Page 42 of Eternally Bound

“I’ve got a trace,” Arthur said, coming up behind me, and I instantly tensed. I turned around and stared at him, waiting. “The encrypted video message came from South Wales.”

“Wales,” I said darkly. The world was getting smaller for those fuckers. Now, we just had to figure out where exactly. I looked at the fire pensively. There was a recognition in the back of my mind, but I couldn’t quite place it. It would come to me; it always did. “Get our men to pick up the Meatlocker.”

* * *

The next daypassed and my men finally got Meatlocker to Scotland so we could handle our “business” transaction.

One of my men dragged the man through the warehouse and tossed him to the ground, right at my feet. A black bag pulled over his head, his hands tied, he couldn’t do much short of straightening onto his knees. He pulled off the bag with his tied hands, then snapped his head back and forth, trying to figure out where he was.

“Meatlocker, how nice of you to visit.” I never called him by his first name. He was older than me, at least by fifteen, maybe twenty years. His father served the Carrington family and so did his son. When his father decided to renegotiate his terms with Hector Carrington all those years ago, my uncle ended his and his associate’s life. By burning them alive. I remembered that day as clearly as it happened yesterday. It was the reason I never thought Meatlocker would be the one to betray me. He hated my uncle as much as I did. But apparently, I was wrong.

His eyes widened and blood drained from his face.

“Daniel.” He fell onto his arse and scurried backwards, confirming his guilt. If he had nothing to hide, he wouldn’t be so scared.

“You betrayed me.” He started shaking his head, but there was no mistaking the guilt on his face. He was like deer caught in headlights, his brain too slow to process an excuse or a lie.

“I-I didn’t.”

Lifting my eyes, I nodded at Arthur. He stepped forward and pulled out a recording playing his conversation to my uncle. Arthur tapped all my uncle's lines and those of his leftover known associates. And what do you know, Uncle and Meatlocker were working together. Goes to show! You couldn’t trust anyone anymore. He told my uncle I killed his son, the greedy bastard wanted a bigger payout. And now, he wouldn’t get to spend it at all. This scumbag put Ainslee on my uncle’s radar and caused her tears.

“Daniel, it was a mistake,” he said, his bottom lip quivering. “I was stupid. I fucked up.”

“Yes, you did,” I growled. “And you’ll pay for it with your life.” He flinched, then went to open his mouth to say another thing, but I didn’t want to hear anything coming from his lying mouth. I didn’t need excuses, only the reason and what the plan was. “Tell me why.”

I wouldn’t ask again. This was a one chance deal. I’d either torture it out of him, or I’d give him a quick death if he spilled the information. In my experience, traitors were cowards and always caved sooner rather than later.

“Your uncle wants the woman,” he whimpered. “And to kill you. He got in bed with the Russians and wants to resume moving flesh.” I pressed my jaw tight, my teeth clenched so hard, making my jaw ache. I didn’t say another word. I had all night for him to explain exactly what the flesh moving business had to do with Ainslee. Not that I’d ever allow it to happen. Dealing in sex and human trafficking would forever be forbidden under me. It was a hard rule I had, non-negotiable. My uncle and cousin started branching into it when I killed Hugo. “He approached me about helping to hide the women that came through.”

His location could easily be used as a front and the building was big enough to hide the large groups of women. He had a perfect spot, right in London but outside all prying eyes. This fucking asshole betrayed me because he wanted in on the money.

“I was stupid,” he cried out. “I thought it would be a good business to get into, I want to retire early.” I watched his round belly and bald head perspire with sweat. He was sweating like a pig. He wanted to rake the benefits at everyone else’s cost.

“Your father tried to negotiate terms with him, you fool,” I hissed. “What did that get him? Killed.”

His eyes darted right and left, as if he was contemplating all the possible scenarios on how to get away.

“Your uncle threatened to end me if I didn’t prove my loyalty to him over you. He is jealous that more men want to work with you. He went mad, ready to cut off both my hands. So I offered him information.”

This damn coward. Fucking greedy bastard.

“Your greed and lack of loyalty brought you to this,” I gritted.

“I didn’t mean-” he started but I cut him off on a roar.

“Not another word, or I’ll torture you, slowly until you scream your throat raw.”

He knew I meant it too. I didn’t care for torture, but fuck with the ones I love, and I was all in. This guy deserved to die. He knew the deal. If you stayed loyal, I’d protect you. He caused his own death. Eventually my uncle would kill him anyhow. Because he was the one that chopped his precious, psychopath of a son into tiny little pieces so he could grind him into nothing. Meatlocker should have known better. This was the world we lived in - no betrayal, no matter how big or small, went unpunished.

“You are not so different from your uncle,” he spat out, anger on his face. I gave him a double look, the change startling. I fucking hated any resemblance and connection to my uncle. He knew it too by the expression on his face. “You both kill and torture, leaving families broken, scattered.”

“And what you did,” I growled darkly, “was righteous, right? You killed a man, cut off his head, and he had nothing to do with any of this.”

“You burned my father alive and he had nothing to do with this either,” he roared, rage clear on his face. The voice traveled over the warehouse, echoing the accusation and memories immediately assaulted my mind, connections finally clear. It would seem the past has reared its ugly head.

“You thought to avenge him by working with my uncle?” I gritted my teeth with fury. He signed his own death sentence the moment he started working with him. “You thought he’d let you go knowing you chopped his son like an animal? It was Hector that insisted on having your father killed!”

“If all you just killed each other, then my revenge would have been accomplished. And I could have taken the reins of this business.” Yes, he was delusional. His manic smile told me the guy wasn’t right in his head. “I told Hector you insisted on torturing Hugo alone. Nice and slow. And his screams could be heard all around the block.”

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