Page 124 of Taste of Blood

“Come on, Donnie, he can’t be worth all this pain.”

His partner, who’s been knocked out and chained to the opposite wall, starts to stir at this point. When I fought them on the street, I noticed a connection between them. That’s how I was able to subdue them so easily. Donnie became distracted when I punched out his partner. Figuring they have more than a casual relationship, I decide to play on that.

“Tell you what,” I say, crossing to the table in the corner and picking through the available tools. I choose my favorite serrated blade and sidle up to the other one. “I’ll give you a few minutes to think about it while I carve up your partner.”

Without preamble, I stab then drag the blade down the partner’s chest, slicing open his shirt and leaving a crimson trail in his pale flesh. His eyes snap open as he screams then starts to hyperventilate.

“No, wait. Stop,” Donnie pleads.

“Having second thoughts?” I ask as I bring the blade up to the partner’s wrist. “Watch this.”

I saw a gouge deep enough to expose bone. The partner cries out, his eyes tearing up, as blood flows down his arm.

“Stop! Stop, okay!” Donnie yells. “I’ll talk, just don’t hurt him.”

I grab the partner’s chin and shake his head. “Isn’t that sweet? He cares about you.”

“It’s okay,” the partner assures Donnie through gritted teeth. “I’m fine.”

I look over at Zeke. “These two are adorable.”

“Pathetic,” he snorts.

I poke two fingers into the cut in the partner’s chest and dig around, making him squirm. “Start talking, Donnie, or I’m going to rip your boyfriend’s heart out.”

“Okay, okay.”

“Don’t do it,” the partner warns. “I can take it.”

“But I can’t,” Donnie insists. “The guy’s name is F65, and he wants to capture you because you’re close to Fantini.”

“Guess he should’ve sent someone more competent than you two.” I glance at Zeke, who shrugs.

“Wouldn’t be the first time someone came after Dante,” he says.

“Not through me.”

I’ll admit, the thought bothers me a little. Not that they’re going after Dante, because hell, I expected that. But that they think they could use me to get to him. And will they try again? If so, when or how? Am I going to be putting Asher at risk by attending this benefit with him?

I’m not afraid for myself, but I refuse to put anyone else, especially Asher, in harm’s way. What does that say about our relationship? I always said I’d never let it become a liability. I guess I can identify with where Donnie is coming from. If someone threatened Asher, I would move heaven and earth to stop them.

Does that mean I acknowledge that I love him? After spending the last ten years pretending I got over him, that realization shocks me more than I expect.

I look at Donnie with new eyes. “Where are you from?”

“Delaware.”

“So you weren’t part of Dante’s crew?”

He shakes his head. “No. Never met him.”

When I don’t say anything for several minutes, Zeke steps over and murmurs to me, “What do you want to do with them?”

I can’t believe I actually feel sorry for Donnie. Maybe I’m just tired. I drop the blade on the table and pick up the crossbow.

“Sorry about this, but war is war,” I say as I take aim and shoot Donnie in the neck. Before he can react, I turn and fire the second bolt at his partner.

“Let’s get out of here,” I tell Zeke before the shrieking begins. After seeing it play out once, I don’t have the stomach to listen to them die. There’s only so much screaming and burning flesh a man can take.