ROWAN HUNTER - The Angel's Darkness
"Bring him in boys!"
The dark quiet room slowly evolved into a disarray of cackling laughters as a semi unconscious body was dragged into the room. Two of my guys had their grips tightly laced around his ankles as they threw him on the ground and enjoyed the sight of his body rolling around.
"Fucking wimp!" Cal Woods, one of my closest friends paced toward the man groaning in pain and kicked him right in the ribs, blood splattering over the hardwood floors as he spat out from the impact.
I scoffed as the laughter slowly receded into silence, all of the ten men in the room staring straight at me as they waited for my remark. I had ordered that Kyle Chad be brought to me in the next hour. It was an hour later, but that wasn't fucking Kyle Chad, the asshole escaped and left his buddy, Julian Tims.
As the silence enveloped almost everything including Julian's whimpers and groans, I began to feel more soothed, I could hear my own thoughts, I could hear my foot tapping slowly and rhythmically on the ground, and I could hear the low sizzling burn of the cigarette in my mouth as I dragged in a puff, the smoke emanating into my throat as the nicotine fizzled into my bloodstream.
I heaved up from the big black leather armchair I was sat, gently dusting and straightening my black pants before plucking the cig from my mouth with my fingers. One hand held the tab, while the other began rolling up a sleeve.
"Julian."
The sound of my low tone quickly spread across the room like wildfire. Julian was weak , tired and bleeding, but as soon as he heard his name, he managed to heave himself up to standing position, his blood dripping from the top of his head, through his rough dirty blonde hair, down the sides of his jaw until they trickled to the floor like a leaking tap.
"H... h..Hunter..." he stammered as his bright blue eyes began welling up with tears. It was a shame to see him crying, when he wasn't a thieving bastard he was actually quite... cute, in a way that one would expect a rabbit. Short dirty blonde hair, light blue eyes, a full Greek nose, light brown freckles and a defined jawline, but it didn't matter anymore... by the time he left here his angled jawline wouldn't be the same. I'll make sure of it.
I dragged in another puff as I took a step closer, a smile curved at the edge of my lips as he took a step backwards simultaneously. "You remember me."
"y... yes of course." His brows furrowed in confused surprise as his breath shuddered out of his lips. The look in his face was unrivalled with fear. Good. He should be afraid. He was in deep shit and he knew it, especially whether or not Kyle had managed to escape without him.
I was vindictive, vengeful and thorough with my revenge... Kyle understood that, hence his disappearance, annoying as it was to be looking around for him, Kyle was smart to run away, and if he were even smarter, he'd never show his face within a mile of where I was again, I had eyes everywhere... and if he was close enough for me to smell him, I'd sniff him out like a fucking dog.
Julian would have to do for now.
"I... I'm... S... sorry Hunter, I sw... swear it was an accident." He continued, my men sharing glances as if his pleas were some kind of funny song.
A wry chuckle left my lips, one that unconsciously rendered both him and the entire room silent. My eyes drew closed as I inhaled sharply, the lingering taste of the menthol cigar filling through my senses... I forgot myself.
It wasn't until my eyelids peeled open and I saw Julian's body writhing on the ground in pain that I realised I had punched him. There was a searing pain in my knuckles, an ache in my head and dryness in my throat, but all I could think about was how badly I wanted to do it again.
So I did. Again, and again, and again, until....
"Stop!!" Julian whimpered as I pulled him up by his collar, my arm retracting to deliver the fifth blow. "Stop please!!" He begged very nearly about to pass out. I let go of his ridiculous jean jacket and paced a few steps away as he fell to the ground.
"Where's my money Julian?" I queried quietly as I drew another tab and lit it in the corner.
"I... I swear... I don't know Hunter, K... Kyle... h... he double crossed me, he tricked me into doing the dirty work for him and he ran away with the money I... s... swear."
A cloud of smoke dissipated into the air as a scoff escaped my lips. "Wow..." I muttered. "That's about the dumbest thing I've ever heard."
A few of my men chuckled in agreement. Cal just glared at Julian, probably wondering when he'd get to kill him. He was a hothead if I've ever seen one, probably one of the only people I've ever known to be even crazier than I was. He made for a good friend, and an even better soldier.
