Page 105 of Hearts Of Darkness

“Rein it in, Santiago,” snaps Tomas, his smile fading fast, and we find ourselves staring down the barrels of our own weapons. “Believe me when I say you’re not in control of this situation anymore. Not even close.”

Guns don’t faze me.They’re just pretty pieces of metal that satisfy a dark hunger. The ones with their fingers on the trigger have more of an effect, and right now they’ve definitely caught my attention.

Joseph and I are sitting in the back of an SUV with our hands tied. There are four muzzles trained on us by a couple of the hardest-eyed motherfuckers I’ve ever encountered. Men who wouldn’t think twice about blowing our heads off. Violence is their only fucking anthem. I can’t even glance at Joseph without a fist connecting with my face. My nose is already broken, but I don’t feel the pain because the beast inside is consuming me. He’s prowling up and down the bars of his cage just waiting for his opportunity to unleash hell.

The car brakes sharply, and we’re forced out at gunpoint. The salty sea air hits my senses. We’re right on the edge of the container docks, next to a grim gray line of empty warehouses with broken windows. The rasping cries of the gulls above our heads are loud enough to drown out whatever unpleasantness is about to transpire.

“Move it,” says Tomas, shoving me toward the open doorway of the nearest warehouse as more men exit the carsbehind us. They converge on me and Joseph, all pointing their weapons in our faces.

My military training misses nothing—not the deep depth of the water running parallel to me, nor the lack of security cameras; not even the two snipers stationed on the roof of the warehouse next door, or the three additional vehicles parked a little way up. Calculations form the basis of escape plans. Six vehicles in total means that there are at least thirty men waiting to fuck us up.

When we step inside, the sight that greets me is my worst nightmare realized. Eve. Half dressed in a sweatshirt and strung up by her wrists, suspended from a rusted metal joist above her head, her black panties and slender, pale stomach on display—a stomach that I’ve kissed and tasted a thousand times. The left side of her face is a bloody mess, her dark hair is matted crimson. She’s not moving, and her head is pitched forward at an angle like a broken flower.

I quickly scan the inside of her thighs for more blood. To my relief, there’s none. So far, these animals have only used their fists to ravage her body. I know that will change if I don’t cooperate.

“Dante. Glad you could join us.”

Emilio.

The beast inside lets out a mighty roar.I don’t bother turning in his direction. My focus is firmly fixed on my future.

“What the fuck have you done to her?” I say, striding up to Eve, but a couple of yards out I feel a stinging blow to the back of my head that forces me to my knees.

“Only what was necessary.”

I focus on the dirty floor to stop myself from blacking out.The whole of my skull is on fire. Expensive loafers slide into my line of vision.Emilio always did have shit taste in shoes.

I need to stay sharp.

I need to get us out of this.

“Why the charade, brother?” I force my gaze upward to meet his, head-on, feeling a surge of satisfaction when I see the flash of fear in his eyes. My head is smashed up, my hands are bound behind my back, I’m on my knees in front of him, and hestilldoesn’t think he’s incapacitated me enough to stop me from ripping his throat out. “If you want me dead, put a bullet in my head and be done with it. Let Joseph and Eve go.”

“Where’s the fun in that?” he says, laughing. At the same time, my fingers connect with a hard lump in the back pocket of my jeans.

Eve’s knife.

I wonder…

Keeping my eyes trained on Emilio, aware of Tomas’ militia gatheringen massebehind him, I inch the knife out of my pocket and flick the blade up, slicing my fingers to hell in the process. I pause when Joseph is shoved in my direction and has his feet kicked out from under him.

“Fucking hell,” he groans, landing hard on his knees. I watch him glance across at me, and then down. Like a total pro, he takes in the situation without any reaction. He knows the score. This is a battle we might not win, but he’ll go down fighting with me. We kill together. We die together. We’ll ride that bitch to the end.

“I’ve decided that death is too simple a solution for you, Dante,” says Emilio, grinning at me. “I’ve decided to make you suffer, instead.”

“By making my ears bleed with your incessant whining?” I say, sawing at the ropes binding my wrists, barely moving a muscle in my forearms—letting my fingers and hands take the brunt of the work. They’re cramping in protest, but I carry on regardless. Eve’s life is at stake.

“On the contrary, there are other ways to destroy a man. You’re going to watch and listen while I eliminate the three things that mean the most to you.”

“How inventive,” I say, sounding bored. “Did you come up with this plan all by yourself, or is it Tomas’ idea? He’s a disloyal motherfucker, but I’ll credit him with a couple more brain cells than you.”

I get the reaction I’m hoping for when I see the mask of rage on my brother’s face. “You’ve dishonored the Santiago name for the last time, Dante!”

“You can’t descend from the gutter, asshole.” The first strand of rope works loose. “Our father drove us straight to hell, and then kicked us out of the moving vehicle.”

“You’re far worse than he ever was.”

This shuts me up.It’s a truth that even I refuse to accept.

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