đ¨CONTAINS CANNIBALISM
Let me make it clear here that I don't agree with anything written and that I've already warned that this would be a Dark Romance with problematic characters.
I, who had every reason to show no mercy, to hate her, to hurt her until she drained thick, viscous blood, to wound her in the most improper, sordid, and immoral way possible, stood before an endless longing for any look or gesture that could soothe the emptiness of waiting for her next words. To glimpse and witness her choice...
The gaze of my men upon me was a mix of confusion and disbelief. LavĂnia, a woman who should be dead, simply shot by me, and having the apparently abrupt change from someone predestined to death invited to kill those who caused her agony and endless days of latent pain, where her soul hid from her body and fled to some place I knew would be found.
I, who had plans to hurt her miserably, and I had a deadly hatred for it, looking at the little owl with pretty eyes was like looking at my failure. I didn't kill her, and I still don't know why...
I anxiously dreamed of this day, the day I would feel her blood running through my hands, the day her breathing would stop for good, and I would throw her body into the forest and let the wild animals do the rest of the work. I imagined, every time I saw her, a different torture, and they all ended the same way, me fucking her in desperation, thrusting deep and painfully until I heard her scream for me to stop. There wasn't a day I didn't make her scream, hurt, and bleed in my twisted mind.
I surpassed all my limits; if it meant bringing out the evil and the demon that dwelt within her, I would condemn her to live in my world with me. Because I couldn't believe there were people so angelic that they wouldn't want to taste the searing flavor of revenge.
I didn't care about seeing her in her condemnable version, as long as it meant she would stay with me now.
I cruelly needed her to fight with me, but also for me, because I wanted to find strength from the darkness to find him and kill him. Kill the man who was my captor for so long... the man who still haunted me in nightmares since I was very young.
I didn't care about bending and manipulating LavĂnia to descend with me into the shadowy world I've been diving into since adolescence. I just didn't want to go down alone anymore. And she had reasons to come with me; she suffered too.
I was facing the most beautiful utopia where we could exterminate our torments. And my heart nearly leaped out of my mouth when her response came to my bloodthirsty request.
"Are you inviting me to join your clan of killers?" she asked in a tone that didn't carry as much indignation as I thought it would, and the acceptance of my proposal burned in me as she turned on her heels at the door, an action strong and potent enough to be compared to interest.
I cast a cold, commanding look at the three men present in the room and signaled for them to leave us alone. They didn't hesitate; my demands were never ignored, and that deliciously intoxicated me with the savory taste of power over people.
Then my utmost attention turned to my guest on the throne of slaughter. I wanted her reigning with me; that was a fact.
Standing, I wandered to the small mahogany-varnished wooden cabinet and took the decanter with brandy, pouring a generous amount into a cut crystal glass from the collection.
I turn with my drink, unbuttoning a button on my shirt and returning to my seat at the table, which I hated at that moment for being so large and creating some barrier between me and her. I take the first sip and let the strong, bitter taste warm my throat, savoring the liquid even before Christ.
My eyes didn't take long to rise and meet her amber ones, damnably curious.
"Doesn't the idea of transferring your suffering back to those who caused it seem tempting to you?" I reply, staring at her fixedly, no longer just tasting the drink. I could see the initial seconds when her gaze seemed immersed in a journey of reprisals against those who caused her torment. As I suspected, that disoriented look focused on me, and I saw her pour pain and part of that torment onto me as well.
I caused her a lot of damage too...
But I still wouldn't reveal to her the real reason for being so perverse with her... that I was doing my job, that I was the wretch paid to kill her.
"You said I was freeâŚ"
I interrupt her.
"And you are." I take another sip of the brandy; I didn't care about giving her the false sensation of freedom, using it as a ploy to try to convince her to come to my side of the game. "But you know that if you don't start hunting, you'll be hunted; if you don't swallow, you'll be swallowed; and if you don't kill, you'll end up dead. You'll leave here, and then what? They'll come after you and your brother, LavĂnia. I don't give it a week before they find you and prostitute you again."
I watched her tremble.
"No, that won'tâŚ" She shook her head, denying a sordid but absolute reality.
"I saved your brother, got you out of that place, and I'm inviting you to stay here, to have the protection only I can give because I have the means for it. In exchange, I want to destroy them with you, and don't look at me with that intermittently shocked expression; I know perfectly well that killing them has crossed your mind." I state the obvious, swirling the drink in my glass and looking at her, watching her hurry her steps and come to stand by my side. I raise the glass, and she takes it without hesitation, downing all the liquid quickly, grimacing at the taste.
I smile, fascinated.
"I accept, you bastard." She cursed, turning her back to me after the divine pleasure of knowing I now have company. Of course, she didn't take two steps before I, still seated, pulled her roughly and sat her on my lap, taking the glass from her hands and throwing it against the wall, shattering it as I gripped her beautiful face tightly. She trembled with agonized, fearful eyes. "What are you doing, you sick piece of shit?" she shouted, thrashing.
"You know I can't stand you, don't you?" I question, diving into her shining golden gaze.
