This is the darkest chapter so far. As I mentioned in the very beginning, a lot of my stories involve gore. This is one of them.

Declan

Parking in the back of Club Se7en, I could hear the heavy bass of PALAYE ROYALE's cover of Closer from outside the brick building. I pull up the collar of my coat around my neck and tug at the gloves around my hands, making my way into the building through the side entrance at the alley. The low lit hall was empty for a change, usually the girls are running up and down either making their way to the floor or coming off and going to the dressing room. Audrey was already waiting for me at the threshold leading out to the filled club, his arms crossed over his chest and his foot tapping the floor impatiently. The scowl on his face only deepening when he looks back out.

"It took you long enough." He leered. His fishnet gloved hand pulled back the red curtain a little more, revealing the crowd.

It doesn't take me long to see Alex with his beat up face groping at one of the girls who was walking past his table. He's surrounded by three others. Two I recognize as soldiers who are laughing along with him as the server fights to slap Alex's hand away. The third person has my fists tightening hard enough that I can hear the leather of my gloves creaking.

"They've been here for almost two hours. Look over there." Aud says, pointing to four other tables around the building filled with Alex's men. Pulling my phone from my pocket I quickly snap pictures, making sure I get their faces as clearly as I can. "They've been harassing my girls and going behind the bars, stealing bottles. Oh good, you're just taking pictures. Cute."

I turn to glare over at Audrey and his sarcastic comment but the server who was being harassed came running to Audrey, wiping away tears. With her job as a server she is guaranteed not to be touched in any way. She hid behind him and put her head on his shoulder as she tried to calm down.

"Why haven't you had security remove them?"

"Nick called them off, said Desmond allowed them to be here and that their drinks were on us." Aud answered. "I don't like people touching my girls, especially the ones who are off limits."

Looking back at them, I watch Nick as he gets up and grabs Melony around her waist, pushing her into the booth and then sitting down, trapping her. She smiles awkwardly between the four of them, pushing her brunette hair behind her ear. I can't make out what she's saying but she gets up and uses her hip to bump Nick's shoulder, asking him to move. The Russian on the other side of her forces her back down and the look on Mel's face turns to worry.

I'm not waiting for things to escalate. I'm at the table in seconds, grabbing Nick by his shirt collar, ripping him from the booth. Drinks spill on the table from the force and I push Nick onto the ground, slamming the heal of my boot onto his wrist, breaking it.

"Fuck!" He yells over the music, grabbing my ankle to try and move my boot but I shift my weight, pinning him harder. Offering my hand to Mel, she quickly grabs it while I pull her away from the others and tell her to go to Audrey. Alex moves to stand up but I grab the gun I have tucked into the holster at the waistband of my jeans and aim it at him making Alex throw his hands up.

The other two fucks pull their guns on me, pulling back the slides and aiming at my head. The soldiers at the other table closest to us slowly rise, putting their hands on their holstered guns ready for what's about to happen.

"Go ahead, Byrne, make your move." Alex taunts, smiling while putting his hands down.

"Curious, I thought these girls would be little too old for your taste." I spit, side eyeing the men who are starting to circle us. Nick curses again, punching my ankle. I raise my heal for a second before slamming it back down onto his wrist.

"Kinda, but we had a bit of a rough time and needed to release some tension, like you don't know. The other night at our hotel?" Alex raises a questioning brow at me. "I seem to remember you coming onto our property, shooting up my guys, stealing a pretty hefty fucking paycheck from me and then running back to my cunt of a sister. Did you think I was going to just let that slide?"

I could feel my lip curling up in disgust. "Get the fuck out."

Alex folded his hands and put them behind his head, lounging back against the booth. "I don't think we will."

Body guards from the club made their way over, grabbing the firearms from the guys who had them raised at me, clearing them then throwing them back down at their feet. The ones at the other table moved their hands from theirs as soon as more guards swarmed their table.

"Come on, we were enjoying our night with our new business partner." Alex fake whined pointing between him, his men and Nick.

