Page 35 of The Masks and the Dancer (Their Obsession 2)

“He’s been gagging to do it. Konrad has a fucking God complex or some shit. The twisted fuck,” Leon replies, laughing. He glances over his shoulder at Konrad, his eyes wide, imploring him to go with the story. Konrad swallows hard.

“Is this true, son?”

“I—”

“Oh, come on, Kon, don’t be shy, you know you’re a sick motherfucker,” Leon persists as he steps back over the woman, throws an arm around Konrad’s shoulder and rubs his knuckles through Konrad’s hair. Leon’s act seems blasé, like he doesn’t give a shit about the woman on the floor at his feet, but there’s a shadow of fear around his eyes.

“Yeah, sick,” Konrad agrees, grinning widely, but that grin falters.

Their father watches them both. Eyes narrowing. “Quite the perversion you’ve got there, son.” He glances at the woman who’s oblivious to what’s happening around her. “But now we have a problem that needs cleaning up.” He looks between the pair, a sly smile pulling up his lips.

“W—what?” Konrad stutters.

“You brought her back. Except I don’t want this piece of trash whore breathing. I want her dead. Kill her.”

“You want me to kill her?” he repeats, looking at Leon.

“Do you have a problem with that?” Their father asks, unbuckling his belt as he watches them both. When he pulls the belt free, he holds the buckle in one hand and slaps the leather onto the palm of the other.

“There’s no problem, Sir,” Leon says, glaring at his brother.

“Oh I promise you, there will be if you don’t do exactly what I say,” Malik responds, crooking his finger at Leon. “Come here, son.”

Leon obeys as Konrad watches with wide eyes. “What are you doing?”

“Leon is at fault, right? So he must pay for it.”

“No!” Konrad shouts.

“He’s not?” Their father asks, jerking his chin at Leon who removes his jumper and shirt, then gives his father his back.

“I am,” Leon insists. “This is on me.”

Their father releases the leather from his hand, snapping it against the wooden floor. The sound is like a gunshot going off. “You’ll take the punishment?”

“I’ll take whatever you give me,” Leon replies.

“Good, because Konrad here is going to kill this woman and then revive her over and over again until I tell him to stop.”

“You want me to kill her and revive her?” Konrad asks, eyes wide.

“Yes, you will do it until you can no longer bring her back, and whilst you do Leon here is going to be reminded of what happens when you do something that displeases me.”

“Brother…” Konrad implores, staring at Leon who refuses to look back at him.

“Do it. Kill her. Bring her back. Then fucking kill her again. Do it, brother! Fucking do it!” Leon shouts.

Their father laughs.

He laughs and laughs and laughs.

He laughs when Konrad puts his hands around the woman’s throat and strangles her.

He laughs when Leon’s back begins to split, dripping blood from the lashes.

He laughs as Konrad presses his lips against the woman’s mouth, then compresses her chest as he brings her back to life.

He laughs as Leon stumbles from the pain, righting himself again.

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