Page 45 of Unspoken Ties

Felix ripped it off unceremoniously and tossed it to the side. The moment his mouth was free, Billy started speaking in rushed sentences. “I don’t even know why I’m here! Let me go man, I won’t say nothin’!”

“I’m a reasonable man, Billy,” I said smoothly, walking towards him. “I’ll give you once chance. If you tell me who that man is, we won’t have to use violence.”

“I don’t know nothin’, I swear!”

I had a hunch that this was the way things were going to unfold, but I wanted to give him a chance. I raised my hand as a signal to Emilio, giving him to okay to start.

Emilio got up, walking over to a small table where various tools lay neatly arranged: pliers, a scalpel, a hammer.

“Let’s start with a cliche classic,” he said, grabbing a crowbar off the floor. Emilio slammed the crowbar into the man’s kneecaps with a sickening crack echoing through the room.

Billy howled in pain, thrashing against his bonds, eyes wide with terror. Rocco let go of the grip he had on his shoulder, letting the man fall on the floor.

“Wrong answer, Billy,” I said calmly, maintaining eye contact as Emilio resumed his work.

Billy’s screams echoed off the walls, but they were only met with an eerie silence. Felix, Rocco, and Vincenzo stood impassively, their cold eyes watching the scene unfold.

“There will be no one coming for you.” I continued, stooping down to match Billy’s tear-streaked gaze. “Only pain awaits you if you continue to lie.”

Billy whimpered, his gaze flickering between me, and the crowbar now stained with his blood. He tried to pull himself away, but Emilio stepped on his injured leg, earning another agonized scream.

“I swear! I don’t know nothin’!” Billy choked out through sobs.

“Let’s try the scalpel,” I said, dusting my pants off as I stood up.

After getting two of his fingernails carved off, the man felt more inclined to talk.

“Alright, alright!” Billy cried, his voice hoarse from screaming. “His name is Jules Gervase.”

Emilio paused, glancing at me for confirmation. I offered a slight nod and the burly Italian stepped away, dropping the bloody scalpel onto the table with a cold clank.

“That’s not an Italian name,” I said suspiciously. If it was one of the other three families fucking us over, it was likely they would use one of their men.

“I don’t fuckin’ know what his name means,” he said, looking at me like I was crazy. “I met the dude at a bar I go to, and he seemed nice enough. He said he needed a job, but had a criminal record. Offered to pay me if I helped forge his documents.”

“Jules Gervase,” I repeated, letting the unfamiliar name roll off my tongue. “Doesn’t sound like a made-up name. Tell me more.”

“He became a drinking buddy of mine. Just thought I was helping a guy out.”

“Which bar, Billy?” I asked, my voice low and threatening.

“The Rusty Anchor!” he blurted out, relief washing over his face in a grimy sheen of sweat. “Down by the old docks.”

A knowing smirk flickered on my lips as I towered over the helpless man. The Rusty Anchor was notorious for being a hub of low-life criminals and dockyard thugs. If Gervase frequented that dive, it was more than likely he was involved in some shady business.

“Deal with him,” I said to the four men. “I have work to do.”

I was going to plan our trip to the docks.

Chapter twenty-three

Liria

How much longer would I keep this secret? It had only been a week, but it felt like I was going to explode. I had tried to tell him, but I could never find the right words. Even though two would get the message across.I’m pregnant.

It was getting increasingly harder to hide. So many smells made me nauseous, and there were a couple times I had to strategically vomit so he wouldn’t hear.

And it was probably important to go to the doctor when pregnant. So I needed to tell him soon, because there was no way I could hide visits to an OBGYN.

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