“Sucks to suck,” she quips.
Motherfucker. Does she know how much time I could’ve saved? Nope. Not going there.
She walks ahead of me down the hallway, like she knows exactly where he’s being held down here. I jog forward to catch up to her, grabbing her hand in mine. She starts to turn down the wrong hall and I steer her in the opposite direction. Malia glares at me, but relents and lets me guide her to the right room. When we come to a stop in front of the metal door, she pauses.
I don’t push her or speak, letting her take this moment to work out whatever she needs to before she gets the closure she deserves.
I have to admit, I’m nearly bouncing on my toes ready to watch this one. Malia expels a deep breath and pushes the door open after I unlock it.
Elio Ricci’s bloodied face snaps up when we step into the room. He sneers at Malia and then starts chuckling.
“Welcome back,bella,“ Elio says with a smile.
Malia smiles back, circling the chair he’s tied to.
This fucker didn’t deserve the freedom to roam a cage.
He needed to be bound and gagged and someone apparently forgot the gag.
“Hi, honey,” Malia chirps, her tone cheerful.
The endearment has me itching to pull my gun though, even if it is an act.
Elio starts running his mouth, but her attention is stolen by the contents sitting on the table against the wall. Her head whips around to me and she fucking beams at me. Just like I knew she would.
I kick my leg back against the wall, fold my arms, and lean back to watch Malia as she walks over to get a closer look at what’s on the table. Her fingers skate over the gas masks and I know she has already put together what’s laid out in front of her.
“Glass needle, so we won’t have to worry about it reacting with metal,” I say.
Malia’s hands hover above the syringe and she hesitates. Maybe I didn’t quite think this through past it’s going to be glorious. I start to push off the wall, but she turns to me and I stop.
“Baby, I’d be one happy fucker if I could make you a widow my goddamn self,” I say with hope.
She giggles and grabs one of the already-filled syringes and two gas masks, skipping back to me and handing me one. Now she’s as giddy as I am.
When she starts to turn away, I reach out, splaying my hand across the back of her head and pull her in for a kiss.
“Thank you,” Malia breathes when she pulls away.
I nod. “Anything for you, Little Warrior.”
She smiles at me again then walks back over to where Elio is yelling at her. The smile doesn’t falter on her face, his words falling on deaf ears as this moment is only for us.
I secure the mask over my face while Malia does the same, then I settle against the wall while I watch my girl take her revenge.
Malia uncaps the needle, tossing the small piece of plastic into Elio’s mouth when he opens it again to continue his tirade. He sputters, trying to spit it out as it slips to the back of his throat. Elio chokes and gags.
My mouth pulls into a frown watching the whole scene play out. It’d be rather disappointing if he dies from the fuckingcapinstead of the contents in the syringe.
Malia leans down, getting close to Elio’s ear.
“Looks like you need your medicine,” she purrs before jamming the needle into his neck and running over to me.
A smile stretches across my face as Elio’s panic ceases for a short moment before he starts screaming.
“Hydrofluoric acid,” Malia yells above the screams growing louder and louder. “It dissolves your bones, tendons, and skin tissue. Have fun burning from the inside fucking out, asshole.”
Malia leans into my side, and I wrap my arm around her shoulders, pulling her into me. We stand together as Elio Ricci’s body does exactly what Malia said it would—begins to dissolve as corrosion takes over.