"Don't you think so? Julian?" I cocked a brow as he shivered with terror. His eyes were wide and dilated, he hyperventilated like he had asthma and sweat streamed down the sides of his face even though it was the middle of January and the cabin was freezing cold despite the blazing fireplace in the corner.
Occasionally he turned his head around, gasping and shaking as if he could feel someone sneaking up behind him, with the tears slowly rolling down his cheeks, he looked like he was about to be pushed over the edge of the earth.
I marched toward him, holding his head up by his bloody hair and tearing my gaze into his bright blue eyes. I spelled out the words for him, my breath fanning his eyelashes "I said! Don't you fucking think so Julian?"
He began nodding frantically "I... I think so too."
I offered a smile and began walking away.
"It's too bad I don't give a crap what you think." I muttered before sinking back into my leather chair, my form reclined but still looking down at him.
The look on his face spelled absolute dread. He didn't even have to say anything before I burst into a hysterical laughter.
"W... what's funny?" He shook.
As my amusement wore off I heaved a sigh and returned my gaze to him "the fact that you think I'm stupid... that's what's funny."
He began shaking his head "I don't t... think y... y—"
I held my hand up, cutting him off with a sharp hiss. "Sometimes you forget that just because I went to college with you blockheads does not mean I am one of you, because I'm not. No matter what you do or say I will always be ten fucking steps ahead of you."
I leaned forward, my elbows resting on my knees as I narrowed a cold stare at him "you're the best hacker in all of Barsons, quite possibly the best in the state. I know you do the dirty work for a lot of underground bosses and you're not that innocent."
I could see the twinge of guilt in his eyes, somewhat of a penitential hollowness that glinted over his expression, it was good, for me at least... it only meant this would be over quicker.
"So do not lie to me Julian." I muttered before taking another swig. My voice throaty and deeper as the smoke oozed out my mouth as I spoke "do not lie that you were blackmailed, or double crossed, or tricked into working with Kyle because that would just make it hell of a lot easier for me to kill you."
His eyes almost popped out of his head on hearing my last sentence, he began mumbling pleas of mercy. Mercy... a word that didn't exist in my vocabulary.
"I want my money back Julian." I worded out over his redundant cries "and you are going to help me get it. I don't care if I have to cut both your arms off and sell them on the black market to make it back."
More tears streamed down his face as he crawled shakily toward me, small blotches of blood smearing the carpet that covered the part of the room I was sat. I couldn't tell if the fear of being mutilated was his incentive, or my reputation itself solidified my threat in his mind.
"No please... I'll tell you everything I know"
"I'm listening." I muttered before bringing the cigarette to my lips. "Start with where the hell he is."
"I... I don't know where he is Hunter I swear, he never said where he'd go once we took the money, he only talked about leaving w... with..." his voice trailed off and his eyes tore apart as if he'd explored unsanctioned territory.
A smirk bit my lip. "Are you fucking toying with me Julian?"
"N... no sir I'm not." He shook his head frantically.
I levered myself to my feet, the sound of my vintage shoes beating against the hardwood reverberated around the cabin. The gleaming fireplace in the corner cast an orange light over the right side of the sucker's face. A perfect angle.
The tip of my black boot barrelled through his mandible, his blood shot eyes flaring as the skin on his whole face rippled. I'd kicked him so hard I could hear his neck crack as his head turned to the side, he spat out even more blood, possibly having bit his tongue.
I sighed, tiredly rubbing my temples with my thumb and index finger. I didn't mean to do that... the fucker just brought out the worst in me.
On an infinitesimal level, I felt bad for Julian. He was in deep shit and he knew it. He'd been abandoned by his friend, an experience I was all too familiar with and he'd been very nearly beaten to a pulp. A few hours ago he'd been in class, a normal college nerd... but since his parents didn't teach him not to steal, I suppose I'm as good either to help him learn his Ten Commandments again.
I'll add one more for him though. Thou shall not steal. Especially from Rowan Hunter's stash.
I threw the cig in my hand into the flaming yellow of the fireplace and pulled out a clean blank handkerchief in my blazer pocket before pacing calmly toward him.
