I stuff the coin back into my pocket, walk over and squat in front of the fucker who is trying to shrink against the wall.
“The night you handed me the money? Man, she climbed into bed with me that night in a tiny little nightie… fuck, she’s amazing. And I know it – she’s mine until the day I die. That girl is perfect for me.”
He stares helpless.
“Coulda left you in that jail to rot. Coulda done just that, make her happy. She didn’t want you hurt. All the hurt you caused her, and she requested I not hurt you. Such a sweet girl. I almost listened. Almost. She’s a fucking angel, isn’t she? All that shit and she just wanted you out of her life. No payback. No punishment. Just a life free of Raymond. Well, her life is gonna be free of you. Though not because you’ll rot in a jail cell for stealing money from an old lady like the lowlife degenerate you’ve always been. Didn’t I try to teach you a lesson about stealing from old ladies when we were kids, Iadanza? Guess it didn’t work. Too bad about that.”
I smell the fear on him. And it reeks. But something about it gets me amped. Gives me a rush.
I keep going. “But now this isn’t just about what she wants, it’s about what you did to her. And what you fucking took…” I thump my chest with my fist, grinding out, “from me.”
I lean in and he cowers like I’m gonna strike, but instead I rip the tape off his mouth.
He hisses.
“You took her from me. She could’ve been mine three years back, could’ve avoided you and your sorry bullshit. Right?”
“Kill… Man… Pl-please.” He drags in a breath and shakes his head, whimpering.
“I don’t even know where to fucking start. Just looking at you? I wanna gut you. Slowly. I wanna watch every red drop flow out of your sorry sack-of-shit body and then staple you back together with rusty metal so I can watch every inch of you fester. You touched what could’ve been mine from that night. Could’ve escaped all your bullshit. Could’ve been warming my bed, being treated like a queen. Instead, she worked herself sick to take care of your sorry ass.”
“Kill, you don’t understand,” he rasps.
“Explain it to me.” I rise and stare down at him, arms folded across my chest.
I wait.
His eyes are wild with fear. He’s sweating. He’s dirty. Smells like he’s pissed himself.
I jerk my chin up. “Help me understand. Go ahead.”
“I never used those coins that night,” he says quickly, breathlessly. “Didn’t even have ‘em then. That was an honest bet, Kill. It was a coin flip and you lost. I mean, it was just as p-plain as that. I did not cheat you, man. I didn’t.”
“You’re a fuckin’ liar. I replayed that toss in my head after Violet told me about those coins, how you had two of ‘em. One in each pocket. You knew what the fuck you were doing. Exactly what you were doing. See, I don’t usually play games when I have a fifty per cent chance of losing. But I didn’t have a 50/50 shot, did I, Ass-wipe?”
I lean over and backhand him. His head hits the concrete wall.
But it feels like swatting a fly. Not remotely satisfying.
I wanna hear bones crunch. I want to see blood, gore, veins, tears.
“Cheat,” I say through tight teeth.
And then I hoof him in the gut almost as hard as I’d have kicked if I were trying for a sixty-four-yard field goal. He grunts as he folds forward, turning red before his color drains and he pukes all over himself.
I step back and watch him groan.
And then I hoof him a second time.
“I need to go home to my woman, climb in my bed where she’s all warm and soft, probably wearing one of her little nighties with no panties. She does that so I get easy access when I come home to her late at night.” I lean over and brush his hair out of his eyes. He gawks in shock. “She’s so thoughtful that way, you know? Though you shouldn’t, should you? You shouldn’t have a fuckin’ clue.”
I kick him again.
“And you’re gonna pay for that. Dearly. But I’ll be back, Raymond. I need to clear my head and figure out all the ways you’re gonna pay before I end your sorry ass. This time, it’s gonna be a long game for me, too, man.” I flash him a grin.
“Killian,” he grunts, painfully. “Please.”
“Fuck you, Ass-wipe. You’ve underestimated me and overestimated yourself. I’ve given you all the chances you’re gonna get; I’ve heard all the excuses. Bottom line: you cheated, you took her, you hurt her, you put your fucking hands on her, and now… I get to hurt you.” I smile wide. “And I’m feelin’ like it’s gonna be creative.”