Chapter 49 TICKING THE DEVIL'S BOXES
“What do you mean?” Rafael had asked Leah, his composed voice harsh and crude that it felt more like a growl to her.
Despite this surreal feeling of fear coursing through Leah at Rafael's stance towards her, she managed to pull a stubborn move on Rafael— a dangerous game she was betting her life on since he wanted her own truth and so, she feigned a demeanor that told a brief take that she was not scared or intimated by Rafael or his loyal puppets whom he called— his henchmen.
Leah balled her fists hard so she would not fumble or get her real self that was scared of the man before her— Rafael or get her emotions slurring over the place which would make Rafael see beyond the facade of her suddenly growing tough and immune to his dead beat threat.
“If you want me to tell you anything, then you had better let Luke go first.” Leah said with a defiant look within her young puppy eyes, her fists still balled tightly but it wasn't enough to break out of the grip of the men holding her.
“Leah!” Luke called, not believing Leah was attempting to stand up against the boss— Santiano Rafael Devereaux himself.
His agitating concerning whatever Leah was doing became overwhelming for him to bear.
“Oh, what do you think?” Rafael scoffed at her, finding her cute little act funny as he couldn't believe the odds that someone like Leah was trying to make a bargain with him despite the shithole she and her lover— Luke had dug for themselves.
“Trying to make a bargain with me for his life? What do you think I am? Jesus? I don't show mercy to traitors like you and you're both going to hell if I want you to be.” Rafael said with a sneer on his lips, the words that splurred out of his lips almost making Leah tumble, but she pulled herself together again.
“Then do it!” She said back defiantly, almost spitting into his face as she stood her ground. “Then you better be ready to bid the final clue you will be needing to find Lady Vanessa ever again goodbye.” Leah finished, her eyes flashing with anger.
Rafael looked down at Leah from where he had been standing given her height compared to his. All they both did was stare, despite the distance between them. The look of anger washing through Leah's eyes as she beheld her master's gaze while Rafael had an unbelieving look at such audacity she was basking in.
“Leah, whatever you're doing, you had better stop right now!” Luke said, interrupting their unending stare. “You can't win against Santiano, trust me, you can't!” He warned, unable to watch the outcome of her outlash on Santiano Rafael Devereaux.
Rafael began to move towards Leah in slow strides with his hands neatly tucked in his pockets.
As he approached her, Leah began to fall out of character, her legs almost giving in for her to collapse and she could smell fire and death as he breathed upon her face with every inch he took to lean further at her.
“Go on,” Rafael said with an urge, his voice husky, but calm. “Be a good girl and listen to your boyfriend or—”
“Or what?” Leah spat, cutting him short in a jiffy before he could say his next words just so she could tell it to his face that she was not scared of him.
Rafael smiled at such bravery feeling she was trying to give off as he lifted his hands out from his pockets. His right hand shot at Leah and it began to trace the line on her jaw.
He could feel the race within in her chest which she was trying her best to hide from him, but her gaze and rapid breathing sold her out to him.
Suddenly, Rafael snatched her chin up, forcing her to look into his eyes as her tears flooded her pupils once again.
Rafael knew he had had her wrapped around his finger and he was at an advantage in the game Leah was playing with him regardless of what pattern she was treading on.
He smiled again, giving her a response to her question.
“Or watch me carve out your beloved— Luke's heart at this very moment because it took you very late to speak to me about my Vanessa's whereabouts and I promise, I will feed his heart to you right now!”
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Leah swallowed hard as Rafael said those words to her that her brain went numb in a minute which caused a failure to her processing the threat properly.
She has succumbed to fear and she knew it to be true— if Rafael wanted to, he would do whatever it takes to make her cough up those words he wanted from her.
Leah knew he could do what he had just said without batting an eye— carve out Luke's heart in the most demeaning way possible without having to think it twice and as well feed his heart to her.
“I'm not scared of you, Santiano.” Leah made a defense, still quivering, but that was enough to express her anger.
“Oh, you will be.” Rafael said to her with a slight nudge and a sweet smile on his lips as he watched Leah.
Then suddenly, his smile melted, vanishing away from his lips like it had never been there— almost a match with the speed of light as he turned at Luke at once, pulling out his gun from nowhere and firing a live shot at him.
The sound of the bullet firing out of the gun rented the whole room, dashing towards Luke at once without miss as the live bullet lodged deep inside of him.
“NO!” Leah screamed as she watched this happen, but it was too late— not even her scream or voice could save Luke or stop Rafael from pulling the trigger of his gun.