Chapter 2 2

Third person POV

Grunts of pain could be heard around the dimly lit damp dungeon-like room in the basement of the De Grassi villa.

Traveling down deep into the basement, you would find Damien De Luca beating a man to the brink of life.

He is accompanied by none other than his right hand, Dominic Vossi.

These two make a hell of a team, being friends since they were fairly young, they grew close as time passed, their friendship growing into a brotherhood.

"tell me what I fucking want to know Stephan," Damien said to the man that was chained by his wrists to the ceiling, to keep him standing. The man was beaten to a pulp, barely recognizable, all the blood and bruises decorating his exterior.

"I don't know shit-" the man coughed up blood, clearly internal bleeding starting to set in, affecting the man's coherence.

"Listen, Steve.. the quicker you tell us what we want to know, the sooner you can finally die... how does that sound?" Dominic asked in a taunting tone.

"Just- just tell me what you want to know!" The man begged, "I'll answer anything- just tell ME WHAT YOU WANT TO KNOW!"

"Now we're getting somewhere, " Dom brought out a sharp knife and dragged it lightly against Stefan's torso, applying pressure every time he took a shallow breath.

"Why did you sell information about my drug routes to the Mexican cartel?" Damien questioned in an unnervingly calm tone.

In that moment, realization flashed through Stephan's eyes, he realized he'd been caught and knew his play of feigning ignorance was over.

And surprisingly quickly he began to spill his guts out.

"I have been loyal to this family for YEARS! Dedicated my life to this shit! But not once have I gotten in with the big guys! They've just got you fucking children running everything, ruining shit like you fucking reckless children do!"

Both Dominic and Damien stood there dumbfounded, what did the bastard expect? A fucking medal of Excellence?

"Your devotion and loyalty to the family should be payment enough, your LIFE should suffice not to mention the pretty fucking money you take home each week, not to mention your million dollar home!" Damien gave the 50-year-old man a right hook and with that, the man was out cold.

There is no space for greed against your own family, blood, not in this line of work. It infuriated Damien to the core, he expected more, what did he want? To become Don? Shit is laughable how ignorant these men can be.

"What a greedy fûck-" Dom announced while sharpening his knife, "what did he want? To become fucking Don? He's too worn out and anyway only blood can be appointed as Don he should know that shit!"

Damien remained quiet, thinking over what the man had said.

'How pathetic,' he thought as he brought out a bucket of ice-cold water for the man to be thrust into to revive consciousness.

"Here we go..." he said under his breath while dumping the ice-cold bucket of water on the old bat.

"I just wanted to have you awake and aware of when I kill you Steve boy," Damien said in a hauntingly calm and put-together voice.

"Fuck you! Fuck you, De Luca! You will fall! The De Luca empire will fall in your hands, I promise you that much! I'll see you in hell you fucking piece of-" Damien didn't let the man finish before he shot a 22 right into his head,

The blood splattering all over his face and the nice crisp white shirt.

"Oh hell, I wanted to hear the rest of his whining fratello, it was getting juicy" Dom snickered while putting the torture tools away,

"He was irritating me, his voice sounded like he had a cock lodged in his throat,"

Damien said it with a no-nonsense tone, Dom couldn't resist the urge to double over in amusement, clutching his stomach.

"You should be a fucking comedian!" He said, while wiping nonexistent tears from his eyes, he went to tap his fratello on the back but Damien moved away before he could touch him,

"Don't touch me." He said with a serious tone,

well, all of his tones were either frustrated or genuinely somber attitude.

"Right, forgot you can't stand the touch of others right?"

Stephanie nodded, not wanting to talk any longer, he turned on his heels and made his way out of the stuffy basement that now reeked of that familiar coppery crimson stench.

He retreated inside his home and out of the grungy basement. Only to be met with his young sister, whom he cared for dearly, although he had a very difficult time addressing said care, she knew it no less.

"Good to have you back, Ellen, your absence has not gone unnoticed, I am glad you're back, how is that idiot husband of yours?" he said to his sister while walking past, he simply patted her head in a sweet manner.

That's as far as his physical touch can reach.

His sister understood why, and it pained her to see that after almost 23 years she's been on this earth he has not been able to get over the demons that come with physical touch.

"I missed you too, Damien, very much, he's well... as boring as ever actually glad I'm back." She smiled up at him and he returned it, dropping his hand, he went off to get cleaned up.

As he was in the shower, his sister and right hand began to chat over a late dinner on the kitchen counter.

"So, he still hasn't made progress with the physical yet?" Ellen said while looking over at her brother's best friend.

"Nope... it's been years he still hasn't opened up about what he endured nor has he tried to contact people, even if it be a hooker or such, he just won't- and rightfully so he went through hell with that bitch."

Ellen nodded, understanding the circumstances of her dear brother's condition.

She had fond memories of him giving her piggyback rides, hugging her, lugging her everywhere like a bag, but it pained and infuriated her that while he was showing her the world through rose-colored glasses, his world was anything but.

"We should get him some help, no?" She said while biting into her lasagna.

"I tried, but he doesn't comply and refuses, he killed the last 3, I don't want to set people up for death with him. It makes me feel guilty," She could tell by the disfigured smirk on his face he was trying to hold back a laugh.

She slapped his shoulder, "ugh! Be serious for once Dom! I want my old brother back, I want to hug him, and although our conversations are full of meaning, he barely shows emotion outside of anger or irritation- I want him to be nor-" she was interrupted by the devil himself.

"Normal?" He finished her sentence and her face instantly turned beet red, "I'm sorry fratello- I just want you to be you again.." a tear came down her cheek.

"I am normal, just not your normal. Don't cry my piccola coccinella" (little ladybug)

He brushed her tears away and she couldn't believe he was touching her.

When she looked up at him, she could see how uncomfortable he felt, she grabbed his hand gently, pulling it away, "Look just- hook your pinky with mine fratello, it's not so bad is it?"

He observed his sister and their hands, on first instinct he wanted to pull away quickly, but for her, he tried his best.

"Okay, that's enough, I'm fine, normal enough of this." He pulled away from his sister.

"I care for you, Ellen, should that not be enough for you?" She nodded her head feeling hurt, "I'm sorry coccinella" (ladybug) "I am a different person now, and no amount of therapy or bullshit is going to change that" he patted her head and kissed his hand, he's done it enough for her to know it's his way of showing affection.

"torno più tardi ladybug il club sta aspettando." (i'll be back later ladybug the club is waiting.)

He looked over at Dom stuffing his face and they both left the room, but not before Dom hugged the girl and kissed her forehead,

"I'll see you later Ellen." She nodded and watched as they departed.

'Ahh, dear brother, when will you be you again,' she thought as she tried to stop her tears from falling.