Chapter 12 [ Drop The Act And Walk Away ]

"I am sure you had an explosive sex episode last night," his ghostly voice taunted me.

"Don't patronize me Gustavo!" I returned to flossing my teeth one last time before spitting out.

He pressed on, "You left Belinda and my mum, all to themselves and alone with the enemy."

I got instantly put off by his accusation, "What's your fucking problem Gustavo? I should stop living simply because you asked me to do you and your family a favour? If you know who the enemy is why not save me the stress."

"Damn you Santo! If I knew would I involve you in this? You are such an ungrateful bastard! After all I have done for you?"

I bluffed, "It's not like you are here to enjoy any of these anyway. So why does it bother you so much that I do?!" My pitch was high enough to alert someone from a mile away.

"Honey," Belinda called out, "is everything okay with you in the bathroom?!"

I ignored her because my nerves are worked up and all for this brute Gustavo.

"So what are you going to say next? Nothing? You brought this up, and now you choose to stay silent? You need to grow up. Eish!"

Gustavo's ghost stayed quiet for longer than a minute before speaking, "You know... Santo! If it is too much of a burden for you, drop the act and simply walk away."

As he turned to walk away or teleport, he inputed something else, "You can drop a note telling them what happened to me while you run back to the shitty life you are used to."

"Gustavo I—"

He disappeared before my eyes. And I didn't even know what to feel. Anger? Regret? Pain? Guilt? Remorse? I just don't know.

I had a quick shower before walking out the bathroom.

While dressing up, Belinda drew close to talk, "Honey are you okay? Your mood doesn't look so bright."

I kept her silent. But she kept pressuring until.

'Fuck off Bella! Don't you know what the word solitude means?! I don't want to talk goddammit! Will you let me be alone with my thoughts? You are such a bother. Eish! Don't you have better things to do with your time and emotions? Leave me the hell alone! Will you?!'

Only that I could not bring myself to say these words to her.

"Since you have decided to keep me silent mio amore, have it your way then. But I have breakfast prepared for you in the dining area, purely by my own hands." She aimed for the door but halted halfway, to say something. "I'm going to check on ma'am Imelda, mum I mean. I haven't seen her since yesterday. See you around honey," I snubbed her outrightly.

My mind is so messed up. Probably my rendezvous from last night is to blame for all this drama.

No! It must be that sneaky clear-skinned woman from last night at the bar. I better walk to the balcony to let the morning air cleanse my mind.

**

Location: Hotel Magnífico

Sub location: Suite not yet identified

Time: Same day, early hours of the morning.

There was a huge man blindfolded, with hands tied firmly behind the chair. He was breathing hurriedly as if taking his last lump of air. His face was badly injured from several bruises he had earned or so it seems.

There was a chubby man with a dark hat on an expensive fur coat way below his knees, overshadowing his expensive black suit but not completely. He wore a fake facial skin to protect his actual face from being seen. He had tons of this for security reasons. Although, there were few persons who knew what he looked like, the few persons he permitted to know, persons who would much rather pull a gun to their own throats, other than disclosing such 'Top Secret' information carelessly to a single living being. Except for these persons who had sworn to secrecy with their lives and those of their families, the mafia boss remained "No Faced" to the entire Mafia Community. He was nothing short of a ruthless underground Sicilian Mafia Lord.

He drew in a huge chunk of smoke from the long pipe in his hands, taking his time to utter his words, thus sending chills to the mind of his victim; much more than chills, a deathly feel.

His victim was all-sweaty and frightened to his bones. This made the Mafia Lord all the more pleased.

"Please... please don't kill me," came the weak plea of his already exhausted victim.

But this mafia boss had no mercy neither any atom of sympathy.

He was regarded as 'The No-faced Man' for a reason. He was a force to reckon with, in the mafia continent. Of course, how could you defeat the One whose face you did not know?

The no-faced psychopath initiated his speech, "So you think I will let you go so easily after making me out to be a fool?" He walked towards his victim and poured some fire from the bowl of his freshly-lit smoke pipe on his victim's bare nipples —both of them.

"Aargh! Too much... too much torture... Just kill me already," his victim groaned.

"Too easy. Hahaha."

The ruthless laughter of the mafia boss caused him to shriek even from blurting out the word 'kill' in the first place. But he knew he was done for.

"Please kill me... but spare my brothers."

"Mm..."

The mafia boss instructed his boys nearby, to soak a piece of towel in a bowl of water by the side and cover his nostrils, while holding down his heavy biceps.

The pleasure from seeing his victim beg for breath perfectly complimented his personality of being called a deranged psychopath. He lifted his hand giving them a sign to stop the torture thereby leaving his victim to be free once again to devour the available Oxygen aggressively.

Blowing out a puff of smoke he blurted, "I wouldn't worry about my brothers if I were you. They have journeyed long to the great beyond. You will be joining them soon, but after I finish with you. Bloody scoundrel!"

He spat on the face of his victim before retiring to his golden chair.