Page 103 of Madness & Mercy
He likes the simple shit. Plain clothes, no flashy watches or loud jewelry. He doesn’t care about his image the way most people do. He doesn’t put effort into his appearance andstillmanages to look sexy as hell.
He likes pain. He likes chaos. He likes violence, craves it. Maybe evenneedsit to feel something.
But that’s all surface level.
I don’t know shit about where he comes from, about his family or his past.
But I do knowonething.
Paulo Braga hurt him.
And for that?
I’m going to fucking gut him.
He’ll bleed out all over my concrete floors. Slowly. Painfully.
Until there’s nothing left.
I spend the rest of the night laying out the hit, Every possible angle. Every exit. Every goddamn bullet I’m gonna put in Braga’s body: two to the chest, one to the head. And that’s after I torture him.
If he’s the hitman behind all this, it’s perfect. Killing two birds with one stone. If not? Then Julian Cross stays right here. Close. Leashed.Mineuntil I figure out what the hell he’s really playing at.
As soon as sunlight slips through the blinds, I grab my phone and dial Enzo.
“Yo,” he answers groggily.
I sigh. “You detail that Maserati I told you to?”
A pause.
“Yeah, it’s in storage. You want it now?”
“I want it parked out front in fifteen. Then grab the Benz. We’re going hunting.”
A beat of silence.
“You wanna roll up on Braga in a fuckingMaserati? We’ve got blacked-out SUVs for a reason.”
I grit my teeth, jaw ticking.
“Just do it. I’m not in the mood for a goddamn debate.”
“Alright, alright. Damn. You got it, boss.”
Click.
I shoot a message to Luca next.
NICO:Change of plans.
We’re taking out Braga today. I’ve got a plan.
His reply comes quick.
LUCA:I’ll meet you in the office.
I’ve got some dirt on Cross.
