No Mercy.

No Mercy.
AZRAEL'S POV

I tucked her into bed after making sure I hadn't injured her. I examined her wrists and legs, noticing the bruises on them. I gently applied treatment to them, and she winced in her sleep but didn't wake up.

I felt sorry.

I shouldn't have been so rough with her. Seeing her protect another man who had done such a thing to her hurt me more than anything.

It made me realize just how much of a monster she thought I was despite everything I had been trying to show her.

“I'm ashamed, Liora,” I muttered, brushing the hair from her face. “If you keep pushing me… I don't know what I will do.”

I let go of her hair and stood up before walking out of the room. I closed the door behind me and found Eleanor standing at the end of the hallway with a faint smile on her lips.

“Don't worry. She's staying,” I said, knowing she was there to take Liora away. That had always been the rule. Any woman I brought into my playroom would be discarded… that was all the more reason I had always refused to bring her in there.

“So… did you guys settle it?” Joel drawled, and I glanced over to see him drinking at the minibar. He leaned back, crossing one leg over the other, his eyes trailing down my body. “Hell yeah, you both did more than settle it.”

“Shut up,” I snarled, dropping my phone on the counter. “Did you see the bastard who took these pictures?”

He lowered his wine and stared at the phone, a faint smile on his lips.

“I knew you'd deal with him. I packaged him.” He pointed downward. “He's underground.”

“You're useful for once.” I grabbed the phone and walked away.

“You know I've always been useful. Don't be stingy with compliments.”

His voice faded behind me the moment I walked out.

I walked down the stairs to the underground basement, and two guards stood up to greet me. I lifted my hand, stopping them as I moved deeper until I couldn't hear any noise anymore.

Dull lights illuminated the basement, dust particles drifting through the stale air. A groan echoed through the place, and I followed the sound to the single room at the far end. I pushed the door open with a creak and saw him… or what remained of him.

What remained of a man sat before me, his body wrapped tightly in thick black nylon. I stared at him as he struggled to breathe through the tiny hole someone had pierced for him.

“Help me!” his muffled voice came out.

Good job, Joel.

I thought, wrapping my hand around a baseball bat. I moved toward him, tapping the end of it against the floor.

He instantly went silent before his shaky voice came out.

“A-are you the one who did this to me? Please let me out. I'm sure you've got the wrong person! I don't know you!”

I turned sideways and raised the baseball bat as if I were preparing to hit a home run.

His balls.

I clenched the baseball bat tightly and, with all my strength, slammed it down.

A sickening thud echoed through the room, followed by his screams as his body writhed violently.

“Ahhhhh! Fuck! Ahhh!” he screamed, wiggling uselessly.

I lifted the bat to examine it before looking at his groin, but nothing had changed.

“Hmm. His balls must be made of steel.”

I lifted the baseball bat again and slammed it down with even more force.

He howled, and a dark stain spread around his groin, a piss smell filling the air. I slammed down again, and again, and again.

“PLEASE! I'M SORRY! SORRY! I ACCEPT ALL MY WRONGS! AHHHH!” he screamed until his voice cracked.

“I didn't bring you here to hear an apology from you,” I calmly replied, my voice emotionless.

I lifted the baseball bat, ready to slam it down again, when the next words that came out of his mouth made me freeze.

“Azrael? That voice. I-I recognize that voice,” he said painfully.

I stared at the shape of his face beneath the nylon. I hadn't seen him before. Only Joel had.

Still, even if he was someone I knew, it didn't mean I'd let him go.

I turned around and walked to the table, stopping in front of the tools before me.

My fingers drifted over the pliers and nail remover.

“How do you know me?”

I picked up the nail remover, the cold metal biting into my palm.

“Are you an enemy sent to test me or what?”

“T-test you? N-no. I've been a fan of your work. I... you helped me when I was nothing. I came to you, and you gave me the power to own my company.” He spoke quickly, his voice breaking into sobs. “I swear I'm not your enemy.”

I stood there in silence.

“I've helped lots of men,” I calmly replied. “If you truly are who you say I helped, then you should've known what I do to people who bite the same hand that fed them.”

“I never did anything wrong to you! Please believe me... wait... that woman.” He gulped shakily. “Is she your woman? I thought she was your toy and... and approached her. I'm sorry. I didn't know.”

I lifted the nail remover, tracing it over his face and eyes before stopping at his ear. I caught the flesh through the nylon between the jaws of the tool, and he trembled violently.

“What are you doing?! Please say something! I'm admitting my fault! I will apologize to her!” he screamed, writhing as I pressed the nail remover into his flesh.

“Ugh! Ahhhh!”

He writhed as the metal dug into his flesh. Blood spilled freely, soaking the nylon. I pulled the nail remover away and saw the empty space where part of his ear had once been.

His voice weakened. He tried to draw deep breaths, but the nylon collapsed against his mouth with every inhale.

I grabbed a chair and sat in front of him before taking out my lighter.

“Like I said… I didn't bring you here to ask for mercy.”

I flicked the lighter on and held it against his groin.

“AHHHHHHH!”