Page 39 of Punished

“Why the hell would they want a DNA sample from each of us?”

“Por favor, Adrian. Crime and extortion is your job. Which is why I am giving you the information. Use your own methods to figure it out.” He rolls his eyes and straightens the lapels of his jacket. “I’ll call Axel in, and I’m sure the two of you can bond over torturing Bryan together.”

I had been biding my time with Bryan, but he is becoming a bigger threat than I had suspected him to be. I’m not about to let him throw Mireya and Thalia into his plans. It looks like it’s time Bryan and I have a little reunion ofour own.

Turns out Axel is a psychopath. The moment I met him, I could tell he had one of those detached god complexes. He wore a designer suit with gold chains, rings, and a bracelet. Above his right eyebrow, he had tattooed the word DESMADROSO. It fit, considering he seemed reckless and unhinged. Adan, his identical brother, opted for a calmer look. He wore casual joggers and a black hoodie. Where Axel was all brawn, Adan was all brains. A tech nerd whose father used his skills to hack into enemies’ territories and dismantle high-end security systems. He was active in the cyber cartel and was able to expand profits with cryptocurrency. Finding a person’s location was child’s play to him. He located Bryan in less than an hour.

“So, what’s the plan? Kill on sight?” Axel says as he kisses the gun he’s carrying. We’re in the operations van. Thalia joined us while Ariella watched the twins. She watches Axel and rolls her eyes at his antics.

“No, we need to be smart, figure out what the connection is, and keep him alive for questioning.” She sounds just like Patricio.

“The only one allowed to kill him is me.” I look directlyat Axel.

“Okay, bet. I like this guy, Adan. You could learn a thing from him.” He elbows his brother, who keeps a straight face, avoiding his brother’s commentary. I’ve learned that Adan doesn’t talk unless necessary, and I appreciate that, considering Axel does enough talking for the both of them.

“He’s not some guy. He is your cousin, cabrón,” Thalia says, coming to my defense.

“Even better. Mas vale onza de sangre que libra de amistad,” Axel replies, and for the sake of this operation, I hope that’s true. Since getting out of jail, I’ve learned the only people I can depend on are my family. My blood.My sangre.

We drive up to the compound where the men are keeping Bryan. He’s handcuffed to a metal post, and his face is already bloody from their attempts to get him here. He sees me and smirks.

“Long time no see, Adrian.” He laughs. I fail to see the amusement, since we clearly have the upper hand here.

“What the fuck are you laughing about?”

He spits at me, and I grab him by the hair and drive my first into his face.

“Still jealous I took your bitch, I see.”

“More like you just love all my leftovers.”

“Bor-ing.” Axel fakes a yawn and steps in, pointing a gun in his face.

“I have a week’s worth of high-end Texas pussy waiting for me, so if we could hurry this little reunion up, I would appreciate it. Why were you gathering DNA samples?”

Bryan’s eyes widen. When he refuses to answer, Axel cocks his gun and begins to count down.

“Three, two…” A shot fires into Bryan’s left leg and he lets out a cry. I glare at Axel and he shrugs. Bryan’s screams echo off the walls, and he lays down on the cold cement floor in the fetal position, unable to move his hands to the wound.

I crouch down, gun in my hands, and look at him.

“Why did you need our DNA? Were they for Constance? I know you're working for her.”

He scoffs. “Constance is the least of your worries.”

“Answer the fucking question.”

I hear Thalia’s heels click on the floor behind me as she walks forward. She walks to him and his breathing becomes shallow as he tries to breathe through the pain of the shot. She bends down and sticks her long nail into the bullet wound, and he screams, a satisfied smile appearing on her face.

“FUCK! Okay, okay. I’ll tell you, just… just get me help. I don’t want to die,” he cries out, and she removesher finger nail.

“I got the samples for Claudia. She… she asked for them, but I don’t know why.”

We all look at one another, unsure who Claudia is.

“Who is Claudia?” I ask, when I notice none of us are familiar with the name.

“I… I don’t really know. She came to me a few months ago. Julian has been blackmailing me since high school. He was the one who set you up and forced me into this fucking marriage. Claudia said she would get me out if I gave her information.”

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