I glared down at Nick who paled as soon as Alex's words sunk in. Nick brought his foot up and kicked me in the thigh that Alex had stabbed making me stagger back, clutching the pain that had erupted on my leg.

Scrambling to his feet, Nick started to run towards the side hall I'd come from, cradling his wrist.

"Take care of these fuckers," I said through clenched teeth to the security guards, as I turned to follow Nick.

He didn't make it far before I grabbed the back of his shirt and his hair at the top of his head, swinging him around into the wall. I could hear the drywall cracking as soon as his head hit. Stunned from the trauma, his body stilled against the wall. My left hand wrapped around his neck to hold him there while I used the butt of my gun to hit him in his stomach. My hand tightened around his neck and Nick struggled between trying to cough and suck in air.

"What are you doing with them?!" I demanded, pulling him from the wall and then slamming him back again.

Nick's hands grabbed mine, trying to pry my fingers from him but it only made me grip tighter. "Talk!" My voice boomed over the thudding music.

He tapped my hand to get me to loosen up so he could talk. I punched him again in the stomach and let go. He fell to the ground curling up in a heap clutching his stomach, writhing.

"What the fuck are you doing with them, Nick?" I asked, my voice eerily calm as I pointing my gun at him.

Catching his breath he coughed out "Fuck you."

I grabbed his shirt collar, lifting him to his feet and pushed him back against the wall, shoving the barrel of my gun against his temple.

"Why are you here with them?!"

Nick's head lulled back, a delirious smile on his face. Fed up with him not answering I kept my gun against him and used my other hand to check his pockets. I pulled bags filled with drugs from his pockets.

"You're working for them?"

Nick didn't say a word. A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth before he started to laugh deliriously.

Noah, Ben and Paul finally showed up, running from the door at the end of the hall towards me and Nick.

"Where the fuck were you?" I snapped at them. Before they could give me an answer I pulled Nick from the wall and shoved him at Paul and Ben who struggled to catch and hold him up. "Take him to our place on the wharf. I'll be there in an hour."

"Whoa wait, hey!" Ben called, trying to lift up Nick when he started to fall. "Where are you going?"

"To see Desmond."

I'd called Sean the moment I was out in the alley. I could barely hear him over the loud music of the bar but I managed to hear him say the old man was in his office. Pushing through the crowded dance floor of Moriarty's, I came to that familiar green door. I didn't even check if it was closed behind me while I stalked down the hall. I could smell the smoke from his cigars before I even got to his door.

Opening the door to his office my eyes instantly started to burn from the smoke. Two naked girls were there with Desmond. One of them was on his lap running her hand up his chest while the other was splayed out on his desk in front of him, touching herself. The moment they noticed someone had come in they scrambled to find their clothes to cover up.

Desmond pulled his cigar from his lips, leaning around the swell of the girls ass who was bent over in front of him trying to step into her skirt. The moment his eyes landed on me a smile crept on his face.

"How can I help 'ya, Deco? Want to join?" He asked, his hand outstretched and waved to the two girls who stopped dressing for a moment to look up at me.

"Get out." I ordered. They pouted and looked back to Desmond but my patience has long since run out. "Get out!"

Desmond's tongue rolled over his teeth, his smile disappearing. The moment the girls were dressed and out of the room I slammed the door behind them and turned to Dez.

"You know I don't like unexpected company," Desmond started.

"Nick's working for Litvinenko." I blurted out, cutting him off.

Desmond was silent for a moment, sitting up in his chair to put his cigar down on the gold ashtray on top of his table. He picked up his glass and sipped his whiskey before getting up from his chair.

"T'at is a very serious allegation."

"It's not an allegation, it's the truth." I snapped.

Desmond was oddly calm for hearing the news. Dez has a knack for remaining eerily calm but I was expecting something more than this. He clears his throat, his hand going to his bearded face, rubbing his thumb and index finger down his jaw.

"What makes 'ya say this?"

