CHAPTER 52

“You're leaving”

“Yes”

“With your wife”

“Yes”

A long silence followed

“Why did you think it important to tell me?”

“I— don't know”

Sandra kept her cigarette on an ashtray

“Would I be wrong for assuming you're in love?”

“Not exactly”

“So you are in love?”

“Yes”

She walked seductively towards him. Her fingers brushed the fabric of his shirt, then she took her hand to herself, painfully aware that he was a man she could never ever have

“The Luca Pavilochenki, in love?”

There was pain in her voice

“She must be— special”

“She's the very definition”

“I see”

Why then did you try to hurt her, why did you have to put her through so much

She walked closer

“Why did you have to put me through so much?

You made me believe you didn't love her, and we really had a chance. All this while you loved her, and you were just using me to convince yourself otherwise”

“I have my flaws and sins”

“Well I was willing to love you with them, but I can't, it's never going to happen between us”

“No it's not”

She faked a smile

“It was— fun while it lasted. To think there were times when I was your comfort, your last resort when your world was crumbling

“And I'm glad you got to play your part Sandra. But right now I have to say my last goodbye”

“Tell me luca—

What's it like?, love”

He turned to look at her

“It hurts—”

********************

“Why did you have to go ahead and have the most recognisable face in the world

Huh?”

Donald slammed his had unto a desk

“Those fucking press people, do you even understand the type of shit we're in right now?

You're currently tied to a lot Palmer, a lot.

And I was photographed with you by some nosy journalist from The Real Times news

Do you know how much damage that can do to my reputation? To my family's reputation?”

Palmer laid back on his chair, and took a puff of cigarette. He was obviously unfazed by the situation. He tapped his fingers on a table gently

“I'll take care of it”

“Really? What you're gonna go over to his house and shoot his brains out or something?

Threaten to disfigure his wife's face?

Cut off all of his fingers?”

Palmer dropped his cigar on an ashtray

“I said I'll take care of it”

The tone of his voice was deadly, and cold. There was something particularly sinister about the man, but Donald didn't know what it was exactly.

The man had worked for his grandfather for over thirty years. He had been in the business for a long time, long enough to know what needed to be done

But somehow, Donald felt that Palmer was more dangerous than everyone else thought him to be. That he had more blood on his hands than they could ever imagine

But still, it was just a thought—

“Well fix it before we leave for Italy, and do something about that face. Have you ever thought of concealing it with makeup? Or getting a fake beard to—

“I'll deal with my problems, I suggest you deal with yours”

With that, Palmer walked out of the room, out of the house, and into his car

He made a phonecall, just one phonecall, and the location of a certain someone was sent to him

He drove to an abandoned building, which had been withered by time and the elements.

He took out a mask from a suitcase, and a pair of dark gloves.

As he slid the mask onto his face, a dark smile appeared

He parked his car, and walked out of it.

There was another car just up ahead, with a middle aged man inside.

Palmer took slow, steps. The man could sense someone was behind him, so he hit the ignition

But his car, just wouldn't start—

He got out of the car, with a bag in his right hand and a phone in the other and started walking away, quickly

Palmer picked up the pace, his long legs making more progress as he strode, compared to the other man's

The man in front of him started running. He fidgeted with the phone on his hand, trying desperately to dial the number

911

But the phone was shot—

Out of his hand

The man let out a groan, and shivered on the spot. His hand had received the impact, and blood trickled out of the burnt disfigured member

“Who the fuck are you!”

Tears streamed down his cheeks, but he continued walking.

He was trying so desperately to escape the devil behind him

“Do— you fucking know who I am? I work with the real times, they will investigate, they'll dig into—”

“Dead men don't investigate

And dead men don't walk—”

Pop!

That was the sound of bullet hitting the joint of his right knee. He could hear his bones crack.

He fell on the other knee, unable to hear his scream, because the devil's gun was now inside his mouth

“Say one more fucking word, and this bullet goes in, and comes out from the other side

Do you understand?”

His pupils dilated, his muffled screams echoed through

Palmer clamped down the man's teeth on the gun, and pulled it out forcefully

A couple of teeth were pulled out, along with the gun

And the man could no longer scream

“It's Mr Moreno right? Your daughter's in middle school

Now I know a couple of guys who would buy her for a great price, if I decide to kidnap her”

“Please”

The man spoke gibberishly

“I'll leave the co— country”

Palmer smiled

“That just won't satisfy me”

“Please, I'll do any—”

“Shut the fuck up!”

Palmer wiped his gun with a napkin

“Hailey, that's your daughter's name. I'm sure you don't want her to grow up traumatized—”

“No, No I don't”

Palmer handed him the gun he was holding

He whispered into his ear

“Now take the fucking gun, put it back into your mouth

And shoot—”