Lucas:
"You guys are fucking insane." The dark haired shit shakes his head. "We're leaving."
They go to do just that but my voice stops them in their tracks.
"I don't think you want to do that."
"And why is that?" Olivia asks.
"Because if you do..." I turn on her slowly. "Everything we warned you about in those texts? We'll make happen."
"You can't do that!" Allie shrieks.
"Of course we can." Oakley laughs.
"Pretty easily, actually." Mads adds.
"Fuck you." Scott snarls.
"Sorry, man. We don't swing that way." Angel says. "Oh. But I'm sure the word no wouldn't stop you, would it?"
"Is that what this is about?" Jake scoffs out a laugh. "He fucked one of your bitches?"
I inhale a breath, trying my best to suppress the absolute rage coursing through me.
"It is, isn't it?" Scott says. "Look, man. I'm sure if I gave it to her, she asked for it. She's probably a typical slut. You don't have to-"
"Enough." I breathe. Barely audible but I'm sure the menace in my tone seeps through because he goes silent. "Enough. Fucking. Talking." I speak to the boys without taking my eyes off of his. "Get the ropes."
"Ropes?" Olivia squeaks.
"Don't get too excited." Angel remarks as he takes them out of the trunk.
"You lay a fucking hand on me and I swear-"
"Yeah, yeah." Oakley cuts Jake off. Catching the rope Angel throws him and starts to walk forward. "We'll regret it for the rest of our lives. Save your breath."
He tries to throw a punch but Oak dodges it easily and slips behind him, catching him in the ropes in seconds.
"Get these the fuck off of me!" He roars, struggling.
While he puts on a show for everyone, Angel and Dare make it up to the girls and do the same with them. Their screaming demands to be let go pierce the air with uselessness before being carried away by the wind.
Scott looks around at both his friends and us, his eyes wild with frustration and his face red.
"I don't know who you think you fucking are-"
Mads kicks the back of his legs, sending him onto his knees and has him tied before he can utter another word.
"We." He says, slowly. Clearly. "Are the wrong people to fuck with."
"Are you fucking shitting me?" Jake seethes. "All of this for some stupid-"
"Careful how you finish that sentence, Davis." Angel warns. His tone taking a lethal edge.
He's losing his patience.
So am I.
"All of this." I say. "For someone who deserves a world where scum like you four don't exist. And if any of you say one more derivative thing about my girl or any other woman, for that matter, I will personally tear you limb from limb and fucking sit back with a smile while I watch the worthless life drain from your eyes." I pause. The anger doesn't show but it takes all of my fucking willpower not to make good on that threat right fucking now. "Do you understand?"
Silence.
I draw a blade from my pocket. "Do you understand?"
"Yes!" Allie rushes out. I look to the others and both guys repeat the word. The only one who hasn't answered yet is Olivia, who's eyeing the knife with a combination of anticipation and excitement.
"Oh, you sick chick." Oak shakes his head and I can only imagine a look of disgust under that glowing green grin.
Ever so slowly, I make my way to her and bend until her eyes are level with the red crosses on my own mask. I place the tip of the blade under her chin and dig. Not too hard as to cut deep but just enough to penetrate the first layer of skin. A small line of blood trickles down her neck, the remnants of sunlight making it appear brighter than it is. I see pain finally enter her eyes and then repeat myself.
"Do. You. Understand?"
"Yes." She hisses between clenched teeth.
"Good." I say and rise before walking back to my previous position. "Now." I take a handkerchief from my other pocket and clean off the knife. As much as I enjoy drawing out blood, I very much do not enjoy uncleanliness. "Which one of you had the plan to deceive Madelaina Ferrara?"
"Who is-?" Scott starts and then, as realisation dawns on him, parts his lips. "That super rich Italian girl? This is about her?" He says as if she's not worth a single thought.
My hands shake to tip out his tongue.
"Wow." Dare says, monotone. "You're just going to keep digging that grave, aren't you?"
"I thought you understood me?" I tilt my head. Dusk has now passed and we've been left in almost complete night. The lights on my mask on their axis and reflecting in his eyes.
"What? I didn't say anything!"
"You implied she isn't worth it. Which makes me wonder if you really comprehended my words. Now, Scott. I'm aware that you aren't the smartest person in the room but I'd thought you capable of grasping the simple construct. Need I cut your throat too?"
He breathes shallowly, gaze full of blossoming fright. "You guys are fucking monsters."
"We prefer the term, heathens." Angel remarks from his spot beside me a few paces away. "Besides, you're one to talk. Did we forget about those little crimes of assault and harassment, Scotty? Would you like a refresher for the fading memory?"
A snort sounds from the other side of the crowd.
"Oh, you can laugh, too, Jakey." He continues. "You aren't any different. Well, apart from the part where he didn't fuck your mother."
"What?!" Scott shouts, writhing in his bindings. "You fucked my mom?! You're fucking dead!"
"Oops." Angel leans back against the car. His words meaningless as he watches this unfold like it's his favourite show.
Always living for the drama.
I allow this to continue for a few minutes. Just as I'm about to boil over, however, the sound of sharp metal slices the air.
I look over to see Darius. A knife in one hand and a rock in the other. Sliding the latter over the former with the same amount of sharpness and precision. The gleam from his mask reflects off of the metal onto the blade. Illuminating the silver with a blue light.
"Tantrum time is over."
Thank you, brother.
I turn back to them.
"Answer my question."
"What was the fucking question?" Jake is the one to ask after a moment.
"Who's idea was it?"
I know the answer, of course. Thanks to Oakley's innate hacking skills. I just want to see if they'll try to save each other or themselves. Though, I'm quite sure of that outcome as well.
No one answers.
Okay then.
"If I don't receive a name in the next ten seconds, every one of you is losing a fucking finger and an anonymous tip will be sent out to all news anchors about one of your many crimes that we have yet to make surface. Your family businesses will take even more blows than they have in the past weeks and I'm certain you can decipher the outcome of that."
"Wait!" Olivia yells.
"Ten." Angel almost sings. I can hear the fucking grin in his voice.
"You can't just-" Allie tries to intervene.
"Nine." Oak continues.
"You're not actually going to-" Jake breathes out.
"Eight." Dare drawls, his tone mimicking boredom. That couldn't be lesser from the truth.
"Will you stop fucking counting!" Scott screams.
"Seven." Mads carries on. Articulating every syllable.
"Six."
"Five."
"Four."
I grow closer to Scott Davis with every number. Although, I'm still far enough for them to be unaware of my exact direction.
"Scott!" Olivia shouts.
"Yeah, it was Scott!" Jake nods frantically.
"He made us do it!" Allie adds.
"You fucking assholes!" He flails in the ropes.
"Three." Angel announces over the ruckus.
"Wait, we just told you-"
"Two." Dare throws his knife up and catches it again.
I kneel in front of Scott. His eyes now showing nothing but panic and fear.
Now you're getting it.
"Please,.." He breathes out. Pathetic tears glistening and beginning to fall. Who's the pussy now? "I'm sorry, okay? I- I don't even know who you are. What do you want? Money? A car? Just tell us what you want."
Oh, I'll get what I want.
What I want, is for you and your little friends to fucking suffer. And thankfully enough, that's what my girl wants, too. So, you can be rest assured that not only will I make it happen but I will also take great fucking care with it as well.
I make my mask level with his face so that he has no choice but to look directly into each cross over my eyes.
"One."
I murmur the word with a grin on my face, grabbing his hand so quickly he doesn't even notice what's happening. Not until an agonised cry erupts into open sky.