Page 46 of A Game of Secrets

Paul, the captive, starts to stir, his eyelids flickering open and he tries to move his hands, then realizing that they are bound on to the rack. He immediately tries to budge his legs, registering they are also bound to the rack he is laying on.

Cole grunts and shakes his head. "Paul look, I did warn you not to go spouting gossip around the haulage yard two months ago when I last ran into you. Now you need to be taught a lesson in respect. Now stop moving or those bindings on your ankles and wrists will only get tighter the more you struggle. I for one am hoping to make this last for a couple of hours at least before you pass out from lack of blood, or breath."

I smirk behind the glass, Cole loves a long game. I'm watching as Paul freezes in horror, "Look Mr. Salvatore, I didn't mean anything by it. I just heard some things and thought it was common knowledge, I'm sorry!" He's crying now. I feel almost sorry for Cole, this guy is not going to last too long if he keeps sniveling, meaning he won't get to play with his knives for as long as he wishes.

"Common knowledge? Umm well if that was common knowledge, then surely it's common knowledge that your wife has been fucking my brother's men everytime you come to deliver our company's goods?" Cole quizzes.

"What? My wife isn't fucking around on me!" Paul exclaims angrily.

Cole's laughs psychotically blurting out, "Oops, maybe it's not common knowledge after all, but it's certainly true."

I continue to watch as Cole brings his knife to Paul's chest and using one hand to keep him steady, he slowly and methodically slices off his right nipple. Paul's chest spurts with blood onto the white marble floor while his screams echo throughout the room. "Ahh look, your blood looks like pretty paint on my floor, do you think I can make you my new canvas, Paul?" Cole chirps in a light and airy tone, almost skipping around the bound man. It's like he gets high on the violence. I sit patiently, waiting for Cole's next move.

"Please, I didn't mean what I said!" Paul is begging now.

Cole moves quickly and slices his left nipple off causing another earth shaking scream from his hostage. "Now Paul, what was it you said? Now I quote this, 'The Salvatore brothers and that limp dick Rossi are all pussy whipped by some nurse’. That's what I overheard right?" Cole seethes at him making quotation marks with his hands. "You need to understand that the private life of me and my brothers is not to pass through your filthy fucking lips. I know all of your dirty secrets and those of your wife's, but I do not gossip around like a little fucking cunt. That is respect and unfortunately for you, you have now lost that from me. So, my dear fellow, this is going to be a long and messy ride. I hope you’re ready."

Rage consumes me at the fact this fucker has the audacity to speak of Lucille. I stand and roar into the intercom. "STOP!! I need a word before you continue."

Cole looks at the glass, he can't see me but he looks straight to where I’m standing. "Oh look Paul, we have a guest, it's the big bad Silas Salvatore, let's invite him to play shall we?" Cole smirks at me. I push my way through the door, walking towards Cole, my bare feet splashing through the already pooling blood. I embrace my brother and whisper into his ear, "Let me turn his pale skin blue before you finish your punishment."

He nods and turns to Paul. "My brother here wants a couple of rounds and who am I not to oblige his request Paul. Tap me in when it's my turn, won’t you?" Cole slaps me on the shoulder as he fetches a stool and places it in the corner of the room, his elbows are on his knees as he perches forward watching like it's a movie, only missing some popcorn.

I shake my head at the crazy fucker.

"So Paul, what is this I hear about you speaking of things that don’t concern you?" I ask.

"Sir, I didn't mean anything by it. It was a mistake, please, please…" he cries.

I tut. "Paul, I'd brace yourself. Oh wait, you’re all tied up." I laugh and deliver a blow to his stomach then to his face. Blood explodes from his nose over my white t-shirt. Paul is shouting and begging for me to stop as I land more hits to his body, causing his skin to redden and split open. More blood coats the floor, I barely feel the sticky liquid under my feet as I continue to punch him, his chest, his face, his stomach.

