His Secret Assassin

Chapter 20: Matias

A bucket of frozen water shocked me awake, and I tried to catch my breath as I struggled to move. It took me a few seconds to realize that I was bound to a chair, rough rope cutting in to my skin. I looked around, finding myself in a room that looked like a cross between a dungeon and sitting room. The walls were brick and the air was damp and cold, but the furniture that sat on the opposite end of the room was obviously expensive and made to last even with a little humidity.

I shivered as the cold from the room and the added bucket of water began to really set in, the only spot of warmth coming from some kind of hearth to my left. Steps sounded from behind me and I waited for the person to come into my line of sight. I wasn't really surprised to see Roman, figuring my kidnapping had something to do with him.

"You recognize me, I see." His voice was loud and sharp, slightly echoing in the room and I held back a wince at the pain it shot through my head.

"Yes," I replied. Why bother to lie? I'd obviously not been careful enough in my investigation in to the person who had taken the hit out on Kiara, seeing as how he'd been able to find me just a little quicker.

"Good." He grabbed a chair and pulled it up to mine, sitting in it casually as he looked me up and down. "You've been quite the thorn in my side, you know."

"Thank you."

His eyes flared with anger before he calmed again. "You took the bait quite nicely, I must say. After you'd taken Kiara from Webb's clutches, I'd really lost track of you. Someone suggested I had you come to me instead, and I really thought that someone known as 'The Savage' would be more... oh, I don't know. Intelligent? Aware?"

"What do you want with me? Is it because I took down Webb?"

He waved with dismissal. "Of course not. In fact, I'm rather glad you got rid of him. He was getting a little too greedy and it was becoming quite annoying."

My head was still a little rattled from getting knocked out at my house, but Is till couldn't think of any reason he had to have a grudge against me. Or Kiara really, seeing as how he didn't care about Webb. I kept my confused thoughts to myself, but Roman must have seen the questions in my eyes. He stood with a sickening grin, walking over to the fire burning several feet away from me.

"You poor boy, you really don't know, do you?" He pulled something out of the fire, the handle a long, black metal. I squinted, then my eyes widened when I realized that he'd just pulled a white-hot brand out of the fire.

"Don't know what?" My voice was low and threatening, warning him away from me even as he stepped closer.

"Anything, really. It's quite comical. You are all brawn and no brains it seems. Don't worry, you'll know everything before I let you leave here. But after I've branded your neck; not before I've broken you body and spirit."

His words taunted me and I struggled in my bonds, not caring that the rope was ripping my skin. I was going to kill the motherfucker whether he laid hands on me or not, but if he touched me with that thing I was damn well sure going to make sure his death was slow and miserable. He motioned with his free hand and two men I hadn't noticed came from the shadows over to me.

One grabbed my head and pulled it away from Roman, leaving my neck bare to him, and the other stood nearby, just in case. I was fucked, and I knew it, but I wasn't going to go down without a fight.

Suddenly there was a commotion outside the doors, and Roman paused, hot brand hovering above my neck, close enough I could feel the hair there curling with the heat. He took a step back and relief filled me at the respite.

"Go find out what the fuck is going on out there!" He barked the words at his little minions, and all but two scrambled to do his bidding. He turned back to me, anger twisting his expression and making him uglier than before.