"It's mutual." She exploded, trying to break free from my arms. "Let me goâŚ"
"Not until you understand how much I hate you." It was fun to play with her desperation.
"If you don't let me go, I'll scream for your killersâŚ"
I smile with scorn, looking into her eyes. I could do this my whole life.
"It would be perfect for them to see me possessing you on this table."
"Don't doubt, you bastard, that one day I'll kill you." I only realized her nails were digging into my shoulders when they started to burn, tearing me.
"And I'll do the same to you, dear LavĂnia." I kiss her chin. "Now get out of here before I lay you belly-down on this table and ram my dick deep into you."
She laughed, also grabbing my face with anger and scratching it with her nails like a wild cat.
"I already told you. I'd have to be dead to give in to your whims."
I pushed her, and she laughed loudly, looking at me with defiance.
I stand to advance on her and give her a few slaps on the ass for her audacity, but she fled the room, driving me crazy.
I don't know why I'm waiting when I can take from her whatever I want.
I smile, running the tips of my fingers over my face and seeing traces of blood.
Since she accepted, she needed to understand how things worked.
***
Last night, I made a call to one of my restaurants here in Zurich, Switzerland, and gave specific orders for tonight.
And the blessed night had arrived. I ordered the mansion's housekeeper to go to the Audacious One's room, where she would stay with her brother, and asked her to deliver the bags I had bought for her and inform her to get ready and accept the professionals who would come to prepare her, because tonight, she and I would go out to dinner.
Before even putting on the well-ironed white shirt, I turned and checked the damage on my back in the large mirror; the wounds from the piled-up cuts were already forming scabs. I was going through the damn phase where the miserable wounds caused itching.
I curse mentally and pull on the shirt, buttoning the damn thing and going to put on the black suit. While adjusting and fastening the suit's sleeve, I looked at my face and saw the scratch from that vixen's nail; she would pay for this... one day she would pay.
I would make sure to mark her ass the same way she marked my damn face.
Ready, I sprayed on an expensive cologne and didn't waste any more time in that room. When I stepped out, I was surprised to find her leaning against the wall, holding a small clutch in front of her body, matching the color of the long dress that adorned her figure.
I wasn't discreet at all, nor did I bother with such a pathetic attempt. I observed her carefully and cautiously, my gaze following her delicate heels, adorned with thin black straps on her small, pale feet. Slowly, I raised my predatory eyes over her slightly lifted leg peeking out from the dress's slit, imagining the day I would hold under that calf and rest it on my shoulder while I fucked her deeply until I saw my damn dick make a bulge in her stomach. I continued sliding my hungry eyes upward and swallowed hard when the wet velvet fabric of the dress began to hug her curves, but it was the deep neckline at her chest that made me need to clear my throat. Her small breasts, free in the small space that held them in the dress, breasts that fit perfectly in my mouth.
"Need a handkerchief to stop drooling, dog?" the vixen mocked my lack of shame in admiring her curves.
"Bitch." I cursed, impatient with her quips, and pulled the door shut with brutality, turning my back to her and wandering down the wide hallway, hearing her heels following me.
"You're as gentlemanly as a horse's kick."
We went down the stairs.
"I see no reason for such kindness with a savage." I headed outside where I had told my driver to prepare the Mercedes.
Upon arriving, I opened the door for her.
She laughed for no reason, looking at my involuntary and unthinkable action. Her body came closer, and I caught sight of her perfect face with simple makeup that highlighted her large, amber owl eyes. Damn! This woman is gorgeousâŚ
"They say hell is full of good deeds." She mocked, passing by me and getting into the car, leaving the scent of a fine female intoxicating me entirely.
I slam the car door and walk around, taking the driver's seat, buckling my seatbelt, starting the car, and pulling away from the curb to speed down the road, overtaking other cars because I was in a hurry.
"How's the boy?" I ask.
"Busy with the video game. Are you sure he's safe?" I hear her question in a somewhat fearful voice.
I don't look at her.
"My house is a fortress, and my men would defend him with their own lives."
"And where are we going?" she asked minutes later.
"I thought the housekeeper would've been clear, or does the pretty little thing here have memory problems?" I glance at her with a mocking smile on the corner of my lips.
"Not really. I remember the succinct orders quite well. I want to understand why a restaurant when we could eat at the mansion?"
I rest one arm on the car window and drive with just one hand, checking the time on my gold watch and pressing the accelerator harder.
"Did you consider the possibility that I'm taking you on a date?" I jest.
She laughed, catching the joking tone.
"I doubt all this production is for a simple date. Not after I marked your grumpy face with my nails, which, by the way, looks scandalous. You look good all cut up with knives and scratched by nails."
"LavĂnia," I reprimand, not wanting to take that damn conversation to the terrible days of torture I endured at the hands of that wretch.
With that, the entire drive was in complete, discordant silence, which I thanked internally. She was too beautiful for me not to stop the car at any corner and fuck her against her will.
Entering the upscale restaurant, which I demanded be closed and reserved solely for me, I didn't need to say a word. We were immediately led to the table where our company was already waiting, seated with her back to us.
I couldn't help but watch LavĂnia's shock upon seeing her. Her eyes widened, her lips parted trembling, and her fingers with rings were crushing the clutch in her hand.