"Here." I smiled, crouching in front of him and offering the napkin.
I could tell by the way he eyed the cloth with as much suspicion as a hidden bomb that he didn't trust my intentions behind offering him, still he accepted it because he knew better than to decline an offer from me.
"Thanks." He muttered.
"Don't waste my time Julian, I know both you and that ninja turtle had help. I'm not an idiot, I didn't expect stealing my stash to be easy enough for just the both of you to pull off." I cocked a brow as I scoffed. "And I know Kyle probably ran off with the money to avoid having to split in more than two places. You see... he's greedy like that."
Kyle had someone helping him out..." I hissed as I stood up "I want names."
Julian's gaze traveled across the room, each face he met more terrifying than the last, not because of their features, but because of the looks in their eyes. My men always looked hungry for trouble. They were more than willing to inflict pain, like obedient cane corsos, all I had to do was say the word. Go!
"Names!" I barked as the silence lured back in.
He trembled as his lips parted, even more as his voice croaked out of his mouth. The disbelief on his face, the fear constricting his chest, the pain as he choked out his words, the last name I expected to hear... Cassidy fucking Tyler.
At the mention of her name, a few of my men began to snicker. Most of them shared glances, discreetly looking at me like I was going to blow, they knew what the name Cassidy meant to me, hell my veins were already bleeding dark ever since I heard him.
"Shut up" I hissed toward those of them laughing, they simmered down immediately as I transferred my glare toward Julian.
"The fuck do you mean Cassidy Tyler?"
"S... she's Kyle's girlfriend... he talked about her all the time... I think s... she h... helped him get the keys to the warehouse last year..." He swallowed, his lips shaking as the words left his mouth.
I let out a disbelieving scoff, my eyes waning toward Cal who looked almost as surprised. The warehouse I owned at the outskirts of town was where I kept my stash and my safe full of money. My men worked there and I had a few of them on the look out by the hour each and every day, so it was hell of a fucking surprise when I learnt someone had managed to sneak in after the two men on duty that night conveniently 'passed out'
The next morning when they woke up, the warehouse had been snuck into, the security cameras caught Kyle sneaking in, the fucking safe opened for him as soon as he plugged in some hardware... that was how I figured he had a hacker. It still didn't explain how he managed to get the location of warehouse, or the keys to the room I'd hidden my safe.
The keys to the safe had only been in the hands of one person. Finn Gallows may he rest in peace. I'd had his head introduced to a bullet the moment he began sobbing and crying in front of me claiming he didn't know how my keys got lost.
Lo and behold... bubblegum princess Cassidy Tyler did. And it looked like I owed her pretty little blonde head a bullet as well.
"K... kyle talked about running away with the money and taking her with him..." Julian whispered breathlessly
My lips parted and an amused chuckle fanned through my throat, not the reaction the lot of them were expecting, which made the silence all the more dangerous. I threw my head back, running my fingers through my hair as I began pacing around the room, taking a few swigs of my cigarette as I let my thoughts simmer into consciousness.
How the fuck did that bastard Kyle manage to date fucking Cassidy Tyler? How the fuck did he get such a good little girl so rotten that she found the balls to aid him stealing from me?
I didn't know if I was mad that she stole my money, or if I was mad that she fucking dated that asswipe... all I knew was that I was fuming, and it only took her name in the conversation to get me a hundred percent certain that wherever Kyle was hiding, so long as he was still on the face of the earth, I was going to find him, just so I could make him eat my gun.
"If he's ran away... maybe she knows something about it... maybe she knows where he's hiding" Julian continued, he was a lot more panicky, perhaps he realised just how much trouble he had gotten himself into and no longer cared about whether or not he dragged anyone else down with him. "I... I saw her this morning... s... she's still at school, she has psych classes all afternoon, I checked."
Of course you did... you're both working together.
My eyes trailed toward Cal who was leaned against one of the wooden walls of the cabin, staring at everyone as though it bored him. As soon as his eyes met mine, he straightened.
"Get her here. I don't care if you have to tie her hands and legs like a fucking goat, I want her in front of me Now!"