My Mafia Madness 2

Chapter 16 - A Long Time Coming

Dante had too much on his mind right now to try and argue with Alexa about her healthcare.

With the fainting for no apparent reason just now, he was adamant that she would have to be checked out by a medical professional, just to be sure all was well.

What he didn’t understand was why she was being so defiant towards his wishes.

Striding down the hallway, he was headed towards the lower section of Castello Romano, a place not many even knew existed. And for good enough reason.

Below were the torture chambers.

The dark, dank rooms had been used for many centuries, by many different Romano men in his family line.

His father too had used these rooms to interrogate and torture hundreds of men over his years as a Mafia Don.

And now it was Dante’s turn.

Down the winding staircase, he came to one of the lower levels and continued along at a brisk pace. He hadn’t even had enough time to do his usual undress and remove his jacket.

Perhaps he was too eager.

This had been a long time coming. He finally had his hands on the Greco father and son and he would see to it that their reign of terror were put to an end once and for all.

But first… he would have a little fun with them.

-

The cell holding Alonzo was surprisingly cold when compared to the rest of the house.

The air conditioning had been set just a little higher for the lower levels, giving it a cool, eery feel when accompanied by the darkened surroundings.

A long, thick chain hung down from the ceiling, with a pair of thickened shackles attached to the end of it.

And in those shackles were the hands of Alonzo Greco himself as he hung helplessly, dangling from the roof.

His feet barely scraped against the stone floor, even with his apparent height.

Nicola and his team had been gracious enough to have dressed him in his robe before they carted him out of his villa and brought him here, so at least he wasn’t completely naked.

Alonzo, who was awake by now, continued to try and pull at his restraints, grunting at the subsequent pain that came afterwards when the metal shackles began to cut into the skin on his wrists.

He wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

The chains ‘clinked’ loudly as he tried one more time to pull his hands free, yet to no avail.

Then the sudden sound of the door being opened behind him alerted the captive and he became still, cautious to learn who it was coming to visit him.

The sound of expensive Italian loafers patting along the stone floor beneath them could be heard as Dante strolled into the room rather casually.

Rounding the dangling prisoner, Dante came to stand a metre away from him, right in front where Alonzo could see him clearly.

This was Dante making a statement, rubbing Alonzo’s capture right in his face.

Swallowing to try and hide away his sudden nerves, Alonzo remained as calm as he could manage while staring back at the elusive Reaper of New York City.

His greatest enemy and rival.

“So, the mighty Reaper has come for me at long last.” Alonzo taunted, smirking devilishly back at his captor.

“I see you got my message.”

Dante did not reply to his baited comment. Instead, he simply watched Alonzo with both hands hidden away inside his pockets.

His posture seemed rather casual for an interrogation. As if this were all quite normal for him.

And it was.

Alonzo went in for another jab with his vicious words.

“I have to say, Dante. I am rather jealous of your woman… Alexa, is it?”

Alonzo knew that his words would gain him no favours here, but he couldn’t help himself.

The chance to rub what he had done to Alexa in the lingerie shop in his enemy’s face was proving far too tempting to ignore.

He knew that eventually, Dante would react to it.

“Mmmm… that woman has one hell of a body. She and I got rather close in our last meeting. Knowing you, I’m sure you’ve seen the footage by now.” Alonzo monologued.

“So… what did you think of our little show? Hmmm?”

Still, Dante said nothing. He simply stood there staring Alonzo down with his blazing green eyes.

“I can still hear those cute little sounds she made as I f****d her with my fingers…” Alonzo grinned now, fully aware of what he was doing.

Dante’s emerald eyes, although ablaze with fury, remained fixated like a predator eyeing its prey. His enemy’s words were just that, words.

If Alonzo thought he had the upper hand here, he clearly had another thing coming.

And unfortunately for him, Alonzo had no idea of just how unforgiving the infamous Reaper could be towards those who had wronged him.

He would soon find out.

Dante suddenly turned and began to pace back and forth in front of Alonzo, his hands still hidden away in his jacket pockets.

“I have a question for you… what is the most important thing in life?” Dante quizzed.

Alonzo’s frown showed just how confused he was with the way Dante was igniting a conversation between them. And a casual one, at that. It was so out of character for him.

“What are you playing at, Romano?” Alonzo snapped; his eyes narrowed suspiciously.

“What the f**k are you talking about?”

Dante stopped where he stood, turning to look at his prisoner with an eerily intense stare.

“I asked you a question…”

Pausing from speaking, Dante closed the gap between them, coming to stand right in front of his chained prisoner in such a casual manner it was incredible.

“What is the most important thing in life?”

Alonzo took a moment to size up his captor, staring him down defiantly before he spat down at Dante’s feet in a disgusted manner.

This of course was an obvious sign of disrespect, one that Dante mentally took note of, though he didn’t respond to it at the time.

He had a point to make.

“f**k you and your questions, Reaper!” Alonzo snapped angrily.

Dante leaned in closer, so close that his face and the face of his enemy were a mere breath apart from one another.

His eyes were laser focused as he spoke with a frighteningly deep tone to his voice.

“Perhaps I can help you answer it.”

Alonzo’s brows furrowed inwards with obvious fear now as Dante swiftly turned and marched across the room, to where several large desks were set up with a variety of sharpened tools waiting to be used on him.

“What the f**k have you done with my father?” Alonzo demanded, calling out across the room as he stood hanging from his shackles.

Dante replied while continuing to scan for what he was after.

“Don’t worry, you’ll see him soon enough.”

While he fought to hide away his fear from view, Alonzo’s pulsing heart began to increase in speed as he watched Dante hovering over the variety of tools with his eyes and lifted hand at the ready to seize one.