"Sit." I order, pulling out a chair for her.
Startled, LavĂnia turned her tumultuous eyes to me and shook her head in complete confusion.
Even though she didn't understand a thing, she didn't resist sitting and placing her small clutch on the table.
"The little bitch showed up." The madam glared hatefully at LavĂnia. "Fucking harlot!" Before her hand could strike LavĂnia's face, I gripped her wrist tightly.
"Control your impulses, you outdated whore, and raise your hand to her again, and you'll lose it." I pushed her hand away and saw her rub her wrists, glaring at me murderously. "Now, can we dine in peace and talk business?" I pulled my gun from my waistband and loaded it close to the old woman's ear, terrifying her.
Impatiently, I signaled for them to bring the order I had requested so much, which took hours to prepare.
I walk around the table and sit, resting the gun pointed at the old woman.
I had called the madam and arranged a meeting to discuss recent events. But deep down, I really wanted LavĂnia to see how things would work from now on.
Soon, a cart stopped beside the table, and the covered dishes were placed in front of the three of us.
"Leave," I say to the waiters, and I open the wine myself and pour it for us, smiling. "The silence present has always been greatly appreciated by me, like a barrel of wine from a good vintage."
"You fucked up my business, you bastard. All the prostitutes' families are in a shelter." It didn't take long for the old woman to explode. "You could've just taken that bastard brother of this slut without reports and all this shit. I don't work alone; there are big people behind the brothels and everything."
"Oh my, how scary." I mock, sipping the fine drink and observing the dark liquid in the glass. With that, I narrowed my eyes at the madam. "You know, you should kill me. In just one day, killing one of your accomplices with a shot through the mouth that pierced her skull, killing a battalion of security guards, rescuing the boy of one of your victims, reporting the boarding school, putting the police on your tail, and still, at the end of the night, taking one of your harlots⌠that's unforgivable." I try not to smile.
"Who are you? How can you keep this composure knowing I'll destroy you?" The madam threw the threat like a rabid dog.
LavĂnia laughed, removing the cover from her plate.
"Suddenly, this got interesting." LavĂnia spoke, looking at me and raising her glass to clink with mine. I smile too, watching her drink her wine and set the glass on the table, leaning in to smell her dish, letting out a sound of approval. "What a delicious smell."
Setting my glass on the table, I pick up my gun and aim at the madam.
"I'm the man who's going to force you to eat this food with us." I cock the gun. "Eat. Now." I order.
The old woman, under the aim of her death, didn't dare refuse my order.
The wretch picked up the fork and knife and, furious, cut a piece of the meat, stabbing it with the fork and bringing it to her mouth, chewing.
"This isn't poisoned, is it?" LavĂnia asked when she saw the chewed meat being swallowed by the madam.
Quickly, the old woman grabbed a glass of water and drank it all.
"It's not poisoned. I wouldn't give this wretch such a quick death." I stand and, beside the old woman, press the barrel of the revolver to the side of her forehead, terrifying her. "Eat more." I force her, pressing the gun against her forehead. Trembling, the old woman cut another piece of the tender meat and brought it to her mouth, eating and swallowing.
My gaze met LavĂnia's, and she laughed, glancing at the old woman.
"It looks really tasty, doesn't it, Margaret? See how awful it is to follow orders. That's how I felt every time you set me up with a damn client." LavĂnia spoke in a raised, vengeful tone. "Tell me if it's tasty."
And I pressed the gun barrel harder against her forehead, marking her, signaling through the action to answer the question the little owl with pretty eyes asked; it wasn't appropriate to keep such a beautiful lady waiting.
"Y-y-yesâŚ" She stammered and ate again, cowering, fearful, and whimpering with each bite.
"Don't waste a single bit." LavĂnia looked at me. "I'm impressed with the main course of this restaurant. I thought it'd be a little salad."
"It's just that here we make sure people leave with full stomachs, so we opt for several preparation processes; the meat must always be tender, flavorful, and well-cooked."
With my response, LavĂnia looked at her own plate.
"Hm. And what meat is this?" she asked, about to cut a piece of the meat and looking at me again.
I shake my head, signaling for her not to eat and checking if the madam finished, waiting for her to drink her water to wash it all down, without waste.
Smiling, I tuck the gun into my waistband and touch the back of the wretch's neck.
"It was very hard to find your only son. He was hiding in Brazil." With that, the old woman looked at me with blood-red eyes. "I thought about sending his head to you, but I don't know⌠I needed more⌠you just claimed you don't know who I am, and that kind of makes me very sad, and somehow I feel this need for you to know who I am today." My sarcasm borders on a joke. "I, so innocent, saw that body and thought, his mother will be sad if it's just used as fertilizer, so I chopped him up entirely and sent the pieces to this restaurant, and my joy is uncontainable seeing a mother feeding on her own son."
I had to step back abruptly before the old woman vomited on my expensive shoes.
LavĂnia had dropped the cutlery on the plate and looked horrified at the old woman throwing up even her organs.
And now the real hunt would begin.
The old woman would flee, and we would find her even in hell to kill her.