Chapter 68: Three roses for hundred

Enrique could hardly talk but managed to show us the house he had been to. It was in the deepest slums of Vegas, and I only felt my anger heightening as we drove deeper. Callum and Dante's car was right behind, and neither of us had taken a convoy. My feet tapped on the car floor, and it took me everything in me, not to snap and hit Enrique once more. How could he come this far just to force himself on a girl? Even animals do not claim those bastards.

"Here," Enrique said weakly, and I turned to the house. It was dark, and I held my breath as the driver got out and opened the car door.

I stepped out into a pathway of mud and debris, and my fingers clenched tight.

"You don't want your prints on there, Sin," Callum said behind me, and I shook my head.

"We will get rid of it."

I pushed my way through the rough pathway to the small door. It was slightly open, and I froze outside. I could hear faint voices inside. Like that of a crying girl.

"Dad...."

I forced my composure and slowly opened the door, then turned on my phone's flashlight. What I saw sent a shiver down my spine. A girl was half naked, mostly naked from the waist down, but still shielded with a bit of material, so she wasn't too exposed down there.

There was blood on the thin mattress, an elderly man lying close to it, limp, a wheelchair thrown to the side, and another woman. The other woman was older and had a large stab wound right between her breasts.

"Fuck," Callum said behind me, and honestly, I couldn't think of a better word for the mess Enrique had made.

"Dad?" The girl's voice was louder now, and she was moving, despite her own condition, trying to get to her father.

"Stay out," I said to Callum, then swiftly covered the distance to her. I kept the flashlight away so she wouldn't be able to see my face, but I doubted she would care about my face right now.

She had made it to the man, and her eyes were wide, tears streaming down, giving her a mix of shock and pain, one that I knew would stay forever engraved in the back of my mind.

"Dad!" She yelled suddenly, a gut-wrenching scream that had me in pieces.

I put a hand on her lips, and for the first time, she turned to me. For a long moment, her eyes met mine. She was just a girl. Just a fucking child. How could Enrique do this?

"You can take me," she said extremely slowly, her breath faltering. "But my father. My father, please."

I turned to the man. He was still, a single tear rolling off his left eye. Had the man watched his daughter get raped?

"I will get both of you," I said, and in that moment, I did not care for the prints or anything. I didn't care that this could ruin me if I was found to be tied to it. I needed to get this girl and her father.

She said nothing for a while before she suddenly reeled back, her eyes rolling to the back of her head. I grabbed her in time and pulled her into my arms.

"What are you doing?" Callum asked as I passed him by the door. "We need to get rid of all of them so no one tells the story."

I turned to him, my eyes thin. "Let me go before we have another body."

"Sin..."

"Let me fucking go!"

He stepped away, and I trudged towards the car. I pushed Enrique out, then put the girl in the back seat. She lay back, and I closed the door, then walked back inside.

I pulled the father and walked out again, then opened the front seat. I kept him in, adjusting his head, before I closed the door.

I walked around and opened the driver's door. The driver immediately got out, and I took his place, my hand searching for the ignition button.

"Sin," Enrique said before I could back out, his hands grabbing onto the edge of the car window. "Please don't do this. I swear, she will tell on me. Please. Do you want me to go to jail? I am your elder brother, but look at me, I am a failure. I can't do anything right, please. Please. Please, just this one last chance. Please just kill everyone and let me move on. You can do that, Sin. You know you can."

"You will forever be a failure, Enrique. Forever."

"Sin, please. Please, brother. Please. Please, I beg of you."

I swallowed hard, then turned to the house. It was in ruins anyway. But I wasn't letting go of these two. Never.

I shook my head, my chest heaving. I hated myself for covering for Enrique yet again. For making sure he stayed safe no matter what.

"Get rid of the house, and every evidence."

"The evidence is in your car, Sin. If she lives...-"

"She will," I said simply, meeting Dante's eyes. "Get rid of everything else, and I will make sure she never says a word."

"You can't be so sure!"

"I will be," I said simply, pressing the ignition button. "I will do anything, but kill her. And none of you will."

I backed out of the house at top speed and turned away, leaving the ruins of this girl's life behind. The ruins I was about to get rid of.

I watched from a corner as Aldo, and one of my junior workers, Bennett, walked towards the hospital ward. My eyes were thin as I watched the briefcase Bennett was holding. It was filled with money. Enough money to keep her stable. Her father's burial fees were settled, too, her hospital bills, and every piece of evidence of the rape and murder, gone.

Bennett walked into the hospital ward, and after a few minutes, walked out again. He nodded to Aldo, then to me, and I gave them a small nod of approval. I watched them walk away, leaving the place empty. No one ever came to visit her. I and my brother had gotten rid of everyone she ever knew.

"Would you like to buy a rose?"

I turned to the little girl of about four years. She had a handful of roses wrapped in plastic and had the biggest smile ever.

"How much are they?" I asked, leaning to her.

"Four dollars for one. I can give you three for ten."

I smiled, then pulled out a hundred dollar bill. "Give me three for a hundred."

Her eyes widened, but she said nothing and handed me the roses. I patted her head, and she broke into a smile, said a loud thank you, and ran away, likely to sell her roses to some other people.

I walked out of the little corner I had been in, then walked towards the ward. I contemplated just leaving the flowers, but for what we had done to her, she deserved more.

I adjusted the hat I was wearing, then knocked on the door.

"Come in."

She sounded a little stronger, but it had been two weeks since she lost everything. My brother was already out of the country and would never come back on my orders.

I opened the door and stepped in, making sure to keep my face shielded by the hat.

"I brought flowers," I said, dropping them on the side of the bed next to her.

I saw her flinch, but honestly, I would, too.

"Who are you?"

"Just someone... who is very sorry."

She swallowed hard, and I saw tears start to fill her eyes. "No one in this world is sorry for me. The only one is dead."

I nodded, then leaned closer, making my movements slow enough for her to know there was no confrontation.

"There are some of us," I whispered to her, as her dark hazel eyes searched for mine to no avail. "I hope you live the rest of your life knowing that."

Silence fell between us, and suddenly, she did something I never expected. She wrapped her hand around me, pulling me into her.

She never said a word, just broke down in tears, her body shaking violently as she yelled at me. It didn't matter. At least, it made me feel less guilty.