Chapter 8
VERNERO POV
“Boss, we got him!” Marcelo announced peeking through the slightly opened door. I raised my head and
there he was, with that smile that he always wore when we were about to skin someone alive or roast
them. The look on his face pulled my own lips in a lopsided smirk, because I knew the shit was about to
go down.
“Now that’s the best news I‘ve been waiting for!” I called out getting up from my giant ass chair and
rounded the table, exited my office with Marcello by my side. We walked down the stairs with him filling
me up with the details of what had transpired during his hunt for the imposter.
I was rather disappointed to find out that it was one of my trusted men who just decided to go behind my
back. And betrayal was one thing I never knew how to handle or stomach! I never spared anyone who
betrayed my trust! If I did, then I would be the weak kid my father despised. I got rid of that child a
millennia ago and I wasn’t going to revive him. The old me, he was easy to kill!
“Such a shame!” I replied flatly as we exited the mansion castle and walked to the “woods”. A group of
my men followed suit and we delved deeper into the deep forest. Dark Woods! This place was known for
its act of “dealing” with the unruly ones. Whenever the smoke rose from the burned scorched land within
the forest, everyone knew that it was dancing with the soul of the dead.
“I can’t believe Eight would do such a thing!”
“Boss trusted him so much, and he had to do this behind his back!”
“Hush! Keep it down. Boss is already pissed off!”
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Some men were whispering behind me as we dived deeper and deeper into the woods. The crunching of
our feet against twigs and fallen dry leafs was heard as we took big strides, the anticipation burning my
body and causing small tremors to run through me!
When we reached upon the clearing, there was also a group which was there, waiting for my arrival and
m y commands. The stench of sulphur was heady as we walked through the white-cinder covered
clearing o f the forest. This was the very same place that gave the name “Dark Woods”. Because it was
covered in ash and coal, the remnants and remains of those who were bumed alive.
Upon realizing my arrival, the small group parted, revealing the perpetrator who was roped tightly to a
tree. His face was rather disfigured from the fighting he got involved in, probably when they captured him
and he tried to escape. Or maybe my guys had some fun with him? I took manicured, predatory steps to
where he was kneeling, with his torso awkwardly pressed against a thin tree trunk! The tree that HE
chose; the tree that would be carrying his soul to the afterlife! My eyes were glued on his and I could feel
fear resonating from him, fueling my already boiling and raging blood. My face hardened with every step
and so much anger filled up to the brim inside me.
“You don’t look so lovely and handsome right now, Eight!” I observed squatting in front of him. His eyes
followed my movements and small tears escaped his eyes. He knew what awaited him; even praying
wasn’t going to save him. He knew it very well but he still decided to go against me!
“Boss, please…. I swear…”
“Shhh shhh shhh shhh! I know! You didn’t mean to go behind my back? I know!” i sarcastically consoled
him, my eyes travelling his entire body. Tears spilled out of him because he had seen this side of me. He
knew that there was no turning back; but he did what he thought would save him from his doom!
“But you did it anyway! Without hesitation.” I added up, staring right inside his eyes. He pinched his eyes
closed for a second before opening them…
“They had my daughter in captivity. I don’t know how they caught her but they had her. She is young,
boss. She’s only 8. And they threatened me with her. They told me I should give them some gold from
Piedmont or else they’d send me her fingers. I had no choice Boss. I had to do it.”
“Don’t tell me you had no choice damn it! You could have told me and I would have solved your problem.
You know fuckin’ well that I would I have rescued your daughter and none of this would be happening
right now! Instead, you had to go behind my back, steal from me, and watch from the sidewalks as they
captured me. You had a choice, and you made it. Now it’s time to face the consequences.” By now, my
voice was above a scream. I was so angry that I felt my veins popping all over my body, my blood
continued to boil inside me. And the more I thought of it, the angrier I got.
“I am sorry!” he said in a voice that was just above a whisper. He looked down and his body shook and
quaked as he cried for his life. I stood up and turned to the side, then nodded to the guy who had a
packet of sulphur in his hand.
“Yes boss” he moved forward, tore the packet open and covered Eight’s whole body in a yellow powder;
the one that ensured that the burn etched deep to the bone, scorching every tissue of the body until
nothing but ash was remaining.
A small vibration from my pocket caught my attention and I fished my phone to find a call from Valerie. I
picked it up:
“What is it?”
“Sir sorry to disturb you! But I have some information on Leigh-Ari!” she said in a very clear, vivid voice
that had my whole undivided attention. I looked to the perpetrator who was now ready to accept his
death!
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“Speak!” I took two steps backwards and listened carefully to what she was saying!
“I know why she didn’t recognize you. She was in a car accident where she lost her father. Only she
survived, but due to her head injury, she lost all of her memories! She remembers nothing from her past!”
She explained briefly causing my eyes to widen with shock! Now that explained why she didn’t know me,
or even feel that it was me!
“Are you sure?”
“Very certain sir!” She replied confidently. I tumed back to my men to find them standing, waiting for met
o command them!
“Okay! Thanks for telling me!” I removed the phone from my ear, cut the call and walked back to the
feast!
“What are your last words Eight?” I asked in hard voice!
“Please! Take care of my daughter. Only under your protection will she be safe!” he looked up at me, his
eyes pleading with me as he counted the last seconds of his life!
“Okay!” I gave him a single nod, then pulled the gun from my waistband and angled it to his head. I
pulled the trigger, a very loud bang followed by and red scattered all over as his brain decorated the
white, yellow and black ground beneath him.
“Get rid of the body!” I commanded and turned to leave. At least Eight reunited me with the love of my
life. If it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t have found Leigh! It’s a pity that it had to be under the said
circumstances.
But he deserved a dignified way of dyeing, that’s why I shot him!
Instead of burning him alive!