Chapter 130: Kidney harvest.

Do you know what hydrofluoric acid does to a man?

It melts your skin, then your muscles.Then, given enough time, even your bones and muscles.

A man will tell you just about anything when he’s tied down, helplessly watching his hand dissolve into nothing.

It’s one of my favorite torture methods.

And it’s the one I’m currently using on both Hamilton brothers.

It’s fascinating, really.

I’ve gotten answers to my earlier questions. Both of them have confessed that they wanted me out of the way so they could take control of the entire country.

My territory, my businesses, my influence.

They wanted everything I had and they thought killing me would make it easy.

Unfortunately for them, I’m still breathing.

Now, there’s one question left.

Were they behind the recent shooting that killed the president?

I pull a chair closer and sit in front of them, studying their exhausted faces.

"Let’s try this again. Did either of you order the attack on the president?"

Neither answers immediately.

I smile.

"Gentlemen, I suggest you choose your next words carefully. I’ve been very patient tonight, and I’m beginning to run out of it."

"We had nothing to do with it," Salvatore finally says.

His brother nods quickly.

"We wanted your territory. We wanted you gone. We never ordered an attack on the president."

I study their faces, searching for the slightest indication that they’re lying. Which I know they are.

Before I can ask another question, a faint groan comes from the other side of the room.

Their wife is waking up.

She lifts her head slowly, blinking against the harsh light overhead. For a few seconds, she looks confused, her eyes wandering around the unfamiliar basement.

Then she sees her husbands and a scream tears from her throat.

"Oh my God!"

She begins struggling against the ropes, staring at the blood on their faces and the terrible state they’re in. Both men have been badly injured, and neither looks anything like the powerful men who were dragged into my basement earlier tonight.

Antonio turns toward her.

"Baby, it’s okay."

Despite his condition, he tries to reach for her.

"It’s okay, baby. Don’t be scared."

To my surprise, she shrieks and recoils from him.

I frown.

What the hell?

Antonio stares at her.

"Baby?"

"Don’t call me that!"

Her voice cracks as tears stream down her face.

"You fucking piece of shit! You raped me this morning! You fucking raped me, and now you want to act like you care?"

I slowly turn toward Antonio.

"That’s low, man. Even for you that’s really low."

He groans.

"She’s my fucking wife!"

I stare at him.

"And?"

"I’ll do whatever I want with her! She’s my wife. She’s supposed to obey me! That’s why she was put on this earth. She’s just a woman. Her sole purpose should be for my pleasure and entertainment."

The woman trembles, pulling as far away from him as her restraints allow.

I shake my head in disgust.

"You’re a pathetic bastard."

Antonio curses at me, but I ignore him.

His wife turns toward me, her face wet with tears.

"Please. Please, let me go. I didn’t do anything. I swear I didn’t do anything."

"It’s okay," I tell her, keeping my voice calm. "You’re safe."

I move toward her and Antonio immediately loses his mind.

"Don’t you dare touch my wife! Don’t you fucking dare!"

I stop and look at him. The crazed look in his eyes tells me everything I need to know.

He doesn’t love this woman.

He’s obsessed with her. He believes she belongs to him, that marriage gives him the right to control her every move. The thought of another man touching her enrages him, even after everything he’s put her through.

That’s not love.....It’s possession.

I crouch in front of his wife and begin untying the ropes around her feet.

"I’m going to get you out of here," I tell her. Even though I’m the one that put her there in the first place.

She watches me with frightened eyes as I free her ankles, then loosen the restraints around her wrists.

Once she’s free, I retrieve a black mask from the nearby table.

"I need to cover your eyes. I can’t let you know where this place is."

She stiffens, so I wait until she gives a small, hesitant nod before carefully securing the mask.

Then I turn to Jeremiah.

"Take her home. Make sure she’s safe."

My brother rises from his chair and approaches her but before I can step away, she reaches out and catches my hand.

Her fingers tremble against mine.

"Please."

I look down at her as she pulls me closer, lowering her voice until it’s barely audible.

"Please, kill them for me."

I say nothing.

"I can’t keep living like this," she whispers, her breath catching. "I can’t do it anymore."

She takes a shaky breath.

"Just please."

I gently free my hand from her grip.

Jeremiah helps her stand and guides her toward the exit. I watch them leave before turning back to the two men.

Antonio is glaring at me. I give him a humorless smile.

"You should have treated her better."

He spits a curse.

I ignore him, reach into my pocket, and pull out my phone.

There’s someone I need to call.

Rocco.

The bastard answers after several rings.

"Motherfucker, why do you always call so late?"

"I need you now."

I hear rustling on the other end, followed by what sounds like him climbing out of bed.

"Did you get shot again?"

"No. I have two people in my basement right now. Victoria is currently at the hospital, and she needs a kidney."

The silence that follows is brief.

"What?"

"I need you to stop by the hospital she’s at and get her medical profile. Then come down to my basement and see if either of these two are a match."

I glance at the brothers.

"If either one of them is compatible, I need you to bring your tools so you can harvest it from them and take it back to Victoria."

"What the hell?" Rocco exclaims. "That’s really, really messed up."

"She’s dying."

"Lysander, this is insane."

"You have thirty minutes, Rocco."

I end the call. Then I turn back toward the brothers to find them staring at me with horrified expressions.

I slip my phone into my pocket and smile.

"Now, gentlemen, let’s find out whether either of you has something useful left to offer."