Deviant Vows by Anna Widzisz

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

Macsen

I’m not sure whether I’m angrier or hurt. I could expect betrayal from anyone. But never in my wildest dreams would I accuse my brother of it. He would never be a suspect in my mind… Until he was.

The space underneath my parents’ house used to be vacant before. That’s where Theo and I liked playing. Away from everyone. But then our father transformed it into a torture chamber for our enemies, soundproofing the basement. And today my enemy is going to suffer.

Walking down the dimly lit hallway, I get to the room where the guards have locked and tied up Theo on my orders. Opening the door, I gesture to my men to leave us alone. Theo is sitting on a chair with tape covering his mouth and chains around his torso. He was already roughed up by my soldiers.

The room is filled with Theo’s muffled groans. I take off my jacket and place it on the other chair in front of my brother. Folding up my sleeves, I undo the chains and reach for the hook hanging from the ceiling, lowering it down.

He starts to move against my hold knowing well what I am going to do with him. I bring his hands together and bind them with the chains that I attach to the hook.

His eyes widen, begging silently to show mercy. For the first time, he shows emotions other than anger. But none of it matters to me anymore.

Nothing.

All I offer him is a cold, heartless look that only my enemies get to see and today he is one of them.

Going to the corner of the basement, I press a switch, and in a blink of an eye, he gets pulled up by his wrists to hang from the ceiling. I rip off the tape from his lips. He starts to breathe heavily as I take out my knife and cut his shirt open.

“Macsen, please let me explain–”

I place my index finger against my lip, gesturing to him to be quiet. “I’m not going to fall for any of your bullshit anymore. But if you ever had an ounce of respect for me and this family, then you will answer every question truthfully. If not, then this family will have only one son and a daughter.”

Actually, this family will be one member less, anyway.

He gulps with his lips trembling from utter fear. He knows me enough to realise how I deal with people. He’s seen me do it quite a few times over the years. But I bet he never thought today he would be experiencing it.

I never thought of it even in my dreams.

I unbuckle my belt and wrap it around my knuckle, letting his mind wonder.

“Did you plan the attack on Davina?” I ask with a monotonous tone. I know the answer. I just want to hear him admit it now.

He is silent for a few seconds, opening and closing his mouth.

I strike him against his abdomen with the belt with all my might.

“Ah!” he screams but it soon turns louder as I strike him again and again, watching red welts forming on his naked skin. A part of me wants to see him suffer, just like he made Davina feel, but the other part of me feels nothing but sorry for my brother.

Though for now, I let myself focus on the one part and that is punishing Theo for his cruel deeds.

“Fuck!” he groans through his clenched teeth.

“The more you make me wait, the more hits you will get. Now fucking answer!” I yell at his face, gripping his hair tightly.

“Yes! I did it. I hired an assassin from the Firm,” he says.

Fucking arsehole.

The fact that he didn’t even hesitate while planning to kill his own sister-in-law makes the ache in my heart throb even more. It only proves that for his own motives, Theo won’t stall at the idea of hurting his family, including me.

This time I land a hard punch against his jaw, making his body sway back and forth. Blood starts to run down from his nose, dropping to the ground.

“How did you make Davina sign the papers that prompted the accusations against her?” I ask.

I don’t give him time to compose himself and punch his jaw harshly.

“I need answers, Theo. Not silence.”

My blood is roaring with vexation and retribution.

“I slipped the papers with the marriage contract at the wedding. She was distracted by your conversation so she didn’t notice what she was signing.”

Fucking traitor.

I hit him again, this time aiming at his chest and his face, not giving a fuck that his skin cracks and starts to bleed. He cries out in agony. His eyes start to glimmer with tears.

I cup his jaw tightly with a threatening look, wishing I could break his bones with the grip. “I have always trusted you, brother. I won’t deny that I’m sometimes harsh with you but that doesn’t mean I don’t respect and care about you.” My nostrils flare as my anger boils like lava. “But not only did you betray me, you also dared to nearly kill my wife.”

“I did it to protect you, Macsen. All I ever wanted was to protect you from bad decisions.”

His words get cut off from the snap of my belt and get replaced with screaming that echoes through the whole basement.

“I would rather be killed by my enemies than ever believe you again,” I threaten him. His body is already bruised and bleeding. But it is not enough, it will never be enough.

“Jacob told me what happened to Taylor and I… I didn’t want my brother to suffer what his son did just so she can have all the power for herself.”

I let out a humourless, dark chuckle. “And you fucking fell for the lies he fed you. What proof did he have that what Davina did was to gain power?”

He remains quiet, having no justification.

Fucking moron.

I nod. “Just what I thought.”

