Falling Red

7

♤ I died every day to gain myself until she enters my life to hold me alive ♤

♦ A L E X A N D E R ♦

"Are you still not going to open your sh*tty mouth?" I wipe my palm getting rid of the blood that coats my hands and look straight at the face of this man tied to the ceiling of the torture room with a rope. A few weeks back, he tried to attack me but the people around me were smarter than him. They tracked him down and now he is handing with the ceiling facing my interrogation. I do not know his identity yet but I have a guess in my mind. There is only one person who is desperate to kill me.

He grits his blood stained teeth. Ah, watching him struggle gives me a kick. I like this world of blood and tortures. Others maybe term me as a sadist after watching this but I do not feel any type of sympathy for him. Sympathy is the biggest crime in my world. Once your heart loosens, your resolve will break and eventually lead you to your doom. "Do whatever you want but I am not going to say anything." He pants heavily as blood drips from the fresh and old cuts all his body. His flesh is cut open with the whipping session. However, after a week's hunger and continuous beating exhaustion starts to take over his determination.

Slowly walking towards the metal tray on the table, I trace all the clean metal tools one by one. I pick up the pliers, caress the cold surface before putting it down and then lift up the next. It's all in clear display to this man who is going to have the privilege to enjoy these on his body. I put the tool down and then again pick up the pliers.

"Still tough, huh?" I raise the corner of my brows and gesture to John who is standing next to me. He understands and backs away while I move closer to the man.

"It is a waste to torture me. If you have guts then kill me instead," The man shakes his arms in order to break free from the rope. Even though his words give a strong meaning but his body betrays him. He was scared. I like it.

It will be better for him to blurt out all his sins now or else I will make sure to drain his life out of his body—bit by bit.

"Kill you?" I roll the words over my tongue and a small smirk appears over my lips. I touch the cold mouth of the pliers over the blood stained body making him shiver. "In this world, death is a relief but living is a punishment." If you cannot get your opponent then you are not worthy to rule this mafia world.

Instantly, the man runs his eyes all around the room and I let out a laugh at the pathetic sight of him. I clutch his neck almost choking him just to keep his eyes on me. "Do you think Romeo will save you?" The man stops struggling for a second before glancing at me with surprising expression. "Even if you don't tell me, I know who your boss is." A sense of satisfaction runs through my body. I got the answers that I want and now he does not have any worth to me.

"Boss, everything is ready." John enters the room again and informs.

"Good. Bring him," I let out a low growl.

"What are you going to do with me? You already know the truth. I swear I do not know anything else! It was Romeo who has ordered me to kill you," the man screams.

I click my tongue against my upper jaw to make a sarcastic noise. My tall frame hovers over his shaking body and speak in a calm tone, "Unfortunately your answer comes late."

John does not give any heed to the struggle of the man and release him from the ceiling. He then pushes the man to the next room. At the centre of the room, there is a tub filled with salt water.

"Enjoying your time here?" A sudden appearance of Hardin surprise me. I raise my brows in a questioning manner but he shrugs me off.

"I just want to have a look of your latest prey."

"Yeah, right, and I am a saint who hadn't killed anyone." I roll my eyes at him. Hardin is my cousin and probably the only person who doesn't feel threatened by me. Maybe that's why he is my closest friend and the most trusted person, same as John. He usually manages all the hotels and restaurants for me. "Why are you here?"

Hardin gives a helping hand to Join as they drag the man into the tub and force him to stay in it.

As soon as the salty water touches the wounds of the man, he screams, then grits his teeth while glaring at me. "Kill me today otherwise if I escape I promise I will kill you."

I never had a soft or passionate heart. I never care for anyone because no one cared for me when I needed. I grow up while facing countless assassination attempts, targeting my life. But pity though, I am still alive while my rivals were sent to visit the King of Hell.

"Stop," I order and instantly, John and Hardin free the man from the torture. "Tell me where Romeo is and all of this ends here."

"I do not know. I really do not know his location. No one other than Jake knows Romeo's exact location," the desperate cries of the man filled the room.

My face turns gloomy. I raise my head at John and he nods before throwing the man in the salty water again.

Hardin walks next to me. I can feel his mood is very good and when he behaves cheesy this means he wanted to say something to me, trust me maximum times it's rubbish.

"Blunt it out," I say without tearing my eyes from the man.

Hardin runs his nape and nutters, "I heard you got a hot chick for yourself." I tilt my face to him and perk up the corner of my brow as he continues, "I mean I am happy that you finally over with Bella. She is a real bi*ch."

I do not reply to Hardin but a very interesting idea click in my mind. If it works then it will make my work a lot easier. I gesture John and he pulls the man out, then drops him on the floor.

I stare down at the man and speak, "Do a work for me and I promise I will free you. How?" I put a proposition in front of the man who is trying hard to keep his consciousness. This man is near to his breaking point and the smirk on my face deepens. Sure enough, he will give in to it. The human heart is the most selfish and deceitful. If you have a chance of survival, no doubt you will choose that path even if you have to face dreadful thing.

I smile and momentarily study my attention to John. "John, have you done what I told you?"

"Yes, boss." John nods. "I had already sent a person to follow her. He will keep an eye on her."

I tilt my head to my left, cross my legs before leaning against the wall and look straight into the man's eyes. "I have work for you." My voice turns cold and I do not give a damn to Hardin's reaction.

Giving instructions to John, I exit the room. I take out a cigarette from my pocket, hold it between my lips and lights it.

"Alex, why are you doing this?" Hardin runs behind me to catch up. "She does not deserve to be treated like this." As usual, he is smart to put two-and-two together.

Puffing out a ring of smoke, I glance at Hardin from the corner of my eyes. He has always been a lady's man—gentle, soft and vanilla. "Everything is fair in love and war, Hardin. Sometimes the children have to pay for the sins of their parents."

Hardin shakes his head and sighs, "I just hope you do not regret it later."

Regret? Me? I had never regretted any decision that I made, and anything related to Veronica Cooper never make me regret in my life.