Page 108 of Unspoken Lies

“That’s interesting,” Jared says. “Well, wife, I hope you enjoy the show.”

“What the fuck is going on,” Dr. Michaels screams.

I guess even assholes like him can crack.

“Remember, we have to clean up how much of him ends up on the wall,” Elijah says, making a face as he pulls on his gloves.

I have no idea what this is, but the sight of them all working together wasn’t something I thought I’d ever see. Common enemies have a way of bringing people together, I guess. I haven’t forgotten the past, and a shiver runs up my spine that has nothing to do with how cold it is in the basement.

“How are you,mija?” Emil asks, his eyes on my ex therapist and doctor. Mr. Cruz merely appears amused as he leans against the wall watching as Lili, Ignacio, and the guys continue to carve words into Dr. Michael’s skin.

“Confused,” I mutter.

“I fucked up,” he says. “I didn’t recognize the monster until it was too late. Dr. Michaels was doing his own unethical research with you as his guinea pig. Thankfully, you’re stronger than he thought you’d be.”

“You’re supposed to be dead,” Dr. Michaels spits out. “You’re like a goddamned cockroach.”

“I think that’s enough of that,” Liliana says primly, finding a mask that reminds me of a ball gag.

I can’t help but giggle as she forces it over his head, shoving it so deep, he gags. There’s something written on his forehead, and I smile serenely when I see it.

“Hack,” I say, reading it. That’s exactly what I feel my therapist is. While some of the work we’ve done has helped, other things have thrown me into a deeper spiral.

“Dr. Michaels’ used to have me regress into my memories,” I remember. “They come out really clearly in my nightmares, and a part of me wonders if he fucked around in my head when he did that. Whenever I would tell him about my dreams, he’d remind me that my mental health was a series of bubbles that we had to pop to get to the bottom of my trauma.”

Bullshit, Theo and Elijah write together across Dr. Michaels’ stomach.

“I think that’s a load of bullshit,” Ignacio says quietly. “Sure, in some sense exploring things is healthy, but if you’re not resolving them at all, he’s just stirring up your emotions and fears.”

“He’s right,” Theo grunts, finishing off the word. “The good doctor is fucking with your memories and fears, because he likes to control people’s lives and break them.”

“I already took your cock, I think I need to take your balls. You don’t need them,” Liliana says.

The guys move aside, and I see a gaping cauterized hole when the doctor’s cock used to be. Now that I’m paying attention, I can smell the scent of burned flesh.

“Hope your stomach is strong enough for this,” Emil says. “Breathe into your sweater if it bothers you.”

All I can do is watch as Liliana grabs the doctor’s saggy old man balls and starts to use a dull knife on them. Dr. Michaels screams and writhes, and I can’t help but smirk as I witness this. I should be horrified right? Maybe I’m broken, but I’m not.

There’s even rust on the fucking knife and Elijah cups himself as he looks away.

“I told them that if they fucked up with you again, Liliana would do the same to them,” Mr. Cruz said with a bark oflaughter. “If this isn’t the equivalent of a shotgun while waiting on the porch during a first date, I don’t know what is.”

I mean, it is amusing, but…

“Fucked up with me?” I ask softly.

The guys are fully immersed in watching Liliana, while Ignacio simply tells her how beautiful she looks. It takes a special kind of love to be able to praise one of your girlfriends while she tortures a man, but I suppose that’s exactly what Ignacio is.

“It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know the Kings are obsessed with you,” Mr. Cruz says.

“They all banded together the second you were admitted into the hospital,” Emil says. “We’ve had countless ‘family’ meetings to discuss our next steps. If we hadn’t been able to work together, I don’t know that you’d be sitting here.”

“They’ve been different. It’s really hard to process that,” I admit. “My memories say one thing but this tells me people can change.”

“Change is a strong word,” Mr. Cruz snorts. The smell of burning flesh begins as Liliana gets to work with the blow torch, and I focus completely on her father.

I appreciate that they are torturing him in my name, I just don’t want to fully watch it. I do need to see the light fade from his eyes though. It’ll help me sleep tonight funny enough. I need to know he’s not plotting anything, and seeing is believing in this instance.