“Please, Macsen. I’m telling you I was just trying to protect my brother, my family. It was for your own good.”

“By trying to harm Davina who is also your family. And what good are you talking about?” I sneer.

“Jacob told me about Taylor for a reason. I wanted you away from Davina, and he wanted her to suffer for what she did to his son.”

“That’s your main reason?” I snort. “You were blabbering how Davina would stab me in the back,” I lean close to him, “but who ended up doing that Theo?”

He closes his eyes in remorse and when they open they are filled with hurt.

“I have been part of the Firm way before you, Theo. I have worked my arse off to be where I am today. I have never needed anyone’s support. You know what I’m capable of, so I sure as hell didn’t need help.”

“I’m sorry–”

“Save your meaningless apologies to yourselves.” I hit again and again, relishing in the sight of his body writhing in pain. He groans, begging me to stop, even though he knows it's a futile attempt. Every inch of his skin turns red.

Good. He deserves to suffer.

After a few more hits, I drop the belt. He breathes heavily with his eyes starting to close from exhaustion. His arms are giving up on him. But I have only just begun.

I go to the table where all the devices used for torture are kept and pick up brass knuckles before putting them on. I lower his body slightly to give me better access. But before I can make my first move I hear the knock on the doors.

Who can it be now?

But my question is answered when the door opens and Lara enters. Shit.

Her face instantly fills with horror as she sees the sight in front of him with one brother being punished while the other is the monster she is never supposed to see.

“Oh, God,” she rasps and her eyes fill with tears. “Theo… M-Macsen… What is going on?”

I stalk towards her, hating to see my sister take a few steps back from me in fear until we both are in the hallway. I close the door behind me and stand in front of her with a stone-cold look.

“What are you doing here?” I ask instead.

“I-I heard guards talking and I saw your car but… Theo… why–”

“He betrayed me,” I state.

She shakes her head in shock and sympathy painted on her face. “He is our brother, Macsen. How can you do that to him? He is literally bleeding–”

I get close to her face pointing a finger at her. “Do not interfere in matters that don't concern you, Lara. Go back and pretend you didn’t see anything.”

Disbelief replaces her expression as if she can’t understand who is standing in front of her. “Let him go, Macsen. He needs serious help from the doctor.”

“He will live until I make him beg for death.”

“What is wrong with you? What has he even done to be treated like this?” she screams at me, something she has never done before. And my heart hurts just thinking of my sister and how this is affecting her. How this will affect my mother.

But I can’t just let it go.

I just can’t.

“It’s none of your fucking business.”

She is quiet for a fleeting moment as if trying to process the situation before she speaks again. “Whatever he did, family is important. You’ve taught me that. He was there for you from day one. He helped you every step of the way when you took over the Firm. Whatever happened, he’s family. Our brother.”

“Family means nothing to him. So I’m showing him just how little he means to me.”

“You have to stop this madness, Macsen. Please let him go before you end up doing something you will regret.”

“The only thing I would regret is letting him go. Go back and don’t tell mum about it.”

“She will know what you are doing and then you’ll have to stop.”

I shake my head. “No, Lara. Not this time. Nothing is going to save Theo from the tortures I will be putting him through day and night. He deserves it for betraying me.”

I turn to leave when her words stop me again.

“If I betrayed you like Theo, would you kill me, too?” she asks in a hushed tone.

Dread fills me, making my heart pound faster than ever. “Don’t ask such stupid questions. Theo and you aren't the same. I know well you won’t ever betray me.”

“You never expected Theo to do it, and yet he did.”

“Stop sticking your nose into this and leave,” I mutter, and without waiting for her response, I head back inside and shut the door. A new thought appears in my head and I fill a bucket with freezing cold water.

His eyes are closed but he doesn’t stay long like that as I throw it on him to wake him up. My head spins with ideas that will perhaps show him at least a little bit of what Davina must have felt on the night of the attack.

She relished those torturous moments day and night all alone. And Theo triggered it furthermore with his actions.

All for what?

He takes a deep and heavy inhale of air. His face and body dripping with water as his eyes look around frantically.

I stand in front of him and adjust the brass knuckles.

“Time for round two,” I grin.

And the journey continues as I hit him. His groans and cries are like a melancholy symphony in my ears.

This is what he deserves.

This is what he gets for betraying me. For trying to take away Davina from me. I know this won’t bring her back to me. The mistrust still exists in her mind, making the pain in my heart much worse.

However, Davina falling for the lies put in front of her is something I did not expect. And it is also a form of betrayal… deception.

Betrayal is an inherent love. No amount of pain can ever be compared to the agony you feel when someone you love betrays you. It makes you fall into the trap of hope just to destroy you from within.