I'm Nothing (The Family Book 2)(24)
“You won’t kill me. I’m nothing.”
Jake grabbed his gun, firing. The bullet took out his father’s leg. The man screamed, going to the floor.
“I’ll kill you, Dad, without a second of regret.”
“Jake, you’re my son.”
“Sorry, you gave birth to a killer.”
The lights came back on, and Tonio grabbed Lucien around the throat and dropping him to the floor. His gun was pressed against the bastard’s temple, and he also held a knife in his other hand. Any wrong move, and Lucien was a dead man. The other three men had business deals with drugs, girls, and the cartel. None of them wanted to go against the cartel. Donnie had organized a deal with the cartel in exchange for the men who were plotting to overthrow them.
The cartel at first hadn’t wanted to deal with a bunch of kids, but their reputations preceded them. They were far more deadly than the men attempting to do business. Their fathers had turned them into cold blooded killers. None of them were afraid of getting their hands dirty. His father, along with Donnie and Luiz’s fathers, had employed someone like Jake’s father to do all the dirty work.
Tonio didn’t mind killing. It was easy for him to end a life, and not look back. He’d do it every single day if it meant his loved ones were taken care of.
“Let’s get one thing straight right now,” Donnie said, drawing everyone’s attention. All four of them held their enemies within their grasp. “We are the leaders of The Family. We know everything. It seems there has been a little breakdown of communication between the ranks, and that ends tonight.”
“Together, we run The Family. We make sure you sleep at night, and profit,” Jake said.
“If any of you have a problem with that, speak up now,” Luiz said. “We want to know who you are.”
“We will kill every single one who defies us, and remember, we were taught by the best. We’re more ruthless than all of them combined. They didn’t even do half of what they got us to do. They wanted killers, and they got it. Only they wanted killers locked in a cage. That doesn’t work. We’re out, and we’re going to have our way, or no way.”
“Make a choice.”
Slowly, people started to kneel on the floor, showing not only respect, but also a mark of loyalty.
“You can’t all take us,” one man said, and Luiz fired his weapon. The man’s brains splattered against the wall. That was the end of that problem. “Anyone else? Seriously, this was a game to me growing up.”
Another stood up, and one of the soldiers in the room killed him before they could fire a single weapon. Tonio was bored.
“Time for change is now. Be part of it, or die. It’s a simple choice,” Donnie said. “The changes we’re going to make are to better you, not take away from you. Our women, our children can walk the streets without fear.”
“Do you really think this will work?” Lucien asked. “You’ve got a lot of enemies out there. A lot of men like the old ways. A slut for the mistress, and a wife to keep at home, where she fucking belongs.”
“Blood speaks, you piece of shit.” Tonio pressed the tip of his knife against the bastard’s throat. “Do you really think we wouldn’t come after you? Do you really think we’re so stupid not to know when shit is going on behind our backs? We were brought up to know everything.”
“I take it Zara’s pussy is magical. You won’t do it. You won’t kill me.” Even now Lucien thought they wouldn’t hurt them.
Drawing the knife back, he plunged the blade into Lucien’s body. Tonio let go of all the pain, all the anger that had been instilled inside him from a young age. He went at Lucien with a passion that would have scared many, but to Tonio, it was a battle for the woman he loved.
Finally, Lucien died with over forty-two knife wounds, all of them inflicted without him being given the chance to defend himself.
Tonio was covered in blood, and he turned to the room.
“You fuck with us, and we will come, find you, and fucking kill you. We will murder your children, and make you watch before we end you. However, if you stick with us, and stop trying to fuck this up, we will be the best damn bosses you could have ever wished for!”
Chapter Twelve
“Holy crap, Tonio, what happened?” Zara asked, opening the apartment.
He hadn’t changed, and he was covered in blood. Entering his apartment, he stared at the woman he loved, the woman who owned his heart. “The world is now safe for you.”
“I don’t care, Tonio. You’re covered in blood. Tell me none of it is yours.”
