Page 82 of The Silencer

13

ANTHONY

Iknow that Tatum told me not to bother with his ex, but I can’t fucking help it. That little shit has been bugging him, calling and texting him at all hours, and I want him to know that I mean business. I don’t fucking share. Not him. Not ever.

“Here he is, Boss,” Viktor says, pulling a sniveling Brayden in by his arms. He rips the black bag off his head, and I take him in. He’s slim with a mop of brown hair on his head and a silly little mustache on his upper lip.

I should cut that right off, would improve his looks for sure.

Everyone in my office turns to stare at the two of them, Luca grinning widely as he fiddles with the cigarette between his fingers.

“Who’s this?” he asks, and I stand up and pour myself a drink.

“Just a guest. Someone who’s been bothering Tatum.”

“I haven’t, I swear,” Brayden says and just as those words leave his mouth, Bane appears from the hidden door in the wall, covered in blood. It drips from his fingers and face. Shit, well, I wanted theatrics, but fuck, he went all out. Probably rolled around in a bucket of it before coming in here. Connie is going to murder me when she has to clean this up. She hates blood.

“Is this him?” Bane asks as he makes his way up to Brayden, an evil grin on his face. Brayden slithers back against Viktor, but Viktor shoves him away like the vermin he is, so he’s left standing in the middle of the room, visibly shaking. With no one to protect him.

“Yes, this is him.”

Bane moves closer and looks him up and down. “Heard you were messing with my little snack.”

“I wasn’t, I swear,” he whispers, his eyes starting to leak. Pathetic.

“You have,” I interject, moving up to stand near him, a knife flicking out from the palm of my hand. Luca chuckles lowly, as do the other men in the room. They know what this is. “Do you know what my name is?”

“No. I swear,” he says, his voice wobbling.

“I’m Anthony Costello, otherwise known as The Silencer. Do you know why that is?”

“No…”

I push the knife to his chin, and he shirks back.

“He loves cutting tongues out!” Bane interjects, and I turn my gaze to him. “Sorry, got a little excited. He does have nice veins and really nice eyes. I could add them to my collection. Please, Anthony. Pretty please.”

Brayden is trembling so hard now that his teeth are clacking.

“Oh, and nice teeth,” Bane adds, and I swear this stupid guy is going to faint.

“Bane,” I snap, and he closes his mouth, pretending to zip his lips and throw away the key.

“Now, listen to me very carefully,” I say, turning my attention back to Brayden, “I’m not going to say this again and if I have to, no one will ever find your body. You stop contacting Tatum. You pretend he doesn’t exist. He’s mine.”

He nods, his eyes wide.

“Every one of these men will come for you if you keep this shit up. Tatum doesn’t want you, and to be honest, you come across as very pathetic with the way you’re begging.”

“So pathetic,” Bane says, and Luca laughs lowly behind me.

“So, my man, Viktor, is going to take you back home and you’re going to pretend you weren’t here, that you never saw any of us, and most importantly, you’re going to forget Tatum ever existed.”

He nods again and swallows loudly.

“Promise me,” I say and he rasps out that he does. Such an enthusiastic and eager little kid, I think as Viktor grabs him by his arms, shoves the bag over his head and escorts him out of the room, the office door shutting with a loud snick. What Tatum saw in him, I have no idea. He’s weak and stupid.

“Did I do good, Boss?” Bane asks, and I nod.

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