Page 75 of Leo, My Partner

Blu lets out a noise that sounds like a chuckle, but I can’t really tell because his face doesn’t move. “Never. I usually just get the kill out of the way.”

Ivan tsks. “Torture is fun. Get a lot of information with torture. And it help release stress.” Ivan finally looks up, making eye contact with me. “Wake him up.”

I dig in the bag and pull out the smelling salts. I crack one and slide the small package under Spencer’s nose. I step back when he snorts and sneezes. He tries to sit up, but the ropes Ivan tied hold him fast, and he can only lift his head. Spencer looks around frantically, his eyes landing on each of us before they lock on June, the least threatening of the five of us.

“What’s this all about? Who are you people?”

Ivan leans his hip against the table, arms crossed. In this moment, he doesn’t look like he’s tired or in pain. He appears like he’s in control and will fuck someone up. His eyes flash as they dance down the body of the man spread out on the table before he meets his gaze again. “We are death, suka.”

Spencer trembles, pulling at the ropes. “Why are you doing this? I’m innocent. I didn’t do shit.”

“You’re not innocent,” June says coldly, showing me a side of him I haven’t seen yet. His face is stern, and his voice takes on a deeper and more threatening quality that sends a shiver down my spine. I like it. “You raped five women. They’ll never be the same again because of you. You deserve this.”

Spencer’s eyes bore into June, probably not seeing him as the weaker one after all. “Those bitches asked for it! They asked for it!”

Blu steps up to the man and punches him in the nose, making it explode and blood gush everywhere. The man cries out, pulling at his ropes. His fingers flex, like he wants to cover his nose. Too fucking bad, Ivan tied those ropes tight as fuck.

“You were saying something about fingernails?” Blu asks Ivan.

Ivan’s eyes light up as he nods, reaching into the bag on the table and pulling out a pair of pliers. He grabs Spencer’s hand and holds it still, even though Spencer fights against him. “You want to get good grip,” Ivan explains, doing exactly what he’s telling Blu, “and pull up. Most people think you pull nail out immediately, but that will only dislocate finger. A good cause of pain but not what we want. When you pull up,” Ivan pulls up on Spencer’s finger, making him scream and thrash on the table, “you twist at same time. Then, you have full fingernail.” Ivan does the steps he outlined and shows Blu the fingernail he pulled off. There’s more blood than I expect but not enough that Spencer will bleed out anytime soon.

Flicking the nail onto the table, Ivan turns the pliers over and hands them to Blu. “You try. It is easy.”

Blu flashes a smile at Ivan, taking the pliers. Grasping Spencer’s other hand—despite the screams and protests of the man—he places the pliers under the nail of the index finger and does what Ivan told him.

“Well done, nieto,” Ivan says when Blu has the fingernail off. “It is not hard, see? Fingernail hard, but also brittle. Will come off with good technique. When I had target that had information, peeling fingernail is best way to extract information.”

The man on the table sobs hard, his cries filling the space of the kitchen. None of us pay him any mind. He doesn’t have our sympathy.

Reaching into the kill kit, Ivan pulls out a sharp fillet knife, places it against Spencer’s leg, and slices. The skin splits apart easily, the red of his muscle showing prominently before the bleeding starts. It takes Spencer a few beats to realize he’s even been cut—his screams cropping up three seconds after the wound is inflicted.

“Sharp blade,” Ivan whispers before he looks up at Leo. “Do you remember how to flay?”

Leo smiles, his dimples popping, and I swoon, despite Leo smiling about cutting someone’s skin off. But how his eyes light up and his smile is so genuine, it’s hard to stop the thrill from traveling down my spine. “I remember. But I’d rather watch you work.”

Ivan grins stiffly and nods. He slides on a new pair of gloves and grasps the man’s thigh, right above where he sliced him. From there, he slides the knife into the wound and cuts only the skin in a long strip. Spencer screams so hard he blacks out. Ivan doesn’t mind—he simply waits until he wakes up to get started again.

Over and over, Ivan slices off the man’s skin, flaying him. Blood flows, and screams bounce off the walls. Ivan doesn’t stop until the man shudders and stops breathing.

“I have not had man die of shock in many years,” Ivan mutters, tossing the knife back into the kit. He looks over at me with a twinkle in his eyes. “Thank you for this, kolibri. And you too, June. Best retirement gift.”

“You’re welcome, Ivan.” I walk over to him and give him a long hug, not worried about the blood getting on me.

Pulling back, I smiles at him once more before I jog outside to get the cleaning kits and our changes of clothes. June and I made sure to pack something for everyone to ride home in that isn’t covered in blood.

Since there’s four of us—Ivan having used most of his energy on the kill—we make quick work of cleaning and disposing of evidence. I pull out the tarp, and Leo and Blu roll Spencer into it. They hoist him up and carry him out to the SUV while Blu and I finish wiping up the blood from the table.

When we’re finished and changed—Leo helping Ivan into fresh clothes—I grab Ivan under the arm and wrap my arm around his waist. I can tell he’s proud, but I’m not sure he has any energy left in the tank to even get to the car. June takes his other side, smiling up at Ivan when their eyes meet. “Kolibri, lisica. I appreciate this gift. You two are perfect for my grandsons.”

“Of course,” June says, blushing at Ivan’s words. I’m sure my face is flaming too. It means a lot that Ivan thinks we’re good for Leo and Blu. It means he accepts us as family.

We make our way slowly to the exit, taking it easy for Ivan’s sake. We make it outside, and Ivan climbs into the front seat under his own steam. June slides in the backseat with me and Leo, sighing when he leans against the headrest. “What a long day.”

I nod in agreement, laying my head on Leo’s chest. “But a good one.”

“Yes,” Ivan says sleepily from the front seat. “A very good day.”

CHAPTER 25

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