I moved closer to him, shoving my phone in his face to show him the pictures I took earlier of Alex and Nick at the club. Desmond looks at the image and then tilts his head to the side to look back at me. Before he can say anything I push the bag filled with drugs I found on Nick in Desmond's chest. He grabs the bag without breaking eye contact and brings it up to examine it.

"He was at the club with a bunch of Alex's soldiers, harassing our girls and stealing our booze. Alex himself said Nick is working with the-"

"And 'ya believe that little cunt over Nick?" Desmond's voices booms through the room.

"Yea, Dez. I do." I bit back, matching his intensity. "The other night at the hotel, we had Alex. Nick ran after him and miraculously the two of them just disappeared? And don't forget the other week at the warehouse. Nick is one of the few who have access to the security cams, how do you think they were able to hack our security? He got out completely unscathed while how many of us died, little fucking convenient, isn't it? My guess is he's trying to sell us out to them."

"Makes no sense, Nick would be out of a job too." Dez countered.

"Not if he's working for them." I said, glad that Desmond was actually listening to me.

Desmond leaned back against his desk, crossing his arms over his chest. He was looking past me as he let everything sink in. He went to open his mouth to speak but stopped, shaking his head.

"I'll deal with this. He's my nephew." He finally spoke, dipping his chin down to his chest. His fingers pinched the bridge of his nose, massaging circles then drug his hand down his face.

"You have the gala tomorrow?"

I nodded my head.

"Good. Good." He said, rounding his desk to sit back down in his chair. He grabbed his glass and downed it, sucking his teeth once he swallowed. "Figure out how they're getting their supply."

"The girl is innocent."

Desmond rolled his eyes, re-lighting his cigar. "Not this shite again."

"Listen to me, Dez!" I snap. He will listen to me. "She has had no part in any of this. Her dad was set up to marry Isabella so they could use his business to import and export the drugs, for their trafficking and all of their stolen cars. They threatened to kill her to keep Patrick compliant, you killed an innocent man. She found his ledger, I have everything on them but now they're after her. I won't let them hurt her."

"Let me guess," Desmond sighed, taking a drag from his cigar and blowing the smoke out above him. "You want me to put the word out that she's to be considered clergy?"

I nodded my head. "Yes."

Desmond squinted his eyes at me like he was trying to see inside my mind. Being in love in this business is your biggest Achilles heal and without saying it, I've just admitted to loving her. Dez now has everything over me, I'll never be free, one wrong move and it'll be her life. But I promised I would keep her safe and I'm a man of my word.

"I don't want you putting a hit out on another innocent." I retorted, referring to his hit order on her dad. Patrick didn't deserve to die, especially now that we know the truth. He was compliant with all of their evil, yes but he was doing it to keep his daughter safe.

I almost regret my comment when I see Desmond's face turn red. I'm in no position to be talking back to him.

"I wouldn't be throwing stones, boyo, glass houses and all. Now get the fuck out of my office." He ordered, getting up from his chair and grabbing a bottle of Redbreast from the butler behind him.

I narrowed my eyes at him, holding my tongue. Turning, I reached for the handle to the office door but stopped when he spoke. "T'wasn't my order for Patrick, that was all Nick. I'll put the word out for your lass."

Pulling up in front of Old Wharf Parish, a church from a time when people used to live here in the waterfront district. Once Z reached this neighborhood it all changed. Diocese closed it down when an investigation was launched into the disappearance of several kids from the waterfront, all being linked to Old Wharf. Now It stands empty among the burnt out slums that are now the waterfront district. I slammed my car in park, popping the trunk. I slid a roll of plastic and another duffel bag out of my way and grasped the handle of a hard case and lifted it out of the trunk.

Desmond said that he would deal with Nick regarding him being found with the enemy. He didn't say anything about me not being able to teach him a lesson for disloyalty. I closed the trunk, pocketing the keys once I locked it.

The boys have impressed me after our little mission at the hotel the other night. They really proved their worth, earning them a bit of a promotion. They followed my orders and brought Nick to the parish's lower level and threw him in the crying room. Glancing down at the case in my hand while I continued down the damp, dimly lit hall towards the last room on the right, I whispered to myself what I have come to refer to this case as, "truth and reconciliation."

