Disposal

Chapter 6

Marcello's pov 

"Shall we begin then?" I asked, holding my hands out to take a knife.

"Just kill me, because I'm not going to say anything to you," he said, struggling to be freed.

"Death is too easy for you Diego, I've a better thing to do to make you talk," A thin smirk formed on my face as I toyed with the knife in my hands, shifting closer to me.

"First question, why have you been lying to me?" I asked, but he only stared, his mouth particularly shut.

I grazed the tip of the knife along his cheek, not deep enough to draw blood, but enough to make him flinch. Diego clenched his jaw, refusing to give me the satisfaction of a reaction.

"You've been feeding me lies for months," I continued, my voice eerily calm. "And I don’t take kindly to betrayal."

Still, he said nothing.

I let out a low chuckle. "You're stubborn, I'll give you that." Then, without warning, I pressed the knife against his arm, dragging the blade just enough to break the skin. A thin line of crimson followed the motion, seeping into his torn sleeve.

Diego hissed but didn't scream.

"You see," I murmured, watching his reaction closely, "I know how to make a man talk without killing him. Death is mercy. But pain?" I twisted the knife slightly. "Pain lingers."

He gasped but quickly bit down on his lip, his eyes burning with defiance.

I sighed, stepping back as I wiped the blade clean. "We can do this all night, Diego. But why waste time? Tell me what I need to know, and this ends."

His breath was ragged, but he lifted his chin. "Go to hell."

I smirked. "Already there, my friend. Now, shall we continue?"

My hand stretched out to take a gun, shooting at his ankle before he even had the opportunity to react.

"Fuck!" He yelled, his forehead beading with sweat.

"Tell the truth and maybe you'll get to walk again," I said, but he still shook his head, his defiance slowly fading.

"Well then, let's try something else," My hands reached out back for the knife, tracing it along his veins.

"Fuckkkkkk!!!" He yelled, as the knife snipped into his skin, thinning his veins slowly.

"I can do this all day long Diego, I'm a busy man but you should know that I very well enjoy doing this," I said, pulling the knife out with a snap.

Diego’s breath came in ragged gasps, his body trembling as blood trickled down his arm. His eyes, once filled with defiance, flickered with something else now—fear.

I crouched in front of him, tilting my head as I examined his pain-stricken face. "See, Diego," I murmured, wiping the knife on his already ruined shirt, "you’re not as unbreakable as you think."

His jaw clenched, but I noticed the slight tremor in his fingers, the way his shoulders hunched inward as if trying to brace for the next blow.

"You can end this," I continued, my tone almost sympathetic. "All it takes is a little honesty."

Diego spat at my feet. "I’d rather die."

I sighed, shaking my head. "You say that now, but let’s see how you feel in an hour."

I nodded to my men, and one of them stepped forward, placing a fresh set of tools on the table beside me—pliers, a blowtorch, and a vial of something clear and potent.

"Tell me, Diego," I mused, picking up the vial and swirling the liquid inside. "Do you know what hydrochloric acid does to the skin?"

His pupils dilated slightly, a telltale sign of panic.

I smiled. "Let’s find out."

And with that, I tipped the vial ever so slightly, letting a single drop fall onto the raw wound I’d carved into his arm.

Diego’s screams filled the room. His body racking violently against the chair.

"So now tell me Diego, would you prefer to tell the truth or continue," I asked, tipping again the acid onto the already scarred skin.

His screams filled the room, his eyes wet with tears that mixed freely with the sweat on his face, and the metallic smell of blood that filled the room.

"Want to know something Diego?" I asked, leaning closer with an evil smile.

"I found Raya," I announced, and his eyes widened in disbelief, shaking his head violently.

"No... you're lying," He rasped, his voice barely above a whisper.

I chuckled, standing up straight. "Am I?" I pulled my phone from my pocket, tapping the screen before turning towards him.

A picture of Raya peacefully asleep on her hospital bed appeared and I turned it towards him.

Diego's entire body went rigid.

"You bastard!" He cussed, chocking out, his breathing uneven.

"You see that whether you live or die now, has no use to me, you've been lying to me, and one of the things that I hate the most, is people telling lies, I'm smarter than that," I said, the heels of my shoe kicking his bullet plugged ankle.

"I will not...he said with a pause, his eyes widening as I cocked the gun again, tracing it down his jaws." Someone has been behind you, you're not that smart to have me invested in you for so long, so you better tell me now, and free yourself, or I'll have you minced body on the biggest Mafia billboard, it'll do well to send a message to whoever is behind you," I warned.

His eyes glinted with fear,his breath coming in shallow, uneven bursts. He was breaking, and he knew it.

"Tick-tock, Diego," I murmured, pressing the cold metal of the gun beneath his chin. "I'm losing patience."

His lips trembled, his eyes darting to acid that was a single move from dripping on his already torn scars. "I hear you have a daughter Diego, Eleven—twelve, should I sell her to the cartel?" I added. 

That was it—the final crack in his armor.

"You...you don't understand," he finally whispered, his voice hoarse.