Page 13 of The Psychopaths

Let’s go, fucker.

The door creaks open, swinging out into the dark hallway. A large man stands in the doorframe, his body dwarfing it. I catalog his entire profile. He’s wearing head-to-toe black fromthe combat boots on his feet to the ski mask covering his face… he’s even wearing a pair of sunglasses beneath it to hide his eyes.

Keeping his identity a secret is clearly important to him. When he doesn’t move closer, I realize he has no intention of getting within arm’s reach of me. He’s not built like my father, who is taller and leaner.

I’m the first to break the silence. “What do you want?”

The man tilts his head to the side like he’s studying me. All I can do is stare back at him, waiting for him to lose his cool.

Let him play his creepy mind games. I’m well-versed in them, too. After a minute, he finally speaks. His voice is low, deep, almost a growl—but even I know it’s merely to disguise his voice. “Who is Aries?”

That’s not even a question. I study him further, trying to find a clue on who this guy could be. He’s too wide in the shoulders, too tall and powerfully built to be one of my crew, and I don’t recognize the set of him from the football field. I’d remember a man bigger than me, especially when I’m used to being the biggest asshole on the field.

Maybe thisismy father’s setup. Shit.

We stay this way, staring at each other for a bit until my impatience gets the best of me.

“What the fuck do you want? Is it money? Whatever my father is paying you, I can pay you more.”

He finally steps into the cell, and I shove off the bed, standing to meet him. I could reach out and grab him if I wanted to, but I stop myself and stare straight into the dark, blank eye holes. We’re almost precisely the same height, but his shoulders are wider, more defined, his biceps bigger…all of him is a little bit bigger than me. I’m not entirely sure I can take him.

The man’s head tilts again in a slow, deliberate movement. “Aries.Who is Aries?” he repeats, voice still a low rumble.

I scoff. “What, no ‘good morning sunshine, how’d you sleep’? Not going to lie, you’re really nailing this whole kidnapping hospitality thing. Five stars, all the way.”

There’s no reaction to my sarcastic response, or at least none that I can see. He remains standing like a statue, staring at me through those dark lenses. It’s unnerving as hell, but I refuse to show it.

“I don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about, all right? You went through the trouble of kidnapping me, so you know who I am. What do you want with me?”

“Aries.” The weird way he says my name makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. There’s an intensity there, a weight to that single word. Like it means everything.

I throw my hands up in frustration. “What do you want?”

The man takes another step forward, closing the distance between us. I can feel the heat radiating off his body and smell the faint scent of sweat and gunpowder.

“Who is Aries?” he growls, voice dripping with menace. “What is Aries?”

A chill runs down my spine at his words.What is Aries?What the hell does that mean?

This psycho is spouting nonsense. Maybe this room was built for him.

“Again, not sure what you’re talking about,” I grit out between clenched teeth. “If you’re going to torture me, just get on with it already. I’m not in the mood for twenty fucking questions. FATHER!” I stare around the room, waiting. Then try again. “FATHER! This isn’t the way to get what you want.”

He laughs, and it’s a harsh, grating sound. “Your father isn’t coming. No one is coming to rescue you.”

“Then get on with it already. Torture me. Hurt me. Do your worst.”

“Torture? Oh, we’re well past that stage, Aries.”

He pounces, moving in a blur of speed and power and eliminating any opportunity to respond to his insanity. With hands wrapped around my throat, he lifts me and slams me against the wall. Stars explode behind my eyes as my head cracks against the concrete.

I claw at his arm, trying to break his grip, but it’s like an iron shackle around my throat. He leans into my face, his masked face inches from mine. I can see my own panicked reflection in his dark lenses.

“You think you know pain?” he hisses. “Not yet, but you will very soon.”

My lungs burn with the desperate need for air.This fucker’s going to choke me to death.Black spots dance across my vision, my grip on his hand goes slack, and my arm falls back down to my side. My eyes flutter closed, and I can feel darkness bleeding into my senses.

I’m about to pass out. I’m not afraid. There’s no point in being afraid. But before the darkness pulls me under, he releases me.

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