Chapter 71: Shut the fuck up!.

I’d had over the years.

I should have noticed but they were never the only people at those meetings, they were too many variables and too many possible enemies.

Antonio points the gun toward my chest.

"We wanted to know what it would take."

I stare at him.

My father already took care of that. My father knew exactly what kind of world we would inherit. Growing up, he used to inject us with different types of venoms and chemicals, all In tiny doses."

I swallow at the memory.

Just Enough to make the body adapt

I remember those days vividly.

The needles, the bitter taste in my mouth, the fever, the vomiting and the weakness.

My mother crying every time she saw me sick.

She used to cry at first, especially when I threw up blood.

My jaw tightens.

But my father never backed down. He believed weakness got men killed so he made sure I would survive things that should have killed me.

Eventually, my body adapted

I look directly at Antonio and smirk.

Right now, I’m resistant to a lot of drugs and venoms.

A faint smile touches my lips.

"I’m curious, though. Which one finally worked?"

"Now, why would I tell you that?"

Antonio smiles at me.

"You think I’m a fool?"

Before I can answer, the butt of his gun crashes against my head again.

Pain detonates through my skull but this time, another wave follows as a sharp, brutal pain tears through my lower abdomen.

I suck in a breath and for a moment, I just sit there, breathing through it.

Pain has never been my problem. When you are a made man, pain is practically a delicacy.

I’ve learned to savor the hot sting of a blade, the cold bite of metal restraints, the crushing impact of a fist against bone.

There is something strangely grounding about pain.....it reminds me that I’m alive.

The actual violence has never bothered me. Death has always been an option in my line of work.

I’ve accepted that a long time ago.

Antonio steps closer.

"You have to understand something."

He crouches slightly so we’re eye to eye.

"You just started a war."

I laugh quietly. Rhe sound comes out rough.

"Which is the only reason we aren’t killing you right now."

Salvatore walks around the table.

"We lost our chance before you became Don."

I look toward him.

"I didn’t take you for a fool, Salvatore."

My voice is calm.

"Don’t prove me wrong."

I shift against the ropes.

"You have to know I’m going to retaliate."

Salvatore’s expression hardens. His fist connects with my face and my head jerks sideways.

A grunt escapes me as blood immediately spills from my nose. Before I can recover, another blow crashes into my ribs.

Antonio.

Pain shoots through my side and I cough, tasting blood.

"That felt like you ruptured my liver," I mutter.

I glance down at myself.

"As if the poor organ didn’t already have its hands full with my constant drinking."

Antonio’s expression darkens.

"Zip it before I skin you from scrotum to face."

His tone is almost cheerful. That somehow makes the threat worse.

He straightens.

"Now, you stay on your side of Spain and we stay on ours."

His finger points toward me.

"That was the deal until you crossed the line."

"By killing that fucker?"

"You cost me money!"

Salvatore’s voice rises.

"And it’s disrespectful of you to do that when he was under my protection."

I lick the blood from my upper lip.

"Oh."

I smile despite the pain.

"So this is an ego thing."

Salvatore’s eyes narrow.

"Either that..."

I pause.

"Or you miss fucking his ass. Can’t blame you he was a fine ass, too bad his personality freaking stinks."

His face changes instantly.

"I heard you swing the other way despite being married."

"Cállate la puta boca!"

*Shut the fuck up!.*

Salvatore lunges. His hand grabs the knife from the table and I barely have time to react before he drives it into my side.

More pain tears through me.

"Fuck!"

He pulls the knife free. Blood immediately begins soaking through my clothes.

Now I’m bleeding out in my favorite suit.

Apparently, that is the part that bothers me most.

Salvatore strikes again.

The second blow is fueled entirely by rage and my body jerks against the restraints.

He raises his hand hight to strike again but Antonio grabs his brother and yanks him backward.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?"

Salvatore struggles against his grip.

"Do you want him to bleed out and die here?"

Antonio’s voice cracks through the room.

"Do you want a fucking war on our hands?"

Salvatore finally stops fighting and Antonio turns toward me.

His eyes fall to the blood spreading across my clothes.

For the first time since I woke up, I see something resembling concern on his face.

Not for me.....For the consequences of their actions.

I lift my head.

"You might want to kill me now."

My voice is weaker than before, but I force the words out.

"You genuinely don’t want me coming back for you."

Antonio acts like he didn’t hear me. He rushes toward me and drops to his knees, his hands moving toward the ropes around my wrists.

I watch him carefully.

This is my chance, the moment he unties me, I could fight.

I could take him....Maybe even Salvatore.

But I’m not stupid. I’m bleeding badly, my ribs are screaming from the stab wounds and my

My head feels like someone has driven a hammer through it.

And there are two of them.

Even if I manage to get one down, the other will put a bullet through my skull.

So I stay still.

For now.

Antonio finally gets the rope loose and my hands fall free behind the chair.

Blood rushes painfully back into my wrists.

I flex my fingers once then again

Antonio moves toward the wounds.

I watch him. He thinks he’s saving my life.

Maybe he is but the moment I walk out of this room, the rules change.

Because the Hamilton brothers have just made one very serious mistake.

They hurt my wife, then they tortured, tried to kill me.

And now they’ve given me a reason to come back.