Uncontrollable Temptations (Tempted #3)(85)

He put up a fight, trying to wiggle his fingers making it difficult for me but I was determined and nothing could stop me. I brought the blade of the saw down, catching his index finger. It wasn’t a pinky but it would do. His screams vibrated off the wall as the blade worked its way through flesh and bone. His blood splattered my goggles. Retribution—it was a beautiful thing.

That’s for Danny.

I turned off the saw, dropping it to the ground and lifted the blood painted goggles from my face, chucking them to the side. Jimmy squirmed, rolling around the dirty floor clutching his hand and crying like a bitch.

Cry motherfucker, give me your tears.

“You maimed my brother of his finger. It was just a finger, right? He had nine others so no big deal. It shouldn’t be a big deal for you either,” I argued, reaching into my duffel bag and pulling out a box of Morton’s salt. “But that wasn’t enough for you. You wanted more because you’re a greedy bastard.”

“Don’t,” he cried.

“Guess what?” I whispered. “It’s not enough for me either.” I said, grabbing his shattered hand with my gloved hand and pouring salt over the wound where his finger was missing.

That’s for me because I’m a greedy motherfucker too.

I emptied the box of salt onto his hand, throwing the box on the floor and grabbed the leash again.

Time for you to howl.

And boy did he howl. He begged for death and screamed in agony.



I snapped the leash. “C’mon boy, let’s go for a walk, I promise to give you a treat if you do as I say,” I said, as if I was talking to a dog. And I was a man of my word. I’d throw the dog a bone if he obeyed his master.

I led Jimmy toward the bar and as he crawled obediently beside me he left a trail of blood along the floor. Another stain to add to the bloodshed caused by this mutt.

“Good boy,” I said, treating him to a pat on the head. “Ready for your treat?”

He remained silent and stared at me with puppy dog eyes.

“Climb onto the stool,” I commanded, waiting for him to follow instructions.

He took a seat on the stool and I jumped onto the bar, pulling the second duffel bag across the wood and dumped the contents of it onto the bar.

“Time for your reward,” I said, grabbing the rubber band. I pulled the hand he was using to hold his maimed one and wrapped the rubber around his arm, tying the knot tight before I flicked his skin and found the vein. I stuck the needle into the vile and filled it with pure heroine.

“You about ready to tell me where my brother and my woman are?”

“I thought you said you weren’t going to kill me,” he cried.

“This shit didn’t kill Blackie did it? It won’t kill you,” I insisted.

He dropped his head, stared at his hand and watched the blood drip onto the floor.

“You’ll pay for this,” he swore.

“I can’t wait,” I retorted.

“I’m the boss!”

“No, I’m the motherfucking boss,” I corrected.

“They’re in the cellar of Vic’s café on 18th Avenue,” he said.

“I find out you’re lying I will kill you,” I promised.

He lifted his eyes to mine.

“That’s where they are,” he cried. “Enjoy them while you can, someone will find them, and everything you’ve done to me, you’ll watch be done to them,” he vowed, struggling with his words.

I stared into his eyes and saw defeat fill them.

This is for Blackie.

I plunged the syringe into his arm and emptied the vile into his veins.

Swim. Take him away.

There was one more score to settle, and I saved the best for last.

I jumped off the bar and dragged the stool to the center of the room and reaching into my bag one last time and pulling the container of lighter fluid out and a box of matches.

This is for Reina.

I circled him, emptying the bottle of lighter fluid around him creating a perfect circle before I pulled one match from the box. I stared into Jimmy’s eyes as they fought to remain open. I leaned close, making sure I still had his attention before delivering one last message.

“Tell Vic I said hello,” I whispered and swiped the match across the bar.

I stared at the flame and remembered Reina’s scars, the ones she gave me freely, the ones that would forever mark the woman I loved. Then I dropped the match and watched the ring of fire form.

Dance motherfucker.

I gave myself a minute to watch the beauty of it all, to watch as the flames slowly chased Jimmy, crawling up the legs of the stool, capturing his feet first and traveling up his legs. The heroine was doing its job, and he was helpless against the torment of the flame.

Just like Danny.

Just like Reina.

I grabbed my duffel bags and turned around; Jimmy’s whimpers filled my ears as I strode out of Temptations to the men standing outside waiting for me.

“I got the location,” I said, dropping the duffel bags to the floor. “Give it a minute or two. When he screams put the fire out and leave the drugs next to his body. Then call Jones.” Pipe’s eyes widened in realization. Jones was the cop he kept on the club’s bankroll, the same cop that fixed the mess with Blackie’s truck yesterday. The cop that would make the front page of the newspaper for taking down New York’s next notorious mobster. “He and his partner are waiting on word to make the arrest,” I said, making everything perfectly clear.