Taming the Monster by K.J. Thomas

Chapter 12

Luca

The muscles in my arms are starting to shake as the chokehold I have is not as powerful as I want it to be. The guff’s from the man that I’m currently sucking the life away from are starting to distinguish on their own, coming out smaller and softer.

I should feel some sense of remorse, something. But honestly I don’t. I don’t feel anything, I don’t even feel better that this is done and out of the way.

When the old bastard finally relents, I get up and take a long pull from one of the thirty different fucking decanters the old man has. This just screams fucking alcoholic. I stand here and look at his stash.

I know he does it mainly for guests, because I barely had ever seen him drink in all of my twenty-four years on this planet. It doesn’t matter, my father was a piece of shit and I’m glad it’s done.

My mom on the other hand, hurt a little bit more than I would’ve liked it to, but not enough. She was there every time my father decided to beat me, whispering in his ear when he was trying to be nice. She’s just as fucking sick as he is, probably worse.

A woman who would let her child go through that is a piece of shit, but a woman who would instigate it and let her child be the victim of beatings and other shit is ten times worse.

That’s why Mama was sliced and diced. The only thing I wasn’t expecting was my father to wake up and come down right after I finished. He got an eyeful of his wife. I was hoping to put a bullet in the fucker’s head while he was sleeping, short and sweet. Not having to deal with them like this. Maybe because I respected the man more. The bane of my existence, the horrible way that I grew up. I know that my father had just a little iota of decency left in him, my mom has been depleted for years.

I will never forget the heartbreaking scream when he spotted the devil of my mother on the floor. Just an inner shell of her former glory. The cry that came from my dad, I’ll remember forever.

I wasn’t exactly sure how I would feel once it was done. I knew it might be a little hard to do this, because these people are my parental figures. I felt a tiny, microscopic twinge of hurt for my father and maybe for the mother that I didn’t have. I know after being around other families and seeing how Avery’s parents were with her, that my parents should’ve never had kids.

If I could go back to that time I wouldn’t have listened to them. I still would’ve killed Avery’s parents, but I would’ve taken Avery and left. Escaping to another part of the country far away from the Mancini’s and the Romano’s and the Delano’s. Someplace far, where nobody could ever find us.

Do I regret killing her parents, not really, everything must come to an end, nobody’s going to go on forever. They’re just a stepping stone into getting the Delano name to its rightful place on top. It won’t be with my fucking father, though, I’ll be taking over the Delano family from now on. This is something I should’ve done before, but I quit. I thought maybe they would be useful later. They’re not, these sad people that some might mistake for parents or pieces of shit that don’t deserve time on this earth anymore.

I ended them both in the family room, that’s close to the dining room and kitchen. This place makes my skin crawl. It’s like a bunch of older people walked in the house and threw-up Victorian shit everywhere. There is not one comfortable piece of fucking furniture in this house. Everything is just for show, even though it’s immaculately clean, it lacks any warmth and comfort, just like my parents.

I look around the room, eyes that are staring at me, some are mad, some are scared and some just don’t give a shit. I’m looking for the ones that were loyal to my father. I want the ones that are going to be loyal to me into the future, loyal to Luca Delano.

“My father was a piece of shit,” I yell out, my voice not too loud but loud enough to be heard. “I don’t have a beef or issue with any of you, but I am taking over. If anyone wishes to leave, that’s fine. If not, you’re more than welcome to stay on and help me end the Mancini’s and the Romano’s once and for all.”

I watch as everybody huddles, talking to each other. Some leave instantly and it looks like others are going to get their belongings. I don’t really know what I can expect from this, but some loyal men would be awesome.

From what I have planned, too many men will just fuck up the whole situation anyway.

I walk over to my father’s enormous bar this time, I pick up a glass and a decanter and then make my way over to one of those fucking uncomfortable Victorian chairs. That’s the first thing I’m going to do when I get everything settled, remodel this whole fucking place, or burn it down. I’m on my second drink before the last of the men finally make their decision. I can tell I have less than ten, this will be the perfect amount.

I ended up with a total of seven guards and Seth that decided to stay on. Two of them are younger, most likely new guards, not sure what they’re getting themselves into. The other five are older guards that have been with my father for years. This is the kind of respect I want. I want loyal men that will stay on. The younger ones I’ll have to train myself. None of the damn house staff stayed, which I don’t blame them, there’s jobs all over.

I stand up, making sure to acknowledge all of my guys in the eyes. Shockingly, I don’t have one woman left but after everything they witnessed with Avery, the women are bitches and they don’t deserve to be part of my group anyway.

“Let’s get to work,” I say as I stand up and clean the coffee table off with one swipe of my hand. My mom’s figurines and gross older shit shatter as it hits the hard tiled floor.

In my bag I have blueprints and a lot of notes that have been taken over the years by multiple people. The only thing that sucks right now is the fact that I have nobody on the inside.

I look around at everybody. “The only way we are going to be able to do this is with poison or gas. Their guys outnumber us about thirty to one, so this is our best shot unless you all think you can take on thirty guys each?”

The younger ones quickly shake their head back and forth looking at each other with wide eyes, as the older ones grin and nod. Yeah, those older guys might be loyal but they’re fucking idiots. I have one shot at this and I need to make sure it all works exactly how I have planned.

I throw the notes and the blueprints on the table so that everybody can see. “At first I wanted Avery Romano alive and out of there, but now she’s the enemy.” I shuffle my papers around until I can find a folder that has three pictures in it. “Asher Mancini,” I say as I pull his picture out. I place the two that I have left right next to his. “Avery Romano and Vito Romano, these three need to die, and I want proof of their death. Bring their body back, bring their head back, whatever the fuck floats your boat.”

My heart constricts a little bit and I know it’s because I’m thinking about Avery. But this is the way things have to be done now with Vito on the outs. From the gossip that’s going around, Avery’s going to be the new head of the Romano’s. Let’s not forget the fact that the little bitch is shacking up with the enemy and those two are going to end up making one huge fucking alliance. One that I know I can’t get through. This is my only chance to take out everybody that’s keeping me from my rightful place.

“Let’s get to it,” I say as all of the guards get settled in and really start working on this plan. “Make it one that will actually work. We only have one shot.” If we’re not successful, we’re dead.

* * *

Just shy ofseven hours later. The bottle that I have is almost empty and the guards ordered pizza three different times. I can’t believe how much these fuckers eat, I should start charging them. But then again, I smile remembering that I am the heir to the Delano’s, and I can afford it. Ain’t nothing going to happen. The previous employees of my father will never open their mouths. I will come after them if they do, I’ll end everyone they hold dear.

All of us walk out to our vehicles. “We’ll meet again in a few days, it’s time to get this done.”

“Yes boss.”

“Got it boss.”

“See you then boss.”

This is the first time in over a year that I’ve felt that we actually have a decent plan underway to get everything fucking done. Time is gonna be on our side for once, and that’s all that fucking matters.

I toss the last remaining gas can back into the house as I light up a blunt I’ve been holding onto for a while. I’m normally irritable all the time as it is, so when I smoke the shit, it adds to my irritation. I don’t think it’ll happen this time. I feel relaxed for the first time in years.

I wait till everybody’s a safe distance from the house, driving away before I toss half of the joint that I’ve been smoking right in the doorway of the home I grew up in.

I hear the flames igniting while I walk away. I can feel the heat penetrate my clothing, going deeper until I can feel it in my bones.

There’s no better way to start over, than to start over from scratch. I hated this house with every fiber of my being. I’m grateful that I never have to look at it again.