Page 14 of A Past Too Broken (Bloodstained Love #1)
One Week After Rescue
E lijah and I wait outside the bastard’s house, the winter chill seeping through our clothes, but neither of us moves. Min was pissed he wasn’t allowed to be part of this plan, but he’s still healing from what that asshole did to him, and I don’t want to see him get hurt again. Instead, he’s waiting at the safehouse that hasn’t been used in a year—the same one I held him captive in for those few short hours.
“Not how I wanted to be spending my Christmas,” Elijah says.
“You got somewhere better to be, Hamilton?” I ask.
He doesn’t respond because we both know the answer. Do any of us have a better way to spend the holiday? Maybe other people in our profession are able to live as normal lives as possible, but everyone I’m associated with does the bare minimum to keep up appearances. We’re all fucked-up in our own ways, and anything “normal” is wistful thinking on our parts. Besides, what’s a better Christmas present than getting to kidnap an abusive ex-cop?
Headlights on the street have us sinking deeper into the shadows at the back of the house, and we watch as Gary Walsh, Min’s so-called father, stumbles out of the car.
We wait until he climbs the sagging porch steps before rushing out of hiding. We’re not quiet or stealthy, as neither of us wants to give him the chance to figure out what’s going on. The last thing we need is for him to get the drop on us like he did Min.
He fights because even drunk he’s still a retired cop—but we’re better trained, sober, and have him outnumbered. Elijah slips a needle into his neck and administers the sedative.
Together, and with a great deal of maneuvering, we get the bastard into the trunk of Elijah’s car, and then make our way across the city to where Molly and Min are waiting for us.
* * *
It’s a tense, silent ride. Elijah isn’t one for small talk, which I can appreciate. Close to our destination, though, he speaks up. “You sure about this guy?”
I know he’s not talking about Gary. “Yeah… and no. I wish I could explain it, but it’s almost like when you took in Molly. Min might not be a helpless teenager, but he needs a guiding hand. Someone to be in his corner for everything life throws at him. He never had that after his mother died. This past year… He’s shown he’s not a bad guy, just lost.”
“The difference is, I never have, and will never, want to fuck Molly.”
I sputter. “I don’t want to fuck him! I mean, he’s cute and all, but not my type.”
“Sure, keep telling yourself that.”
I glare at him, but he keeps his attention on the road, even though there’s no one else out here since it’s Christmas.
The last few minutes to the safehouse are filled with anticipation, and I almost vibrate with the need to put eyes on Min. This past week, he’s stayed with me so we could plan tonight—and for me to keep an eye on him.
I can’t lie, I enjoyed having him in my space. His brand of sass fits in with my own, and after a few days, even Reggie warmed up to him.
I don’t want to admit that Elijah may be right. The sexual tension between Min and I might be combustible, but that doesn’t mean either of us is ready for that.
Thankfully, we get to the safehouse before my thoughts can get any further off track. It’s easy getting Gary out of the trunk and into the one-room safehouse. The chair I tied Min to is in place, as are the ropes.
Molly sits on top of the tall cabinet, while Min is perched on the cot where I left him. I eye Molly as I tie Gary to the chair. “How’d you get up there?”
The little shit smiles and shrugs. “Trade secret,” he says cheerfully.
I look to Min, who also shrugs. “He was there when I came back from the bathroom, so don’t ask.”
“Come on, spider monkey,” Elijah tells his charge. “Let’s leave the lovebirds alone.”
Molly grins and dismounts, bending his knees to help absorb the impact. “It was nice meeting you properly, Min. We’ll have to do it again soon.”
With that, Molly and Elijah leave.
“He’s weird,” Min says.
“Yep,” I reply absently, tugging at the bonds holding Gary to the chair. “Have a plan, Minni?” I ask.
His dark gaze snaps to me and he glares. “Did you call me a freaking mouse?” he hisses.
I shrug. “I mean, after the past year… I thought it was fitting.”
He huffs and struggles to stand from the cot, so I help him up. He wavers on his feet for a moment. When I steady him, he looks up at me, the ire of the nickname dissipating from his eyes while something akin to lust takes its place.
Quickly, he steps back and moves to the portable tray where an array of tools are set up, ready and waiting for what’s to come.
