Dear Ex Wife Please take me back by The Every Woman

ATHENA

"OH MY GOD!" I let out a scream as I step into the empty room.

Tied to a chair and beaten to a pulp is Arnold.

His face is barely recognizable. He's bruised, bloodied, swollen to the point where one eye is completely shut. Dried blood cakes his temple and lip. His breathing is shallow, wheezing with every inhale like it hurts to be alive.

"How is this possible?" My voice is shaking both from fear and frustration.

If the one we thought had it is here, then who has the damn box!

"It can be anyone!" Luca runs his hand through his hair. "Fuck!" His eyes start to slowly darken as anger starts to wrap around him, making me take a step back.

He has the face of someone who doesn't want to relax until someone is on the floor, bloody and broken.

But Arnold's already there.

Honestly I mirror his anger. I'm actually getting more pissed off by the second. It's like someone is toying with us and it's starting to get fucking annoying.

"Who the hell did this to him?" I whisper, my eyes darting around the room. No signs of forced entry. No bodies. Just this... brutal aftermath.

"I don't know," Luca growls. "But they left him alive for a reason."

I glance down at Arnold again. His fingers twitch weakly. Whatever fight he had left is long gone.

But we need answers, and fast.

I kneel beside the battered man, my fingers already reaching into the inner pocket

of my coat where I keep a few emergency tools.

"What are you doing?" Luca asks, watching me.

"Waking him up." I grab a pen from my coat and flick the cap off, exposing the sharp metal clip inside. "The carotid pressure point... right here-"

Before Luca can stop me, I stab the thin metal tip right under Arnold's jawlin deep enough to shock his system without hitting any fatal nerves.

Arnold jerks up violently in the chair with a scream that echoes off the concrete walls.

"FUCK!" he roars, thrashing as much as the ropes allow.

"You crazy bitch! What the hell-"

"You're welcome for not letting you die, asshole." I snap, grabbing his jaw and forcing him to look at me.

"You stupid motherfucker!" Luca growls, storming forward. "Do you have any idea of the damage you've caused? The people you've endangered? I should skin your ass alive!"

Arnold spits out blood and smirks through the pain, "Then why don't you go

Be the psycho

near his gun, but I put a hand

That's what

nostrils flare,

box?" I

bloody grin

"Go fuck yourself."

Wrong answer.

hard, right across

"Try again."

again, short

it in

I lean down slowly, letting him see the rage flickering

my bag. One I grabbed from

"It's synthetic capsaicin. Basically pepper spray... on fire. And it burns like a bitch when it touches skin. Everytime you see your sorry ass in the mirror, you'll

for the

"You wouldn't-"

can finish, I pour a few drops on

from his throat is like nothing I've ever heard. Pure agony. His body writhes,

"AHHHH! YOU LITTLE... FUCK!"

calmly, holding the vial over

"I don't have the box! I gave

"Who?" Luca barks.

Arnold's chest heaves.

was supposed to use it for my election

me. You can see

impatience in his

don't know. Check

on as his body slumps in the chair again, steam

come with an ambulance." I announce

Luca's phone vibrates.

it out, glances at

ask, my voice suddenly small.

as I hope it's not what I think

don't

doesn't look at

to move.

twists.

jaw clenches,

meets my gaze, his voice in

a lot

moving on to plan B. Alex's heart stopped. They had to resuscitate him Twice. They don't know how long

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