"He's a sniveling little bitch." Paul grimaced at Ben, while holding a towel to his bleeding nose. Once he saw me coming towards them he held up the bloodied towel. "Fucker got me in the nose."

I looked to Paul. "Didn't you see the sign above the door, it says 'God grant me peace' so shut the fuck up and grant me some peace." I snapped mordaciously, pointing at the sign in front of them. "Tilt your head back and pinch your nose to stop the bleeding."

"There is only one entrance to the lower level, we get pinned down here we better hope God grants us peace. Ben, out front, now. Text Noah the moment you see a headlights coming down this way."

"If I see headlights? Jeez boss, Noah's going to get allot of texts" Ben sighed, rolling his shoulders.

Only taking the moment while walking past him I sharply answered, "This is the waterfront district, only people driving a car down this street are either lost or exactly where they want to be. This stays between us, understood? Eyes up, safeties off out there"

Not saying another word I walked in the direction of Nick. Noah was posted against the wall behind him when I walked in the room. His face scrunched in pain from trying to reposition his left arm that was in a sling from being shot in the shoulder the other night. The pistol I'd given him that night was clutched in his gloved right hand as he used it to wipe the blood at the corner of his mouth.

"Bossman," he greeted.

"They put the cripple in charge of guarding the package, I see."

"Gun works fine, I don't think he's out running bullets." He answered, waving it for dramatic effect.

"Let's test your moxie, kid."

Nick was in a chair in the middle of the room, his head dipped down to his chest. He looked up when he heard my boots crunching on the dirty floor. Duct tape was wrapped around his head covering his mouth, his wrists were zip tied to the armrests and his ankles tied to the legs of the chair. His brown hair that's usually styled in some disheveled mess was matted against his forehead from sweat and blood. A new weeping cut on his brow had blood dripping down the side of his face, pooling on the edge of the duct tape before it spilled over and onto his shoulder.

His swollen brows tightened together, his eyes narrowed when he saw me walk into the room. He tried saying something but it just came out muffled from behind the tape.

Walking to the table that was set up at the corner of the room, I put down the case. I took the set of master keys from the pocket of my peacoat and worked to unlock it then slid my thumbs over the latches, releasing them. Keeping my back towards him I whispered to myself again "Truth... and reconciliation."

Pulling out my pack of cigarettes from my pocket, I took one between my teeth and grabbed my lighter, lighting the end of it and inhaling. Slipping off my coat, I folded it and placed it on the chair that was next to the table.

"Do you have any idea why you're here? What this place was?" I asked, knowing damn well he couldn't answer me.

"This parish used to be the center of this community, safe, some place children should never be afraid of." I pulled pliers from the case, holding them up to the light in a way that I knew he would be able to see them and put them in my back pocket. "Then came Z and it came from right here."

"Your new palls the Russians are to thank for that. Father Grigori was placed here, brother of a Russian underboss," slowly I turned to face him "facilitated the distribution of product and provided 'support' for the children of the addicted parents. In six months the entire district transformed into what it is today. The people here were disloyal, to their families, their children and even to their God. This place now stands as a monument to that."

Looking down at he case a smile slowly creeps in across my face. "You know why they call these crying rooms?" I could sense Nicks' eyes darting around the seemingly ordinary room looking for some indication.

"They are sound proof. See, folks didn't want to be bothered by screaming children while they're trying to take their weekly enema of faith." Nick's eyes began to widen at the realization of what that meant. "Interestingly enough, of all the churches I have been to in my life... this is the only one, I mean got to be the only one, that has a crying room with a drain in the floor." I explained, inflecting down to draw Nicks attention to the drain.

The notion and realization began to sink in to me as well, this place was is supposed to a safe haven for those in need. Then I thought of all the children that went missing here. Glancing down at the drain seeing faint, faded brown stains in the mortar joints. "Disloyal."

