Page 69 of Loyalties & Longings

“You’ve really gone and got yourself messed up this time, haven’t you? I haven’t seen you this bad since you worked as an underboss for your dad. You must have actually been doing some work for once.” Doc chuckles, pulling some metal forceps—scissor-looking things for bullet removal from his bag.

Enzo flips him off with a smirk and a spluttering cough, his facing contorting with pain.

“Sorry. I’ll try not to make you laugh again.” Doc’s face turns serious as he starts digging around in Enzo’s shoulder, searching for the bullet.

“Doc, when you’re done with Enzo, could you check on Lake? She’s upstairs in bed. She’s sleeping at the moment, but she’s had a bit of a rough night. I want to double-check that she’s okay. You know, properly,” I say, rubbing the back of my neck. I feel absolutely fucking useless. I wish I could know for a fact she’s okay other than being physically and probably emotionally tired.

“Sure,” he says, yet he looks as though he didn’t even hear me.

I look at Enzo, who nods as if to say he’ll make sure of it. A wave of gratitude washes over me, knowing he’ll have her looked after.

Even though I’m now Enzo’s right-hand man, I’m still technically his enforcer, too, not having dropped the title yet. And now I know Lake will be attended to, I have someone else to take care of.

I head to the backyard. As I cross the lawn, I notice the sky is starting to turn a lighter shade of blue, with orange and pink hues seeping through the horizon.

It’s been a fucking long twenty-four hours, and it’s not over yet.

Entering the shed, I find that very little has changed, and it feels like it’s where I belong. Everything is still neat and in its place. I must say whoever has been doing my job was as meticulous as me.

I take my time choosing the tools I’ll need, relishing the thought of what I could do to this fucker. I quietly think back to the times Massimo had watched me at work. Was there anything he used to be particularly squeamish about? Not really. The fucker almost seemed to enjoy watching me work as much as I liked working. I walk the length of our counter, thinking, and suddenly stop when something catches my eye, and the evil idea takes root. This is going to be gratifying.

I hasten to grab a trolley and set out my wares.

Casually rolling the metal medical trolley toward the piece ofshit sitting bound to the chair, I leave it off to the side, a little behind him. He can’t see what I’ve chosen, but I’m excited, the hunger within me building. It’s been too long since I’ve done this, and I’m ready to feed my violence-starved inner demon.

“Lucifer, place,” I command, and he trots off to the dog mat in the corner of the shed and lies down.

As my eyes roam my selection, I start humming “Lucifer” by XOV. Massimo struggles against his restraints, trying to twist them and break free.

Good luck, buddy, those binds aren’t coming free.

Curling my fingers around the handle of a baseball bat, I pull it from the trolley. The cool, heavy weight of the wood in my grasp as I swing it around is exhilarating.

Stepping around in front of the despicable human, I stare into his eyes, letting the baseball bat swing loose between my fingers. His eyes narrow into slits as though his look could kill. This guy has no clue what a death glare is. Heisabout to become well acquainted with my demon, though, but in a much different way than Lake has.

“You always thought you had the upper hand when it came to Enzo and Lake.” I rest the end of the baseball bat on the concrete floor and crouch down on the balls of my feet, balancing my weight with my hands resting on its top end.

“You always had your filthy fucking hands on things that weren’t yours. Lake in particular. She fucking despises you. Can’t stand you. That’s why you knew you’d have to tie her down to take what you wanted, isn’t it? You knew she couldn’t stand to be near you, let alone touching you.” My heart is racing now, the demon wanting out, clawing at me from the inside, wanting to maim and kill.

“She hates you, that much I’m sure of. I don’t fully know why yet, but I don’t blame her. I can’t speak for Enzo.” I pause, raising an eyebrow at him, one side of my mouth pulling up toa smirk. His eyes are wide, eyebrows drawn together, and he’s looking at me from under his eyebrows.

This fucker has the nerve to scowl at me?

Oh well, may as well poke the bear.

“Actually, maybe I can. Maybe that’s why he tossed you aside, demoting you from underboss and consigliere. He knows how much of a vile person you are, so he replaced you with someone more capable. Someone in good standing. Someone with loyalty. And my loyalties? They lie with the Morellis. Speaking of which…” I stand and step closer to him.

“This first one is for Enzo.”

I bring the bat up to my shoulder for a split second before I swing it down low, smashing it into his ankle. I should have used a golf club. Oh well, hindsight and all that shit. The sound of the bones shattering under the force and his subsequent squeals of pain send a shudder through my body. I hear my demon chortle, the feeling reverberating through me.

Replacing the bat on the trolley, I take his gun. Without even giving him a warning of what’s coming next, I shoot his arm from behind, aiming to only hit the tip of his shoulder. The bullet grazes his triceps instead, and a river of blood runs down his arm.

Good enough.

He’s still squealing like a muffled pig, thrashing his head about in pain.

“That was another for Enzo, in case it wasn’t obvious,” I mention casually, putting his gun back on the metal trolley. I pick up the mini blowtorch and stroll to his side. I stand just out of his line of sight to wait for his squealing to die down.

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