While Min fiddles with his weapons of choice, I pull out my smokes and move to the far corner of the room. Min looks at me but doesn’t say anything, so I light a cigarette and focus on the much-needed nicotine rather than the spark that’s slowly been gaining strength between us.
Min slaps Gary’s face a few times until the asshole jerks in his seat and wakes. He takes a few minutes to get his bearings, and when he sees his son, he fights his bonds.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” Min tells him. “You’re mine now, and you’re not getting out of here until I make you pay.”
“You have more balls than I thought, Minato,” Gary spits. “Rather brave of you to have someone else do your dirty work.” He turns his head and looks at me. “Gonna have him kill me, too?”
I laugh. “Your son is perfectly capable of getting his hands bloodied, sir. I’m just here for moral support.” I take another drag of the cigarette and watch as his face turns red before he looks back at Min.
“Well? Are you going to do something? Or just stand there like the weakling you are?”
“Mind if I borrow your lighter, Zay?”
“Certainly.” I toss it to him.
“I’m not going to bother with a speech; we both know what you did. What else is there to say?” Min flicks the lighter and holds the flame up for Gary to see. “Instead, I’m just going to show you.”
He moves faster than he should with his wound, but I stay silent, content to watch the show.
Min grabs the back of Gary’s thinning gray hair and holds tight. He flicks the lighter again, holding it to Gary’s face. The smell of burning flesh makes me glad I hadn’t eaten meat for dinner, as my stomach churns a little. I’ve seen and done a lot of shit, but fire hasn’t ever been part of that.
Min burns Gary’s face until his father’s voice goes hoarse from screaming, and the room is full of smoke and burnt flesh. I wrinkle my nose as I snuff out my cigarette on the wall behind me, pocketing the butt.
Min tosses the lighter onto the tray and picks up a paring knife. “I’ve thought about this for years,” he says just loud enough for me to hear. “I’ve thought about all the ways I can torture you, how many times I could get you to scream for me…”
I can’t see his expression from the angle I’m at, but I imagine it’s as dead as the tone of his voice. My heart aches for him, and instead of trying to shut that down, I allow it. The kinship we’ve been building over the last year means I want nothing more than to cross the room and comfort the man. I want to take the pain from him and do something to help ease this journey, but I also know this is something he has to do for himself. This is Min’s path of healing, and I have to let him have it.
He moves around his father and pulls his head back, exposing his throat and bringing the knife to it. “I should have killed you all those years ago,” he says softly. “Should have taken your miserable life when I had the chance. But well… better late than never.” Instead of slitting his throat, Min looks up at me. “Come hold him, please.”
Quickly, I do as asked, gripping Gary’s shoulders tight and holding him to the chair. Min releases his arms from the rope, then unties his hands from each other. I grip one of Gary’s hands in mine, squeezing tight, while Min holds his other arm out, palm side up.
Gary struggles, and I have to exert enough pressure to his arm and shoulder that I feel the bone in his forearm break. It doesn’t matter, not when Min slices Gary’s wrist nice and deep, squeezing his forearm to make blood rush faster through the wound.
“Oh no,” Min says in a hard voice. “How sad it is that he killed himself.”
As realization dawns on Gary, Min moves to the other side and I hold Gary’s arm steady as Min slices his other wrist. Min is trembling after completing the slash, and I take the knife from him, tossing it onto the tray, then pulling Min into my arms.
Holding him tightly, we watch as Gary bleeds out in front of us. Min shakes the entire time, but he doesn’t look away as the light in Gary’s eyes begins to die out.
“He made you watch… didn’t he?” I ask, not sure if I want the answer or not.
Min rubs at his wrists. “I still have marks from fighting against the cuffs. He tightened them so much, they cut into my skin and bled; I needed stitches. It’s why they listened to me when I told them what he did. They couldn’t ignore the proof right in front of them.”
I press a kiss to his hair. “It’s over.”
“Yeah.” He turns in my arms and throws his arms around my neck, wincing as the move aggravates his wound. “It is, thank you.”
I stare down into endless black eyes and give him the only truth I can right now. “Anytime, Minni. I’ll slay your monsters with you whenever you need me to.”
His lips part and I close the distance, leaving just a few scant inches between us. “Always?” he whispers.
“If that’s what you want.”
In response, he presses his soft lips to mine.