Zephyr's Promise

28

"You knew better." Hack. "There is no other way you could have expected this to go." Hack. "And you have upset her." Out of all of this that is the one sin he could never be forgiven for. "I guess I should thank you." Slice. "If not for your bone headedness I never would have met her." Not entirely sure if that's true. It seems probable though. Without Cristiano's fuck ups I would have never met Nile.

"Argh." He screams underneath the blade of the chainsaw.

The sound of his pain is addicting. His agony. His suffering is the last bit of payment I will receive from him before he meets his fateful death. That is the only way his debt could ever be repaid. Even then it may not be enough. Not for Ira. Not for Nile either.

Both of his hands lay limp on the ground. The blood loss is consequential. The dazed look on his face mingled with his torment makes me greedy. I want more. More of his suffering. Blood for blood. Bone for bone. He owes it to me. As much as I crave to inflict even more terror on him. My time is limited.

The sockets of his eyes have already begun to roll back. The fingers that I have detached from both hands lay in a pool of squirted blood.

How long have I been at this?

The amount of time is unknown to me. My focus has solely been spent on him. Cristiano Russo. A man whose worth is less than a pack of cigarettes. Not even of noble status within my business. Nothing more than a low level runner. An inconsequential flea. Nothing more than a nuisance who does decent work. Did decent work.

I shake my head while looking down at him. He gave up freedom, his wife, and that unnecessarily big ass house of his. To what end? Even if he had succeeded with his plans I still would have killed him. There can be no divide or dissension between my brother and I. His word sticks just as firmly as my own.

"Please.." His voice is barely above a whisper. As I look into his eyes I see the regret pulling at him. Twisting into his very soul. Remorse has come too little too late. I can hear my Papa's words. Mercy is different from foolishness. Be wise. I can't afford to grant him clemency. I don't want to either.

The tip of my blade slots into his chest cavity. Easily it glides with the precision of a ballerina. Cristiano's chest caves in from shock.

"Goodbye Cristiano." I push the knife even deeper into him. The life in his eyes fades away. I push the dead man away from me into his own pool of blood.

Now I have to get this shit cleaned up. Groaning, I make a call to Fabian. He assures me he will send out a cleaning crew accompanied by the twins. Minutes pass and surely the two youngest boys of the family and a crew are out there.

A chuckle falls from my lips. Seeing them with their take no shit attitudes watching over the crew. It's almost unbelievable. I've known those boys just as long as their brother. I remember the frustration from their car crashes and pregnancy scares. Now they're before me turning into true men. Men of power. Respect.

The car the boys have arrived in I slip into. Another will be sent for them. Axel texted me he has found Costa. That's where I will be heading now. The ending is near. Close enough to taste. Then I will move on. I have to be vigilant now. Get what I came here for and then...Then I'll go.

Costa, what are you doing at the park?

Sitting on a random bench, he throws bread. Squawking pigeons fly down scarfing down the stale food. There doesn't seem to be an inclination of worry on his face. If anything he is relaxed. Comfortable.

Approaching slowly I take a seat next to him. The park we're at is void of any others. Although it is summer it is a dreary day. Outside is muggy and sour. Maybe they know the beast is out of his castle. On the hunt. Hungry for retribution. The taste of revenge is sweet. A taste I crave. Only partially sated from Cristiano's demise.