“You’re not going to ask how I did it?” His lips curled. I glanced back at Killian, who shrugged. Neither of us knew what the fuck he was talking about. “The hit on your father. And what should have been a hit on you two, as well.”
Fury simmered in my veins, the monster begging to come out. I held it back, not ready to unleash it just yet. Ivan was trying to goad us into killing him before he could let anything slip. It was a common tactic just after begging to die already. I knew Ivan wasn’t the type to beg, but he would be after I was done with him.
“How?” Killian’s voice cut through the air.
“Kill, shut the fuck up,” I snapped. I wasn’t about to let my brother fuck this up. Killian’s eyes flashed. I could see him struggling with the need to prove he could handle this and knowing he should listen to me. I outranked him in every way, and disregarding orders usually came with a death sentence in our world. He knew that, at least.
His burning gaze locked on Ivan, whose smirk had only grown bigger now that he had one brother in his snare. I pushed up from the chair, blocking Killian’s view.
“Either follow my fucking orders, or you go back upstairs,” I growled, giving him a shove towards the steps.
His chest bumped against mine. “I’m not leaving,” he said through gritted teeth.
“Aren’t you afraid he’ll betray you too?” Ivan’s words slithered down my spine. “The Snake has gotten pretty much everyone around you. And your brother has always hated being in your shadow.”
I turned around slowly, not giving him the satisfaction of a reaction. “Your plan isn’t going to work. You might as well just tell us everything we need to know.”
Ivan sneered. “I’ve been in the game before you were even born, kiddo. I know how this works. And I know I’m not going to tell you shit.”
I turned to Killian. “You want to stay? You want to be a part of this world? Then pay attention.” Killian’s eyes glittered as they tracked my movements across the room.
A metal pipe sticking out of one of the boxes caught my eye. I slipped it out, testing its weight in my hands. It was sturdy and thick like a baseball bat. While it wasn’t exactly a torture instrument, it could still do some damage. I let the metal rod smack into my palm as I turned to face Ivan again.
“I’ve known you my whole life, and I’ve never seen you crack,” I said slowly. “But that’s because you’ve never had to face me. Plus,” I added, “you shot my fucking wife.”
His eyes flicked between me and the pipe. “Do your worst.”
I gripped the pipe tighter. “With pleasure.” Stepping closer, I tapped the metal bar against my palm again. “Where the hell is Mateo? Did the Snake take him?”
Ivan sneered. “I don’t fucking know what that piece of trash is up to. And, if I did, I wouldn’t tell you.”
The sound of metal on bone cracked through the air. Ivan’s head whipped to the side, blood welling at the corner of his mouth. He smiled, red staining his teeth.
“I’m not going to ask you again,” I growled.
Ivan spat, blood spattering against the cement floor. “And I’m not going to tell you shit, little boy.”
Fury surged through my veins, vibrating along my skin. Maybe he wouldn’t tell me. Perhaps he could withstand anything I did to him. But the monster? Ivan didn’t stand a chance. Closing my eyes, I welcomed the anger. The pain. The monstrosity.
And then I let it all go.
20
SIENNA
The screaming started as I headed downstairs. The cries bubbled up from the basement, filling the house. I froze at the top of the second floor, gripping the railing. My stomach churned at the sound. I’d done my fair share of torture, but this sounded different. It felt different. There was a chill in the air. Something dark I couldn’t explain.
Forcing myself to continue, I reached the kitchen. David and Killian were waiting for me, the former looking white as a ghost and the latter smirking indulgently. Killian looked as if he enjoyed David’s reaction a bit too much. Walking behind him, I gave Killian a good smack upside the head with my good arm as I headed for the kettle.
“Ow. What the hell was that for?” He had to speak louder than normal to be heard over the screams.
“You know what it was for,” I snapped. “Stop being an asshole. Why aren’t you down there with him?”
He rubbed the back of his head, mumbling under his breath. “He finished his lesson and wanted some alone time with the bastard. I just hope he doesn’t kill him before I have another chance at him.” His hand went back to the table, knuckles flecked with dried blood.
I picked up the kettle before setting it back down. I had no appetite for anything at the moment, and I had no desire to enjoy a cup of coffee in the morning to the tormented sounds of a prisoner being tortured. Feeling my stomach drop slightly at an especially loud screech, I settled in the chair beside Killian.
He was watching me closely, something I couldn’t identify behind those dark eyes. “Sienna.” He waited for me to finally look up at him. “He has to do what needs to be done.”