Chapter 13: A rciless devil
Mila didn’t want to answer it. "It’s too early. I don’t even know what it is yet."
Before Lara could ask further, Mila stood up. "I need the restroom."
She walked away, her steps slightly unsteady. The alcohol had finally settled into her bloodstream. Her vision blurred for a few seconds, then cleared.
’Being tipsy is not entirely unpleasant.’ She smiled at herself.
The ache in her chest had dulled. The argunt she had with Ethan earlier that afternoon, the anger – all felt distant. At that mont, she felt light, free.
Thud
As she neared the restroom, a strange sound reached her ears. Then ca sothing like a muffled groan.
She paused. ’Is soone in trouble?’
Her brows drew together. "Hello?" she called out cautiously. "Does anyone need help?"
Another sound ca, louder this ti. Mila jumped in her place. She couldn’t understand what it was. Before she could think further, a man stumbled out of the n’s toilet.
He was bruised, battered, face swollen, clothes torn. Blood stread from his temple. He looked like he had just escaped sothing brutal.
Mila gaped at him, eyes wide. Before she could react, he bolted toward her. She wanted to step aside, but her legs seed to have jamd in place.
He pushed her aside hard and ran away.
Mila swayed, losing her balance completely. The world tilted. She was about to fall when strong arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her firmly against a solid chest.
Everything stilled at that mont. Her hands instinctively clutched the man’s shirt. She blinked up. Through her slightly blurry vision, she saw him.
He was tall, strong, with a black mask covering the upper half of his face. But Mila could see those grey eyes behind the mast. Those were cold, piercing, and dangerous. Yet, she wasn’t scared. She didn’t feel threatened. Instead, his embrace gave her a strange feeling of safety.
"These eyes," she murmured. "They are familiar." A small, dazed smile let her lips curl upward. "Big guy. Is that really you?"
Dominic froze for half a minute. He had hidden his face under a mask carefully so no one could recognize him. Yet she had even under the haze of alcohol.
He turned his head aside, adjusting his mask.
’You have mistaken.’ Those words almost escaped his mouth. But for so reason, he couldn’t lie.
His instinct urged him to chase the man down. But he couldn’t leave her swaying like this. He grasped her shoulders, steadying her.
"Woman, you are drunk," he said coldly. "You are seeing things. Stay here until I am back."
Then he left imdiately.
"Hey, where are you going?" she called out from behind, but he didn’t slow down. She pouted slightly. "Why are you even here? Shouldn’t you be resting at ho?"
Outside the bar...
Dominic scanned the road, but there was no sign of the man. Frustrated, he cursed under his breath. He had nearly killed him inside the restroom. But Mila’s sudden, unexpected voice distracted him for a fraction of a second.
That was all it had taken.
The man had escaped. But that bastard had shoved Mila down. The mory itself made his blood boil.
"If I find him again, I’ll give him such a death that his whole generation will rember it."
He was about to storm further down the street when a voice called him from behind. Dominic paused and turned sharply to see Lucas rushing over.
"You caught him?" he asked urgently.
Lucas nodded. "He didn’t get far."
Dominic breathed a small sigh, only to harden his expression the next minute. "Take
to him."
Lucas led the way.
They found him in a dim, deserted alley two streets away.
He was curled on the ground, wrists and ankles bound tightly behind him. His mouth was sealed with tape.
Dominic approached slowly.
The man recoiled when he saw who was coming. His body shook. His eyes were wide with terror.
Dominic crouched and grabbed him by his collar, dragging him up. With one rough motion, he ripped the tape from his mouth.
The man scread in pain and panic.
"Speak," Dominic demanded. "What is Marco planning next?"
The man spat blood at his feet, refusing to speak.
"Answer . Or I’ll make your life miserable," Dominic threatened coldly.
"I’d rather die than betray him," the man hissed.
"Really?" Dominic sneered dangerously. "You are so eager to die. Then I have to fulfil your wish."
The man laughed weakly. "Marco is the real heir, the only blood related to the forr mafia king, Alejandro Russo. He should be the next king. And you." He snorted scornfully. "You are nothing. An orphan. No origin. You don’t deserve to be the king."
The alley went silent.
Lucas stiffened, his gaze moving to Dominic instinctively.
Dominic didn’t react imdiately. But sothing cold settled in his eyes. Without a word, he reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a small glass vial filled with clear liquid.
Before the man could understand anything, Dominic forced his jaw open and poured it inside.
The man gagged, trying to spill it out.
Dominic pressed a hand over his mouth and forced him to swallow.
The man began coughing violently. "What – what did you give ?" he croaked.
Dominic leaned in and whispered in his ear. "It’s a poison. Lethal one."
He shoved him down.
The man’s face paled instantly. He coughed and coughed as if trying to vomit it out. But it was too late. He had already consud it.
Dominic continued calmly, "It will first weaken your immune system. Then your organs will start failing one by one. You won’t die imdiately. But the pain will make you wish you had."
The man’s face twisted in rage and fear. "You are a monster. No wonder they call you rciless Devil."
Dominic took out another vial and held it before his face. "Do you know what it is?"
The man scowled, confused and curious at the sa ti.
"It’s the antidote," Dominic said. "I thought of giving you. Unfortunately, you called
a monster."
He slid the vial back into his pocket.
The man’s composure was shattered. He didn’t want to die yet. "Please, save . I’ll tell you everything. Give
the antidote."
Dominic straightened. "A naless bastard, unworthy king, rciless devil," he repeated those words calmly. "Since I’m all those things, I suppose I should act accordingly."
The man sobbed. "I made a mistake. I shouldn’t have said those things. I am sorry. Please...have so rcy."
Dominic had already lost interest. He wanted to go back to the bar and find Mila.
’She must be alone,’ he thought.
He glanced at Lucas. "Take him away."
He strode away.
The man scread behind him, begging. But Dominic didn’t look back, nor did he slow down.
When he returned to the bar, Mila was gone from where he had left her. His chest tightened.
"I told her to stay here. Where has she gone now?"
He hurried to the bar to find her, only to stop in his tracks at the sight before him.
Three n had surrounded Mila and her friend. They were visibly drunk, loud, and leaning on the two won too closely.
Reviews
All reviews (0)