“None of it is mine. I went fucking psycho on their ass.”
“Jesus, Tonio, what have you done?” Zara asked, leading him toward the bathroom.
“I used to rape and kill growing up,” he said.
“What?”
“My father, in the basement, he told me I was a worthless piece of shit. I’m nothing. He forced me to go into a room where I had to perform to a room full of cameras. Sometimes I’d have to fuck women or girls depending on what was ordered, or they made me fight someone. Sometimes they were boys my own age. It was a fight to the death, Zara.”
“Oh, God, Tonio,” she said, rushing to him. “Are you okay?”
“No, I’m really not okay. Why aren’t you leaving?”
“Your father was a piece of shit. Why would I run away? You’re a good man, Tonio. Did you want to go and rape and kill?” she asked.
“No, I didn’t. Every time I failed they beat me, and they made me watch them do something ten times worse. I hated it, Zara. I hated my life, and I wanted to kill them all.”
She cupped his cheeks, making him look at her.
“I’m a monster, Zara. You deserve better.”
“No, Tonio.”
“I’m nothing.” Tears were falling down his cheeks as he finally gave way to years of torture and pain. “I’m nothing.”
“Tonio, you’re everything. Your father, he was nothing. He was fucking scum. You put him to shame, do you hear me?”
“No one loves me. I’m a monster.” He sank down to his knees, and she followed him down.
“I love you, Tonio.” She was crying, too. “I love you so much it hurts. I’ve never been so afraid of losing someone as I am of losing you.”
“Why?”
“You’re a good man. Do you think I didn’t know you were cheating? You were always so sad, Tonio. Now, I understand why. Your father was a monster, and you were a victim.”
“I hurt so many people.”
“Tonio, look at me.” He looked up at her. “We’ll make it right. We can find them, and make it right.”
“Sometimes they would look at me, and I’d tell them how sorry I was. I’d try to be gentle. They would nod, and smile, and sometimes they would fight me back. God, my father would love it when they fought. It was the perfect show.”
Zara wrapped her arms around him. “I love you, Tonio. You’re a good man. You’re not going to get rid of me. Not now, not ever.”
She held him tighter.
You’re a fucking animal, son.
You fuck and you fight.
You’re nothing.
You piece of shit.
I should have killed you when your mother spat you out.
Fucking vermin.
No good for nothing.
I like my life, Tonio, I won’t run away with you.
Lifting his head, he looked into Zara’s beautiful blue eyes. “Run away with me?”
“Yes.”
“What?”
“I’ll run.”
“I’ll be poor.”
“We’ll be together. I will go with you. I will run with you, Tonio. Tell me what to do, and I will do it.”
He cupped her cheek, wiping away the tears that were cascading around her cheeks. “You really do love me?”
“Yes. I love you.” She took his hand, and kissed his lips. “I was going to kiss your hand, but you’re covered with blood, and that is really gross.”
He chuckled. “You’re safe now.”
“So, I’m not going anywhere.”
“I don’t want you to go anywhere.”
She pulled him close to her body, holding him tightly. “Are you okay now?”
“Yes, I’m okay.”
“Are we going to run? I’ll start packing.”
“We’re not going to run.”
“Why not?”
“I don’t need to run. The Family, I’ve got a responsibility here, I can’t run anymore.” He kissed her hair, inhaling her sweet scent. His woman, the love of his life, he’d finally found her.
****
Zara knelt beside the bath as she washed Tonio. He stared at the water, which was tinted red.
“Lucien is dead,” he said.
“Good.”
“He was going to rise up against us, and try to take The Family from us.”
“You don’t have to justify yourself to me.” She rubbed at his back, taking care of him in the only way she knew how.
The truth he told her only made her sad, and wish that she could kill the bastard who ruined the man she loved.
“I just wanted you to know that if you wish to leave, nothing is stopping you.”
She chuckled. “Your cock is a good reason to stay.” She pulled the plug from the bath, watching the rose tinted water that surrounded him drain away.