As Cold As Ice

Rage

I threw another punch, my hand covered in Leonardo's blood.

"Please stop!" He begged, blood spilling from his mouth as he tried to speak.
I couldn't feel any mercy for him, no matter how hard I tried. I couldn't feel anything, and the things I was going to do to my father, would be so much worse.

Ace stood in the corner of the room, smoking a cigarette. He always seemed to have one with him; he says it helps calm him down. I don't believe that though. I've witnessed Ace being angry, nothing calms him.

He began to walk out the door before saying, "Ice, I've got to go. I'll see you at the meeting in my living room tonight"
"I thought it was a party," I replied, rubbing my hand which was sore from hitting Leonardo so many times. I hadn't been to Ace's house in a few days. I stayed with Deja while we dealt with Andrew and Leonardo.
"Mm, it is, kind of," he replied before shutting the heavy metal door behind him. That was a bit suspicious.

Ace and I were divided on what to do with our captives. He wanted to kill their whole mafia, where as I just wanted them alone. I had no more motivation left to kill so many people; I didn't have enough anger left.
Ace however, was fuelled by anger. I have my suspicions that it's from the horrific abuse he suffered at the hands of his father. I wasn't stupid, anyone could see that he was abusive to Ace as a child, yet we all ignore it. Ace prefers it that way; so we play dumb, act like he had a nice childhood, raised by parents who cared for him.

Denice was always good to Ace, but his father only let her do so much when it came to Ace. You couldn't help but wonder how such a kind woman ended up with such a harsh, cruel man. She couldn't mother her own son while he was growing up. I could only imagine the abuse she also suffered at the hands of Kai.

When meeting Kai, I was confident, but now that I know him, I'd rather just avoid him. He's not a man you'd want to betray, or a man you'd want to disappoint.

His methods of getting people to talk are vicious; cruel. I can see where Ace finds his torture methods.

"That's enough for today," I announced to Leonardo, who was handcuffed to the chair. He hadn't moved in days, all he did was cried out in pain. I guess he should've thought a little harder about killing my little brother. However, I know what it's like now, to take life without worrying about consequences; mainly because I have no reason to live anymore. I'm simply existing.

I was living a nicer life than before and I didn't want to live it without Avery.

I turned off the dim light as I exited the room.

*****

Deja pressed her lips against mine as she sat on my lap. Things had progressed between us.

"Don't leave" she whispered, pressing her lips against my ear.
"I have to" I mumbled, as I lifted her while standing. She laughed and dropped to her feet.

"I'll be back later" I nodded, kissing her cheek before leaving the apartment. I wasn't sure what I wanted from Deja. I knew what she wanted but I wasn't sure. I couldn't care for someone like that again.

I carry too much trauma to burden her with. Deja was the kindest person I'd ever met. If I had the chance, I'd marry her in a heartbeat, but it's just not meant to be. I can't allow myself to be that vulnerable again.

I held my phone out, to see a missed call. I waited as I rang them back, hoping for good news.

"Ice, it's Dante."
"What's up Dante?" I questioned, rolling my eyes.
"You won't like this but Andrews gone, and we don't know how long he's been gone...."

I didn't respond.

"Alex..... Alex, you there?".

I felt my phone crush in my hand. The shards from the screen stabbing into my palm. I yelled as I threw my broken phone across the room. I continued to yell, it's all I could do. I screamed until I couldn't.

"Alex, Alex" Deja yelled.

I found myself on the floor, my legs must've given out. Everything was happening in moments. One minute Deja was there and the next I was walking to Ace's house to attend his party.

I reached the doors and approached the living room. I could hear all the members in the living room, including Ace. I walked in to see him with a beer in his hand, and a grin on his face as he talked to one of our men. I just took a seat on the empty chair, no one noticing my entrance.

Dante threw me a worried glance, although I think he was scared to upset me. I was fine; but I was going to burn the world down. All I could think about is the fact that we still had Leonardo. After all, he drove the SUV over my little brother. I would just have to get Andrew again. How he got out is a mystery.

The anger was bubbling inside of me and I was about to explode.

Dante handed me a drink and sat back down across the room. I drank bottle after bottle. Soon I was close to Ace's level of drunk.

Then I saw a girl walk into the room.

She had long, brown hair that stretched down her back, she had full lips and a small nose. Her eyes were a dark brown and her eyebrows were thin. She looked very fragile. I gazed at her clothes, Ace's shirt and Ace's bottoms. I was confused.

"Oh, look, it's another one of Ace's whores" I announced as everyone laughed. I was drunk and couldn't control what my mouth spewed. I was no longer nice to strangers. If I didn't know you, you didn't deserve any respect. Her cheeks became a scarlet red as she looked over at Ace.