“I want to see him!” Alonzo snapped.

“I want to see my father right now!”

Hearing his demands and ignoring them, Dante finally located the particular object he had been searching for up until now, reaching out and grasping it with his bare fingers.

A sinister smile spread wide across his face as he lifted it closer for an inspection.

“Patience is a virtue, Alonzo.” he remarked, turning to face his hanging captive, now with the tool in hand.

Alonzo’s eyes immediately moved down to see what Dante held in his hand, but he couldn’t get a good enough look at whatever it was.

“Alright, back to my original question… the most important thing in life…”

Dante slowly closed the gap between them again, coming to stand right in front of Alonzo once more.

“Now, obviously it will differ from one man to another. The most important thing in my life will quite likely be different to the most important thing in yours, and so on.”

Stopping right in front of his prisoner and looming over him in an intimidating manner, Dante looked down at Alonzo, twirling the tool he held in his right hand as he spoke again.

“What is the most important thing in your life, Alonzo Greco? Hmmm? Money? Power? Women?”

“f**k you!” Alonzo snarled angrily.

“I’m not playing any of your f*****g games, Dante!”

Lifting up the tool, it was suddenly revealed what Dante had been holding onto all this time and Alonzo’s eyes widened as they locked onto it.

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Dante cooed proudly, holding it up and slowly turning it around.

“It’s called a Mangbetu Sword. Comes from the Congo over in Africa, although this particular one has clearly been customised into a more modern version of their design. It’s sickle-shape gives it a more terrifying appearance, wouldn’t you agree?”

Alonzo’s eyes never left the curved blade as Dante purposefully twirled it around between his fingers.

Dante went on.

“Strangely enough, the Mangbetu wasn’t actually used as a weapon. Instead, it was used as a form of currency… such a shame. I get chills just thinking about what this gorgeous blade could do to someone. It’d go right through skin and muscle like a warm knife would through butter.”

“What’s your f*****g point, asshole?” Alonzo snarled, clearly not enjoying the information Dante had to share with him about a strange artifact from another country.

“My point…” Dante paused, seeming distant for a second before he continued.

“I never knew what was most important to me… not until I met her. Never thought I would be so lucky as to experience things such as feelings and emotions ever again. Not after what I’ve done in my lifetime. I’d always believed that I’d forever be damned to rot away, soulless and without a purpose…”

Dante smiled as he pictured Alexa for a moment.

“…and then I met the most beautiful woman I’d ever laid eyes upon. Not only was she the very epitome of perfection on the outside, but she too was beautiful on the inside. Being around her made things bearable, enjoyable even.”

“I think I’m gonna throw up.” Alonzo remarked snidely at Dante’s words.

“I get it, she’s a great f**k. Would you get to the f*****g point already! You're killing me with boredom.”

Dante’s blood began to simmer, moving to boil within mere moments as his expression suddenly changed from one of calmness to one of severe chaos.

His eyes were now much darker than normal and locked right onto Alonzo.

“You made a mistake when you took her the first time. And as a result, you and your men were punished for it. I blew your f*****g mansion to kingdom come, along with countless men…”

Pausing again, Dante leaned right in, grabbing Alonzo with a fistful of his hair and yanking his head in closer so that he could whisper the next part into his enemy’s ear between gritted teeth.

“But then you went one step further. You violated my woman with your filthy f*****g hands. You tore her from the inside, and now, I will do the same to you.”

Releasing his hold on Alonzo in a jerking motion, Dante took a step backwards, crossing his arms while still keeping the weapon held in his right hand.

“But first, I have a little surprise for you… a gift.” the Reaper remarked.

Alonzo frowned in confusion.

“Adesso!” (Now!) Dante called out loudly.

Seconds later, the doorway opened inwards, and Nicola entered, carrying a beautifully wrapped box in both this hands as he walked across to stand beside his Capo.

“What the f**k is that?” Alonzo gestured towards the box with a nod of his chin as he looked to Dante for answers.

But the look in Dante’s eyes was nothing but merciless loathing.

“I already told you… it’s a gift.”

With that, Dante reached over and took the box from Nicola, who took a step backwards and stood watching as his boss carried the box in closer towards his prisoner.

“Earlier on, I asked you what the most important thing in your life was... the truth was, I already knew the answer to that.” Dante admitted confidently.

“All your life you’ve done everything you could to live up to your father’s expectations, to adhere to his wishes like some sort of a loyal lapdog. And in all those years, did he ever once tell you how proud he was of you. Hmmm? Did you ever manage to live up to his expectations, Alonzo?”

It was clearly getting to him as Alonzo screwed up his face, unable to meet Dante’s eyes any longer.

The truth was that Dante was spot on.

Alonzo had fought for his father’s pride and respect his entire life, never once receiving it from him. And it hurt him more than anything else ever could.

“You see, Alonzo, the most important thing in your life… is your father.” Dante announced, lifting both his brows in confidence.

A stray tear rolled down Alonzo’s cheek as he continued to avert his eyes from Dante.

“Shut the f**k up, stronzo!” he snapped viciously.

“You took the most important thing in my life, and you hurt her. You caused her harm and pain. And now…”

Dante paused, reaching down and opening the box up for his prisoner to see the contents inside of it as he continued.

“…I have taken the most important thing from you.”

Alonzo’s eyes immediately enlarged to the size of saucers as Dante reached inside and grasped the hair of the severed head sitting inside of the large box he held.

Lifting it out, it was clear of just who the head belonged to.

Alonzo felt as his heart stopped for a moment.

The cold, dead eyes of Don Raphael Greco stared back at his terrified son.