Page 71 of Cherished Union

“For as long as I say,” I grunt. “He killed your fucking sister,” I snarl at him, pissed that he’s even questioning me.

“I know,” he hisses. “This, though—what the fuck is this going to do?”

My da laughs. “His lungs are burning as water fills them. He’s struggling to breathe as his entire body gets dragged under the water. Not to mention the panic that is rising through him, causing him to use up even more of his energy.”

I nod at what he says. “How long have you managed to hold your breath for? A minute? Two? Well try doing that while you’re panicking and water is around you, working its way into your lungs until there’s no air left in them.”

“He’s going to be begging for death soon,” Elio says, his gaze out onto the water. “The man will not be able to hold on much longer. He’s struggling too hard. He’s exerting himself.”

I shrug. I couldn’t give a fuck if he loses every ounce of strength he has. He’s dying tonight, and he’s going to plead for mercy before he does so.

The rope slackens and I leave him be. It’s time to up the ante a little. I want him to suffer the most, just as my wife has done, as my ma has done by his hands.

“Pull him out,” I instruct.

This time, he’s unmoving, just as I wanted.

“Fuck, he’s dead,” Dario whispers, his eyes narrowing.

I nod to my brother, who begins CPR. Garrant’s chest cracks beneath the pressure of my brother's hands. It takes almost a minute, but Garrant’s body bucks and he begins to choke on the water that’s lodged in his throat.

“Back in,” I demand, and my da chuckles again.

“What is it with your family?” Elio asks, a smile playing on his lips as he kicks the fucker back into the river. “You’re all merciless.”

“Better to be merciless than merciful. Don’t give someone the power to play you by being forgiving. Teach them not to play you by being the boss,” I tell him without emotion. The men that are the best bosses are always the ones who can give their men something in return. For me, it’s my undying loyalty. Any man that is part of my organization will be in it until the day they die, and I’ll do whatever it takes to ensure they’re protected, just as they do for me and my wife.

Almost an hour later and Garrant is a quivering mess. “End it,” he whispers hoarsely.

The man is a shell of who came out here with us. He’s been begging for mercy for almost thirty minutes, something I’m in no mood to entertain nor listen to. But right now, I’m done with this shit.

I nod to Hayes, who grins. “You can do the honor,” he tells Elio as he hands him the blade. “For Vivi.”

This is exactly who should be doing it. Out of the Gallo men, Elio is the one who cares for his sisters deeply. He’s the one that’s constantly checking in on Addie, and he cared a fuck of a lot about Vivi. If anyone deserves the right to end the life of the man who took hers, it’s him.

He doesn't even hesitate. He drags the knife across Garrant’s neck, slicing his carotid open. A collective breath is taken by everyone on the boat. As soon as Elio’s finished, he kicks him into the river once again.

It’s over.

There are no more Masters left to want revenge.

Yet it feels anticlimactic. I wanted more blood, more guts, more pain.

But it’s over, and my wife won’t ever have to worry about the Masters again.

We cut the rope from the boat and Garrant’s body sinks further into the river. I doubt he’ll ever be found. No one is looking for him. As far as the world knows, Garrant Masters fled America when his men were being taken out.

When we arrive back on shore, everyone gets off, except for Hayes, who’s doing what he does best. Making things go boom. He rigs the boat so that it sails back out onto the river. All the while Rocco's on his cell, making sure all the footage from the docks is erased.

Once we’re in our cars, we begin to head home. I just want to see my wife, check in on her, and make sure she’s okay.

A boom sounds from behind us. Looking in my rear-view mirror, I see the billowing smoke coming from the boat. Hayes triggered the detonator. There’s no proof of Garrant being on the boat, and by morning, the boat itself will be in ashes at the bottom of the riverbed.

Now it’s time to finally put Killian and Vivi to rest. We got our revenge. We made sure that our families are safe from those cunts.

Time for a new beginning.

CHAPTER27

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