who put him here was still seated in front of him with that smug, insufferable expression.

"I don't like violence, Alessio. I'm a businessman. Blood is a big expense." The fellow shark demon blew smoke from his cigar right into his face. "Just so you know, he's still alive. They hit the bastard with five shots, and he's still fucking alive."

Alessio clenched his fists. That's Crimson, alright. He made sure to keep his stone-hard expression in front of his captor, though.

"Well, that's bad luck for me and bad luck for you."

Alessio's jaw was forcibly grabbed by a rough, calloused hand that forced his face upward. Despite his current situation, he defiantly met the shark's eyes.

"It's a pity you didn't work for me, Alessio. It might have worked better for you...." A toothy grin. "And your kids."

His eyes widened, and his heart skipped a beat. The show of emotion turned the grin into a vicious sneer.

"I finally get a reaction out of you. You do have a weakness, it seems. Do you miss your children? I can send my boys to fetch them if you wish. They must feel so lonely without their daddy, especially since their mommy is rotting in a hole three meters down. I'm curious about your daughter. From what I've heard, she's a dolphin like your wife. I've always wondered what dolphin meat tastes like–"

The bastard didn't get to finish as Alessio rammed his head right into his snout, knocking him to the floor with a loud crunch. It didn't end there. Alessio turned the shackles on his ankles into weapons by wrapping the chains around the shark's throat and tightening them with all the strength he could muster. The captor-turned-victim flailed violently, gagging and gasping desperately for oxygen as the chains closed in on his throat. The darkness never left Alessio's eyes as his newfound victim's movements began slowing down and eventually came to a halt.

He was dead.

Alessio fell back, panting heavily through the gag.

The room's only door was slammed open. Deathslinger and Jawns stood at the doorway. The former raised an eyebrow at the sight.

"Looks like Mr. Balls of Steel has everything under control." 

—*—

As he got home later that evening, Alessio was welcomed by his mother's tight, suffocating embrace. Sweet Satan, sometimes he forgot how strong Mother really is.

"Mother... Can't breathe..."

"What in Leviathan's name, Alessio?! You had me worried! What's this I heard about you getting kidnapped?!" she snapped

"Mother I..." Alessio pinched the bridge between his eyes. "I promise I'll explain everything later, but right now, I just want to see Pietro and Giulia... I..." he inhaled. "I was afraid I wouldn't see them again."

Mother looked at him with tears in her eyes. "Oh, figlio mio ..." she whispered, hugging him again. Alessio kissed her cheek and returned the embrace. "Don't scare me like that again."

"I can't promise you anything, Mamma. You know how it is..." Alessio glanced upstairs after pulling back. "How's Pietro?"

"As well as you would expect, since his father couldn't take him to Loo Loo Land for his birthday like he promised. And he doesn't even understand why you couldn't make it."

Alessio sighed. "And Giulia? Is she okay?"

"I gave her dinner half an hour ago. I was about to lull her to sleep when Crimson called and told me you were coming home."

"He did mention that you visited him in the hospital." That was an understatement. From what Nickel and Titus said, Mother had scared the shit out of Crimson. Frankie and Donnie had even recorded it.

Afterward, he went upstairs to check on the children; first he took a peek at Giulia, hand resting on the edge of the cradle. She smiled and reached out her chubby little hands for him as soon as she spotted him. His heart warmed at the sight.

"Hey, bambina ." he smiled, cradling his daughter in his arms. "I missed you, my little dolphin." Giulia grasped his tie, gurgling adorably as he kissed her forehead. "Mind accompanying me to see your brother?"

Pietro was soundly asleep. He didn't even stir as Alessio sat on the edge of his bed and stroked his head.

"I'm so sorry, Pietro..." he whispered. "I'll make it up to you, I pro–"

Alessio bit his tongue. He's already broken a promise today.

You do have a weakness, it seems.

Alessio stiffened as his former captor's words echoed in his head. He looked down at Pietro, then at Giulia; the latter was happily gumming on his favorite tie. Silently, he lay down next to Pietro and pulled him close. After some shifting, both of his children were safely cradled in his arms.

"I love you so much, miei figli ..." he whispered with tears in his eyes.