Page 5 of Sweet Misery

My biggest dream was for my father to die so I could just be free to run shit the way I wanted to. So I could be in charge and not fear for myself or the lives of my younger brothers at his hands. We all suffered because of the shit he’d put us through. We’d never be able to be the ones to kill him though. He had far too much protection. If he died, he’d take our asses with him.

Someone knocked on the door, and I looked to my brothers. As far as I knew, we weren’t expecting anyone.

“Enter,” I called out, letting our guard know to let whoever it was pass.

Benicio Rossi, my father’s right hand man, came into the room.

“You weren’t announced,” I said, lifting my joint to my lips and dragging in a deep hit.

“My apologies, Massimo. Your father sent me to deliver something to you. I thought perhaps I’d get here sooner rather than later.”

I frowned. That old bastard hadn’t mentioned sending us anything. The fact my guards just let Benicio in pissed me off. Even though I was my father’s heir, I didn’t trust the prick as far as I could throw him. I never knew when he’d get a wild hair up his ass and have me offed just to show the world the sort of monster he was.

I imagined he’d send Benicio to do it too. A way to prove to me to trust no one.

“What did he send?” I blew out a smoke cloud and watched as Benicio looked to my brothers.

“It’s for all of you. A gift.”

I raised my eyebrows at that.

“Imagine that. He’s in the giving mood. What is it? Liquor? A new gun? A hit list he needs completed?” I shook my head, already tiring of Benicio’s visit.

“It’s outside. You’ll have to do some lifting.”

“Fucking hell,” I grumbled. “Have Leo handle it. Leave it in the foyer.”

“I can’t do that. This is for you and your brothers only. Come.”

I sighed and looked to my brothers. Roman and Renzo both rolled their eyes but got to their feet.

“Sever,” I called out, standing. “Come.”

He stared at me for a moment before silently standing and dropping his pencil onto the pad of paper, following me like a fucking blackened specter. Granted, we all always wore black, but black on Sever made him even more haunting.

We made our way outside to the grounds and stopped at Benicio’s blacked out Mercedes. Jack Warner, another of our father’s men, smirked at us as we approached.

“You’re going to like this one,” he said, opening the trunk.

I very fucking much doubted it, but I remained quiet and looked into the truck as the lid opened, my brothers at my side.

After several quiet moments, I finally spoke.

“What the fuck is this?” I demanded, gazing down at the tied up female in the trunk. She was a goddamn mess. Ugly bruises marred her face. Her dark hair was long and twisted around her small body, half her hair in a messy braid. Her hands and feet were bound and there was a gag in her mouth secured with duct tape.

“He even made sure she was wrapped.” Jack chuckled.

“He sends us some tortured girl?” I looked to Benicio, my jaw aching from clenching it so hard. Usually, they weren’t tortured when they got to us. Half the time, they were ready to suck cock, thinking they’d service us well enough to continue to live. The other half, they were a pain in the ass and we simply tortured them for the sake of doing it.

“She’s pretty,” Roman said, cocking his head to look at her.

“Is she alive?” Renzo asked, frowning at her still form.

Sever said nothing and simply stared at her, his brows crinkled.

“Take her back. She’s already halfway dead.” I made to move away, but Benicio was quick to stop me.

“She is a debt owed. Her father paid his debt off tonight with her as currency. She’s been through a lot. Sending her back to your father is not wise for you or for her.”

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