Page 79 of Restitution

His hands fist at his sides, his once sleepy eyes filled with something dark and sinister. I think of the videos I’ve seen of him torturing people. I think of the way he had no expression as someone begged for their life and said they had children. Or when he stalked people and drove them into a mental hole.

Regardless of that side of Kade, I still love him anyway.

He looks at Barry again. “Put Archie in the walk-in freezer in the manor and turn it off. I’ll deal with him. I want the place fully guarded. Call in everyone we have,” Kade orders in a deep voice, blinking as he rolls his neck and shoulders. “The fact she walked out of here, with my father no less, pisses me off, but I understand the situation.”

Barry nods. “I’ll make the calls now.”

“Good,” Kade replies, looking down at the puddle of blood on the floor where his brother was lying.

He’s so blank, I’m terrified. There aren’t any tears – just anger.

“They want a war?” he says. “Well let’s give them one.”

25

KADE

Archie rattles the chains as he struggles, his restraints cutting into his skin. Cuffed at his wrists and ankles, he stands spreadeagled in the centre of the walk-in freezer with nothing but his underwear on.

I cut his clothes off while he was passed out. I wanted him fucking exposed while I carved my name into his back.

My mum refuses to come down to the basement. It’s dark and cold, and the walk-in freezer is covered in melted ice cream and defrosted meat. And blood.

It stinks.

Barry leans his uninjured shoulder against the entrance to the freezer while I pace around Archie. “It’s funny to seeyou like this. Helpless and scared. Waiting for your wife to save you?”

Archie spits at my feet, his face half scalded, one ear missing. Infection has set in from my dad shooting him, and the wounds are starting to smell.

He’s pissed himself for seven days straight. I’ve only fed him kibble and the odd glass of water to keep him alive and extend his torture. I want enough video evidence to rile up Bernadette to come out of hiding.

One of the guards was on watch earlier – recorded himself as he used a water gun to spray all of Archie’s wounds with vinegar. It was the most pathetic thing I’d ever seen, watching a grown man scream because of a fucking water gun.

He glares at me, trying to follow my steps as I keep circling him. “Your father will be dead soon, just like your brother,” he says, letting out a laugh.

I smirk. “How does it feel? You’ve been married since you were eighteen, yet your wife sought out a teenager to get pleasure. She was so damn bored of your pathetic ass that she used drugs and manipulation to get others into bed.”

He laughs again. Several of his teeth are missing. “You think this is revenge? When I get out of here, because I will, I’m going to make you cry again. I’ll make you bleed and hate your own body more than you already do. Do your men know you begged me to stop? I’ll make it ten times worse when I’m out of here, boy.”

I sigh, unaffected by his threat. “I’d love to see you try.” I turn to Barry. “Get me the nail gun.”

Archie’s eyes go wide as I walk towards him with it. He thrashes as I press it directly to his crotch and screams as I shoot a long nail right through his limp dick, pinning it to his inner thigh.

I lower my voice, whispering into his ear. “You’ll never touch me again. I highly suggest you keep your threats to yourself, or I might just order my largest guard to split you in two.”

I toss the nail gun on the ground as he wails in agony and head out the door. Barry follows, locking the door behind us.

Stopping in the corridor, I lean against the wall, bending forward to hold my head in my hands. “Fuck,” I murmur to myself. “Fuck.”

“You good, boss?” Barry asks, patting my back.

I shake my head. “Nah.”

“Let’s get some fresh air.”

When we get outside and I fill my lungs, I close my eyes. It’s fresh, cold and quiet. The moon is high, and there’s a cool breeze against my heated face.

“Where’s Stacey?”