Nataly
They say you should always expect anything, working for a family that deals with a lot of crime. But what I know is that this isn't what my mind was prepared for.
Not this for sure.
I knew this job would come with a lot of risks but how am I supposed to handle this? How did this happen?
How is Mr Ivan related to all this?
Most importantly, why did Antonio choose to come with me here? Specifically me.
Me and me alone. Just after I've gone missing for like twenty four hours?
All these questions race in my mind like a wildfire taking over a dry bush.
I can feel my head is about to explode with endless questions that I have no answers to.
I feel like getting out of this place, just so I can breathe some fresh air
Just so I can clear my mind up and think, maybe figure things out.
Alas! That's not my decision to make.
I have to brace myself and remind myself that my claws have to remain hidden. I hold a long breath careful enough for anyone to notice.
But wait, does Antonio know that Ivan and I have some kind of connection? Does he know I was tied up at his house?
The Delavegas surely have the world on their fingertips.
Mr. Ivan is still unconscious and by the time a bucket full of what seems like cold water is poured all over him. I want to crawl out of this place.
He slowly opens his eyes, groaning in pain. He doesn't look up immediately but he seems so weak. I know I should not have pity, but what did he even do to deserve all this?
Somehow I feel like this is all my fault but then it only lasts a second when another question pops up in my mind.
What if he wasn't being completely honest with me either? I knew I should have looked him up sooner, but again, a lot has been going on that recently I think I lost my skill of putting things in order.
Why do I feel like the series of events for the past two days is being compromised? At the moment, I feel like going back to my apartment and readjust myself. And start putting everything in order, but again I can't.
My thoughts are interrupted when Mr. Ivan finally glances up at us, as we stand in front of him.
Our eyes meet and I feel like the ground should open up and swallow me at the moment- that is if he's innocent of course. On the other hand if he's hiding things too, I don't see any need to cower.
He's silent for a while even when Antonio moves closer to him and grabs his long hair from the back.
His eyes are still flashing on me, which makes Me almost feel guilty until Antonio speaks up, "I don't know who you're protecting, but I hate it when people hold back information from my men. I had to leave important matters just to come here and deal with you."
I try to join the dots but I fail. I'm still standing there in silence and shock hasn't left my body yet.
He isn't answering Antonio yet, instead, his eyes are weakly stack on me.
If he's a Delavega enemy, then he's probably cursing me for being a betrayer and siding with the devil. If only he knew.
Or maybe he thinks I laid a trap for him, just so he can be in the hands of the Delavegas.
"Who do you work for?" Antonio asks.
In that moment I realize that maybe he wanted me to see this, to warn me, so I could think twice if I ever thought of double crossing him.
After so many questions and zero answers Antonio turns to address me.
"You see, I don't like my time being wasted, and this loser," he points back at Mr Ivan," this loser is doing just that.."
'So what's your point exactly and why am I here?' I mumble inwardly.
"You know the Banes are always strong. As for you, You've proved your worth in other places, in the office and I can't complain, so why don't you prove yourself here?" He orders a pocket knife from one of his men.
And there it is, loyalty test. Of course I knew better than to completely believe that he bought my story. Gosh! How do I stop all these questions from taking dominance in my mind?
Now I'm still thinking, how Mr Ivan was captured and if he talks, it means my story would not add up and now this man is asking me to get information from him.
If he knows about us, then he's testing me, but if he doesn't, that means my life depends on Mr Ivan holding back information.
As Antonio hands over the knife to me, part of me feels bad for Mr Ivan. It's like I'm betraying him.
How do I look the man in the eye and ask him for information when both of us are hiding something?
I wanted revenge so badly but I didn't know some odds would be like this one here. For all I know, he could possibly be collateral damage. But no, can't be.
I'm still holding the knife in my hand and Antonio instructs, "Okay, this is my favorite part. Slow torture, you know, until someone begs you to kill them, you've heard of that right?" I try to pat my lips and say something but words dry off at the tip of my tongue. Actually I'm speechless.
It's a somewhat awkward situation and my life could be at risk too.
" Not to sound rude, but why me, sir? " the question manages to come out of my lips.
I'm not sure how it sounded but okay I can't fool myself either.
"Were you not attacked the other night?" he asks.
Okay, and so? How does Mr Ivan come in? Does he think he had something to do with that?
These guys are so powerful that they could capture you even at the bottom of a vast and deep ocean.
For example how the hell did they capture Mr Ivan? That's the million dollar question here.
"Anyway, I'm just trying to teach you the way of life and survival. Besides, I know you're not some fragile kitten."
Yeah, finally, something we can agree on.
This could be a test of loyalty and I better act smart and pass it for very many reasons. But I'm still hesitantly holding the knife in my hands and I don't know what to do with it, well until he instructs me further.
"So, how do you do it? Torture people slowly?" I ask.
"You don't need to act like a chef here but you need to be a fucking butcher. I'd go for the heart but naah, that would be a really quick death. Zero torture." He then narrows his eyes on Mr Ivan's stomach.
"That part has very sensitive organs and that would lead to an immediate death, still, zero torture."
Okay I might want revenge so badly but how does drilling a knife in one's heart and stomach equal to zero torture.
I mean one would die within a short while but there's still some torture.
Although come to think of it, I would gladly do that to him and slice the knife in Antonio's throat and every other part of his body without thinking twice. I don't care but he deserves all that. But now is not clearly the Time.
What he's thinking of doing to Mr Ivan, I would do to them ten times but again I don't want to think about It.Hiding my claws, remember.
After all his statements only two words ring in my mind, "And so?"
"And so," he goes on explaining, "We could go for the shoulders."
Don't get me wrong, not that I want to do this but I'm in a complete dilemma and still in a state of feign shock.
If only I could get Mr Ivan out of here and capture him myself and make him give me answers to my questions in the right way, I would give everything for that.
Maybe we could come to some kind of understanding because for some weird reason, something in me keeps telling me that we feel the same spite for the Delavegas. All this since I've noticed he'd rather suffer and die than talk.
"Aaah, let's go for the thigh," Antonio points out." All you have to do is slowly move the sharp part of the knife, through his muscles. Just imagine you're slicing some bacon or something until you feel his bones. Gosh! I'm really going to enjoy this."
Oh my God! Devil is an understatement to what I should call this man. Bacon! Really!
Not that I'm supposed to think about this but on the plus side, this is what I'm also going to do to him when all this is over. When everything is over. Better watch out, Antonio Delavega!
Back to the situation at hand. What if I don't? I would still be dead meat. Which is why I'm still holding the knife hesitantly in my hand.