Page 63 of Tryst

Antonio lowered the knife, taking a step to the side. Fury seethed through my pores. I could no longer see straight, and my instinct to protect her took over. I lunged forward, punching him with my left hand before cracking the brass knuckles on his temple with my right. The chair fell over. His head bounced off the wooden deck and he shuddered. I leaned over close to his face, tossing the brass knuckles to the side. It clanked as it hit the floor and slid to a stop.

He grinned, flashing his bloody teeth. “Did she tell you how I fucked her over my—”

Taking hold of his throat, I squeezed, cutting off his words. “Shut. The. Fuck. Up!” Without averting my gaze, I muttered, “Dimitri.”

“Yeah, boss?”

“Now.”

With a silent wave of his hand, he gave my orders to the others. Aldo and Tommaso carried the long coffin over, setting it on the floor next to me. Standing, I hacked up a wad of saliva, spitting it in the middle of his face. “Antonio.”

“Yeah?”

“Gasoline.”

“Damien.”

“Boss?”

“Drill and screws.”

“Got them right here.”

Nick’s eyes widened as I nodded once at Aldo and Tommaso, who strode over, freeing him from the restraints on the chair. Tommaso lifted under his arms and Aldo carried him by his ankles. They transported him to the box, laying him inside on his back. Antonio appeared next to me with a red can of gasoline. The other two secured his wrist and ankles with zip ties to rings inside the box so he could not free himself. Antonio tipped the gas over his lap, soaking his crotch.

I lit a cigarette, leaning on the coffin as I leered at Nick. “You want to tell me now what you did to Eliza?”

“What the fuck are you doing?!” Nick shouted at Antonio.

Grinning, Antonio backed away, setting the gas down and folded his arms.

I inhaled a deep drag, eyeing his drenched pants. “As you scream in pain, remember, I’m the reason.” I removed my sunglasses, staring into his soul as I dropped my cigarette on his flammable cock. Within seconds, it ignited.

“What the fu…no! No! What the fuck?!” He shouted at the top of his lungs. Crying out in pain, he begged for mercy as the fabric separated and his flesh burned away. “Please! Oh my God, no!”

Sliding my sunglasses back onto the bridge of my nose, I bowed my head slightly at Dimitri. He strode over, dumping a bucket of water on him. The smell of burning skin and fabric swirled around in the air. It was a smell I would never get used to. Nick trembled, crying, looking down at his seared lap. I turned to Damien.

Instantly, he stomped over with Tommaso and Aldo, holding the lid. Damien and Aldo secured it with screws. The men then picked up the coffin and carried it through an archway and hung it over the side of the yacht.

Dimitri and Antonio stood at my side, watching with pride. I slid my blood-stained hands in my pockets, relishing in the resonances emerging from the box. Nick’s muffled, prayerful voice begged for compassion and forgiveness as they released him into the sea.

The coffin sank slowly as water seeped into the holes. Dimitri held a pack of cigarettes and a lighter in front of me. I grabbed one, lit it, then handed it back to him. Satisfied, I smoked, watching the man who’d hurt Elizabeth sink to his doom. I twisted to Damien, pinning the vice between my fingers. “Have this cleaned up. We’re going back to the house.”

“Of course.”

I spun to leave, glancing down at the mess for the first time, wishing I’d strung him up by his dick and beat him with a baseball bat before I let him die so quickly. Now, I had to finish up some jobs here and get back to New Jersey. I was dreading the vacation with the Whitman family this year. I didn’t want to go. I was torn.

I climbed back onto the boat, taking a seat near the stern. I wanted to be left alone. Thankfully, my men understood and let me be. As I chain-smoked on the way back to shore, I thought about our last words to one another before she left.

Fuck it. I had to get her out of my head. As much as I fought it, trying to convince myself we would be good together was useless. There was not even a slight chance at a future with her. I couldn’t believe I planned to stand by her and tell her father about us.What the fuck was I thinking?!I couldn’t deal with her in my mind any longer.

My phone vibrated as we neared the pier. I took it out of my pocket, checking the notifications with my blood-soaked hands.What the hell?

Emma Hart

Missed Call

Emma Hart