Page 48 of Our Blood, Our Pain

We enter the pen to see Dima, Lev and Simon hanging around, chatting.

“Aaron, sit in that chair in the corner. Do not speak or move,” Lev says.

I wait for Aaron to come back with a retort to Lev, but he doesn’t, he just leisurely strolls over to a chair that is in the far corner that faces the center of the room, and sits down. Resting his hand on one thigh and rubbing his switchblade with the other, he looks so relaxed. Too relaxed. Holy shit, he isn’t relaxed, he’s turned on. Aaron’s face is all dopey and focused on Lev. Lev stares back at him, nostrils flaring. It’s borderline fucking indecent. Jules had mentioned that Aaron has a violence kink, but this is not what I expected, as I’ve never heard of such a thing.

The door to the room opens, and I spin around to see Jules walk in with Carlos, two of his men that I’ve never met, and a guy with his hands bound.

“Carlos,” Dima says in greeting.

“Dima. Lev. Thank you for accommodating us,” Carlos says. He walks further into the room and moves closer to Simon, who takes a step back, a threatening glare aimed at Carlos not to get any closer.

“Not happy to see me, little lion?” Carlos says, mockingly.

“Call me that name again, and I’ll smash your face in.”

“Shut up, Si. I’ve warned you before,” Lev says with a warning etched in his words.

Simon moves to the other side of the room to stand next to a quietly seated Aaron.

“I thought you were bringing two guys?” Dima asks, pointing to the one guy with bound hands.

“The other one ran away before we could get to him, but my brother is on it,” Carlos says.

“Ahh yes, how is Enrico?” D asks.

“Trouble. Nothing new. Shall we begin?”

“Thought you’d never ask. Kai, would you make our guest comfortable?”

I swallow hard at the command, I can feel the blood drain from my face, but I push through and guide our ‘victim’ over to the chair that’s in the middle of the room. He’s very quiet, although that won’t last long.

“I don’t want him dead. Just disfigured enough to keep him around as a warning,” Carlos says, his voice cold and detached. Goosebumps trail along my arms at his words. I look over at Jules and the burning look of desire and wickedness that has taken over his face has me frozen in place. His eyes are black from how dilated his pupils are, his nostrils flare and I swear I can see his pulse flicker in his neck. He really does enjoy this shit.

Me however…I don’t think I can do this.

30

JULES

I’m all amped up to get this show on the road, until I look at Kai who looks like he’s about to pass out. His face is ashen and his skin looks clammy. I look over at Simon who is watching Kai with the same concern before he looks at me with a questioning look. I go over to Kai, and help him situate whoever the guy is we’re questioning, and secure him in the seat.

“I don’t need your help. I’m fine,” Kai quietly hisses at me.

“You look like death. You shouldn’t be in here if it’s too much,” I whisper back.

“Is there a problem?” Dima asks as he approaches us. He assesses Kai closely and I know he can see it across Kai’s face.

“Kai, why don’t you keep an eye out front, make sure we’re secure,” Dima says. Kai flinches but knows not to question. He looks at me with such hate, as if this is my fault. And maybe it is, but he can’t be down here like this as it puts us all at risk.

“Kai…” I start but he pulls away and cuts me off.

“Don’t fucking touch me.”

Boy, do those words piss me off. This impulsive behavior is getting out of hand and I’m fucking furious.

Without another word, he storms off, barging past one of Carlos’s men who laughs as he pushes Kai in the shoulder.

“Fucking pussy,” the unnamed and now dead man says.

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