Page 94 of Unspoken Obsession

Lorenzo and I both storm forward.

Lorenzo grabs the girl, lifting her in his arms and dragging her away from Musetti.

I pin Musetti down and kick the knife away from him.

Forcing him onto his stomach I pat my hands over his body in search of any other weapons. He did not bring only a knife to my gunfight; that would have been stupid. I disarm him, putting pressure on his knee, and immobilizing him with pain.

He is screaming, swearing, threatening death - but he knows he has lost.

He's fucked.

There is nowhere for him to run and nothing else for him to use to bargain for his freedom.

"Get her to hospital - and tell Monroe he can come in. I have left a gift for him."

I keep my knee against Musetti's back while I wait. The adrenaline is wearing off and the pain from the bullet in his knee is growing. He is squirming in agony, begging me to let him move his leg.

Instead, I lean against it, pushing his knee into the basement floor. I hear the grinding of broken bone against broken bone, and he lets loose an ear-piercing scream.

"That's for my sister," I say, wanting him to see the mistake he made.

"I took her to break you." He snarls in anger. "I took her away so that you would grieve and suffer and give up on life. I wanted you to fail at everything. I thought your empire would crumble if you lost her. I was going to pick up the pieces of your life and take over everything. But you fucking stayed standing and grew even bigger, you fucking asshole. You fucking didn't—" No, I didn't. His plan failed. It only fueled me. It made me an even larger threat. He underestimated me.

I punch the side of his face.

"Shut up." I snap, and his eyes roll back.

Monroe walks in and I move off Musetti. He clicks handcuffs onto his wrists and lifts him, dragging him up the stairs towards the waiting van - and the prison cell where he will live out his remaining years.

"His knee is fucked. You might want to get it looked at." I say.

"I reckon we will book him first. Maybe ask him a few questions, let him sit for a while - you know, while we wait for the doctor to arrive. The state doesn't pay their physicians overtime, so it'll be at least until tomorrow. I'll give him an Advil or something."

I chuckle.

"Thank you, Monroe. The house is yours. Tear it apart."

"He's never getting out, Dante." He says, "Thanks to you and the evidence you gave us. And we are already uncovering more evidence in this house. It's disgusting that he got away with it for so long, but his reign of terror has finally ended. You left a helluva mess though; fucking going to take a week to clean it up." That's a week no one can get near it and hide anything away. I'mno one's fool. His associates will be running scared, desperate to hide their involvement.

Monroe watches me for a while as we stand outside by the cars. I'm still a criminal; he is still a cop — we just exist in the gray area.

I have so many emotions, after having taken down the man responsible for my sister's death. Closure.

"What will you do now?" The detective asks me after a moment of silence.

"I am going to go home and celebrate with the woman I love. Then get back to work; the business doesn't run itself."

He smiles. "Lucky man. Women don't like cops; we don't get paid enough; the hours are shit and most of us drink too much." He jokes, then turns to walk away.

"I'll give you an increase. Maybe you can find yourself a good woman." I say.

"Are you trying to bribe an officer of the law?" He jokes.

"I would never." I wink; he is worth keeping on my books. He proved that today.

I stand and watch as Musetti is driven away from his luxurious mansion in the back of the police van. An animal in a cage, he looks feral. The powerful monster was reduced to nothing but a squealing pig.

It's time for me to go.

---