Lost in rage, I only stop when I feel a tap on my shoulder. "Is it my turn yet Brother? I did hope he'd be conscious so I could hear him scream when I deliver my punishment." Cole all but pouts. I can't help but snigger at him. I step back from Paul and his beaten body, his face is puffy and his eyes are swollen shut. His almost inaudible whimpers are all he can manage "please stop."

I turn to Cole. "Your turn, brother."

Cole jumps up and down eagerly, staring down at Paul. He stands at the table of instruments and picks up a flamethrower gun, and smirks at me. "You might want to hold your nose for this one Silas. I hope you like BBQ Paul!" Within seconds, Cole is setting Paul's body a light, burning his flesh from his skin and laughing maniacally while he torches him to death.

Once Cole is done and Paul's screams have long since faded, we are left with the remains of his body yet I can still see the flames that are still dancing in my brother's eyes. I press the sprinkler system button to extinguish the last of the blaze. Cole drops the weapon and looks up to the ceiling, letting the water rinse off the filth. "Let's go brother, I'll get a crew to deal with this.” I nudge him towards the door. He grunts and moves out of the room. I feel lighter now that I have released some of the pent up frustration from earlier. Me, Cole and Linc are all alike in that way. We have to get the anger out some way, either by fucking a tight hole, or torturing a poor bastard to the end of his life. I only hope Lucille will forgive us for our sins and accept the broken edges of our souls.

Chapter 25

Cole

Staring down at the stove smelling the delicious aromas of the pan fried chicken with garlic and lemon that I am cooking, all I can think of is how I left Lucille in bed a week ago and I haven't touched her since. The revelation about her ex is still fresh in my mind too. Torturing Paul didn’t do much to quell the burning rage. I'd say that I haven't seen her but I have been outside her house every night to check they are safe. I'm relieved that Silas and Linc have finally agreed to share her, it was inevitable that they would come around to my way of thinking but I wish they wouldn't have been so stubborn in the first place. I take a long breath and remove a saucepan filled with fresh, homemade spaghetti, taking it over to the sink to drain. . I add the pasta to the sauce and pile it onto a plate and top with some chopped fresh parsley. Realizing I'm not that hungry for food, I whistle Benji over and push the plate towards him. "Have at it Benji, my appetite is elsewhere this afternoon." I tell him.

"Thanks Boss, I appreciate it." Benji replies.

He takes the plate to the dining area to eat it, just before he gets to the door I say, "I'm heading out, I'll be back late this evening."

Benji nods, "Me and Enzo will hold the fort." With that I grab my jacket and head off on my bike to the place that has been occupying my thoughts for the last week.

As I pull up outside of Lucille’s apartment, I decide to conceal my bike around the back of her property in case her nosey neighbors get any ideas of calling the police. I mean, you would think they had better things to do at 13:20 in the afternoon but you can't be too sure.

Opening the door to her home and walking straight in, I'm flooded with her scent, it lingers in the air and ensnares my senses. I can smell her vanilla perfume that she must have used before leaving for work this morning. Looking at my watch to check the time, it's almost 13:30, she'll be on her way home now as her shift just finished. I look around her kitchen to see if she has anything that I can cook her in case she hasn't eaten yet. She has some bread, cheese, ham and various salad items, so I could make her a sandwich if she so wishes. I notice she has some breakfast dishes left in the sink so, completely out of character, I decide to help her out and wash them for her, hoping that will give me more time to be around her if she has less jobs to do before picking up Teddy. Once I've finished doing the dishes I make my way to the lounge and take a seat, just as I'm about to turn the TV on, I hear a key in the door, knowing it's her. I smile and wait for her reaction to me being here. As she comes into the lounge she shrieks, "Jesus Cole! What the hell are you doing here!? You can't just let yourself into people's homes, you psycho!"

I can't help myself, I get up and walk over to her and pick her up with the biggest smile on my face, she's stiff at first but I feel her relax in my embrace after a few seconds. "Topolino, quanto ti sono mancato?" I say into her ear, pulling back to take her all in.

She frowns at me, "I don't know what you said but you can't sweet talk me Cole. How did you get in here?"

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