Lovenapped

Salt in the Wound

Raj

"What?" I snarl at Anderson before regretting it. He has those puppy dog eyes whenever he thinks or has done something wrong, eyes which beg for forgiveness straight away. Sometimes I wonder why I adopted him into our 'gang' but then I remember the way he had been so lost. Practically a boy when he turned nineteen he had a pregnant girlfriend, nowhere to live, no job, no prospects. I remember being his age. I had everything. A loving family, a home, a 'job'. I had shown so much potential to my parents that they had given me the family business... Drugs, guns and girls. I had loved it. Controlling people with fear it is such a thrill. Holding a gun in your hands and aiming it at some defenceless guy's head is the best feeling in the world. You can get anything you crave for in that moment because anyone would rather live than die. That's what I felt I had to teach Anderson... But he is a slow learner. The first time I gave him a gun he nearly shot himself in his foot. From there things just went from bad to worse. He couldn't shoot in a straight line, couldn't reload, couldn't clean a gun. I thought maybe one-on-one contact would be better, a knife perhaps, but even then he left himself wide open to attack. I never usually leave him alone to deal with things but this is important. I have to know where that Capri son of a bitch is before he finds me. Leyla is the only way to get that information yet she is playing hard to get.

"I'm sorry sir but there is a problem with the trade deal," Anderson moves his gaze to the floor lowering his head like he is disgusted at himself. It's not his fault. In my head trade deals are the simplest skill to pick up, so that's where Anderson is. By nineteen I had crossed seventeen borders carrying illegal drugs or ammunition and had killed three rival gang bosses and negotiated thirty trade deals. Anderson is still stuck on his first one. And this guy isn't even from a gang, he's literally just a business man. I shake my head trying not to show my disappointment on my face but failing, I can feel my teeth gritting, my nostrils flaring and my eyebrows furrowing.

"Send in Ajay and Rakesh," I mumble stroking my chin thoughtfully. They'll wrap this deal up.

"Okay, sorry," Anderson sighs turning away his head still bowed. I reach out my hand and grab his shoulder turning him to face me. Sometimes Anderson has such a defeatist attitude which you cannot have in this line of work. One sign of weakness and that's it, your own people will turn on you. You can smell the scent of weakness from miles away, that look, the sweat, the tremble. There is no room for weakness.

"Come," I gesture for him to join me. Maybe he will learn something useful from my little session with Leyla. I'm still not finished with her. I turn on my heels thinking back to the little damage I have done. I've stabbed her leg and skinned part of her finger. I smile to myself, let's rub some salt into that wound naa? I push the door open letting it bang against the wall startling Leyla from whatever thoughts she was having. She was probably thinking death has to be better than this, which is true that's what makes torturing people so fun. I stride over to her unlacing the rope ties on her wrists moving her hands over her head, twisting her shoulder joints until they click, enticing a little moan from her trembling lips. I tie her wrists again this time so they're in front of her before signalling to Anderson for more rope.

"Don't fuck this up," I mutter to Anderson causing his eyes to widen and his lips to quibble, "tie her waist to the chair." Anderson does as I instruct, looping the rope around her waist before pulling on it causing Leyla's back to smash against the chair. Anderson looks guilty but it's all good for the end goal-information on her brother. Any pain we can inflict on her adds up to our advantage. Anderson fumbles slightly as he ties the rope, not wanting to be too harsh on her I guess seen as she is shaking slightly. I stare at Anderson, my eyes boring into him warning him. I had gone out on a whim to get him into our 'gang'. My father was unconvinced. A pregnant girlfriend caused a lot of issues, it made him more of a target for kidnappings and emotional blackmail. It would cost a lot to keep her safe but I saw potential in Anderson. Young, smart, willing. All the qualities I had as a kid only mine were developed sooner than his. Anderson looks up at me our eyes meeting. I can see he is scared but my eyes instruct him to do it proper. Why do half a job? Anderson gulps down before pulling against the ropes causing a gasp from Leyla's lips. He then ties the rope so it is pressing against her stomach. I nod my head releasing my grip from Leyla's wrists before pulling the knife from her thigh a small trickle of blood escaping from the centimetre wound.