"You know what we do to people who are disloyal to us." It wasn't a question. I pulled out an IV bag of saline and potassium chloride, putting it down next to the pliers. "They may have it easy in comparison, really."

"Do you know what I do to people who steal from my business? Who harass my dancers?" I asked, pulling out a small box, shaking it by my ear to hear the contents inside but not let Nick see what it was. I didn't want to ruin the surprise. Tugging at my gloves, flexing my fingers, I grabbed a small glass vial and a needle from the case.

Turning to face him I took another drag from my cigarette, blowing out the smoke in his face. Nick's eyes watered from the heat of the smoke. I grabbed his index finger on his right hand, bending it back almost to the breaking point making him grunt behind the tape. Taking the pliers from my back pocket I forced the end of it under his nail until the pliers jaws firmly grip the nail. Tightening my hand around the handles I jerked the pliers back, taking his nail with me.

Nick flailed, muffled screams filled the room. Blood dripped down his finger onto mine that were still holding him. I brought the pliers up to examine the bloodied fingernail before shoving it in his face for him to see.

Letting go of his finger I stood up, straightening my posture. My eyes moved over to Noah who was standing in the corner of the room watching everything, his face emotionless.

Throwing the pliers on to the table I grabbed for the box and emptied its contents in my open hand. Holding up strung fishing hooks by their strings, I dangled them in front of Nick's face. His eyes went wide. A few years ago he was put in charge of tracking down a guy who had stolen a shipment of guns from Dez. Nick loved telling anyone who would listen about how he took fishing hooks and put them between the webbing of each of his fingers and every time the guy would lie to him, he would slowly pull on them until the hook had ripped through the skin. He loved to elaborate on just how much of a bitch the guy was, crying and sniveling the entire time, begging for Nick to stop.

I was always one for poetic justice.

"Now I'll have a story to tell just like yours." I said with a fake smile. "Let's find out how long it takes you to beg me to stop. Grab his fingers, spread them apart." I commanded Noah.

He holstered his gun and came to Nick's side, grabbing his three fingers in his good hand then taking his arm from the sling with a grunt, grabbed his index and thumb with his other.

I lined the fishing hook up between his knuckles and pierced through the skin and muscle. Nick pulled and tugged against the ties around his wrists from the pain. His face was turning red from his screaming.

"Next one." I ordered.

Nick pulled his head back and tried to headbutt me but I moved a few inches out of his way. The back of my closed hand collided with the side of his face, making his head snap in the direction of the blow. Noah situated his fingers so I could sink the hook in between his middle finger and ring finger. Again, I sunk the hook into his flesh and muscle, right between his knuckles. We did the same with this ring and pinky fingers then put one in the meaty flesh between his index finger and thumb.

"Take the tape off." I said, taking a few steps back looking at my handiwork.

Noah smirked to himself, stepping forward until he was behind him. He started to rip the layers of duct tape off from around Nick causing him to groan and tug away from the pain of all of his hair that was being ripped out and the harsh pull on his skin. The moment the tape was off from around him, he started to take in huge gulps of air. To get his attention, I tugged on one of the strings tied to the hooks. He immediately stopped, clenching his jaw while his lips were back, baring his teeth.

"Do you have any idea what my uncle will do to you when he finds out what you're doing to me?!" He yelled between taking in deep breaths of air.

"What Desmond will do." I repeat, chuckling. "I am curious to know what he's going to do now that he knows you're working with Anatoly."

Nick's face dropped for a moment, his brow arching. He couldn't be that naive to think I wouldn't tell Dez that his nephew was fraternizing with our enemy.

"You are not above our laws." I spoke, applying a little more pressure on the string wrapped around my finger. "None of us are."

He sucked in air through his gritted teeth. The hook was starting to tear through his skin making his screams echo through the room.

Noah winced. "Damn, I should have brought ear plugs for this."

In one swift motion I pulled my fist across my chest, ripping the first hook from between his fingers. Blood splattered on the ground as the hook flung towards me then dangled from my fist, a chunk of bloody skin hanging from the barb at the end of the hook.

"Gnarly," Noah grimaced over Nick's agony.

Throwing the hook onto the ground I brought my leg up towards my chest and slammed my boot into his chest, kicking all of the air from his lungs. The chair Nick was in tipped back and almost fell to the floor but Noah caught him and righted the chair.

Nick struggled to fill his lungs, coughing between his deep breaths. I grabbed him by the hair at the top of his head and forced his head back so that he would look at me.

"Three hooks to go, mother fucker. Now tell me, how long have you been working for Anatoly?" I questioned.

He glared up at me, his lips tightening together and turning down into a scowl. Taking that as him not wanting to talk, I grabbed the string attached to the next hook and pulled without warning.

More screams filled the space.

"Two. How long have you been working for them?" I snarled, tightening my grip on his hair and shaking his head from side to side.

"Dez is going to have your ass for this." Nick managed between ragged breaths. "You have no idea what's happening."

"That's not the answer to my question." I grabbed the next line and wrapped it around my finger.

Before I could pull, Nick begged for me to stop. "Whoa, whoa, wait!"

I stopped but still had enough pressure to cause him discomfort.

"Tonight, at Se7en, Alex told me that they had plans to take you out."

Intrigued by his confession, I let go of his hair and straightened my spine. I nodded my head at him in a silent command to continue.

"They know you're going to the charity gala tomorrow night with the girl. They know you're the one who has been digging into everything and they plan on killing you tomorrow at the event."

I hummed. "Is that so?"

Nick quickly nodded his head in response. "That's what Alex said, I swear to God, man!"

My eyes looked up at Noah who was still watching everything transpire. This was a mild interrogation session compared to what I've done in the past, but I'll give it to him. He wasn't so much as flinching.

"How can we believe you?" Noah questioned, surprising me.

Nick turned his head but Noah was too far behind him for Nick to be able to see him. "D, who is this kid, huh? Who the fuck are you?" He snapped. "Asking questions like your someone fucking important. Do you know who the hell I am?"

"Yea, you're the fucking dipshit who landed his ass in this chair, getting deep sea hooks ripped out of his hands." Noah quipped with a smirk.

"Kid has a point, Nick. How can I believe you?" I asked, pulling a little harder on the string making his skin start to tear.

Nick grunted behind gritted teeth. "Why would I lie to you? You're the Lieutenant, the vice boss." His words were dripping with disdain. "I'm trying to keep you safe."

This right here is one of the reasons Nick would never make a high rank in the family. He couldn't keep his feelings in check. I could see through his lies, he was up to something. Mulling over our conversation and his specific choice of words, I rolled my tongue over my front teeth before sucking on them loudly. The squelching sound echoed through the silent room. Nodding my head, I ripped the hook from between his fingers making him jump back in the chair so violently that it fell backwards.

The moment he crashed onto the floor I rounded the chair and pressed my boot into his chest making it hard for him to gulp in air.

"I don't know what the hell you're playing at but trust me when I say the next time you come into my building, touch my girls, steal my fucking money, I won't be using fish hooks on your fingers."

I grabbed the glass bottle of precloric acid from the table then grabbed his index finger. Rolling my thumb over the top removing the stopper, I poured it onto his index finger. Immediately the finger began to smoke and the distinct fizzing sound of concentrated acid dissolving flesh filed the room.

Grabbing the pliers, I quickly shoved the handle into his open screaming mouth to hold it open, positioning the glass bottle into his mouth I forced his jaw shut around it. Noah came over and smashed his boot into Nick's balls with such force, Nick bit down breaking bottle, embedding shards of glass into is soft pallet and cheeks, filling his mouth with searing acid. Almost instantly blood and vomit spewed between my gloved fingers as the side of his face began to dissolve.

I quickly backed up and let him empty his mouth. Nick writhed in agony on the floor as smoke began to pour from his mouth. More vomit, blood and most of his teeth fell to the ground beside him. I flicked my hand a few times, grimacing, trying to get the sick off of my hand.

"That's for Paul." Noah growled.

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