Deadly Obsession - Chapter 4 (Patreon)

2 Years Later

I walk into the house from another successful job heading straight for the basement. After that night all those years ago, I began working for different people outside of the mafia. I can’t work in the same area as my father. Not when I’m trying to get out.

Once I got older and stronger, my parent’s shifted their attention from me to Charlie. Especially since I am rarely around, and they have him chained to that wall. I make my way silently down the steps flipping the switch that illuminates the basement. I round the corner just in time to see Charlie hastily lowering his shirt. When he looks at me, his eyes light up and a smile crosses his face.

“You’re back!” he says. His voice is still soft and higher than it should be at his age. I can only attribute his lack of puberty from the abuse and malnourishment.

While his body has grown in length, his muscle is nowhere to be found. His features have matured just as I expected. Feminine. It’s like a said when I first laid eyes on him. He would be a pretty boy when he grew up. I feel bad that he’s stuck down here, never able to experience what it is to even be in a woman. But I will change that soon. Very soon.

My eyes drift to his curly locks. For some reason my mother has let them grow so his hair is longer than normal. My rage spikes as I take in the collar that has him chained to the wall. He can’t move when my parents attack him. He’s chained in one spot. And he’s been that way for two years. Never seeing the sun or the outdoors.

“I brought you some stuff,” I say sitting down in front of him. I pull out a new shirt and some chocolate. His eyes light up and he grabs the chocolate bar, tearing into it, but completely ignores the new, clean shirt. I eye him trying to figure out where his mind is.

His blue eyes meet mine and he looks at me in confusion once he notices my expression.

“What?” he asks.

I point to the shirt.

“You don’t want to change?” I ask.

He slows his chewing and looks at the shirt. Sadness and fear flash across his face before he covers it up to look nonchalant. He shrugs.

“I will later,” he says.

I narrow my eyes at him but don’t push the issue. The shirt he’s in is filthy and tattered, the color almost brown from the dirt and grime. He never changes in front of me. In fact, he’s been acting more than strange as of late. And I have no idea why. My operations keep me away from home longer and longer each time. And each time I’d come back he’s different in more way than one.

“When’s the last time you ate?” I ask.

He still avoids eye contact with me shrugging. I let out an irritated sigh. He never wants to talk about what is being done to him, or how he can possibly escape. He’s closed off.

“Tell me about your last job,” he says.

I watch him, and see the twinkle behind his eyes. He’s genuinely interested in hearing everything, including the bloody details. Or maybe it’s the fact that he gets to hear about the outside world.

I explain to him everything that happened, good and bad during the trip. He sits quietly, listening to everything that I say while watching me with that intense gaze. The room is silent when I finish my story, and Charlie lowers his eyes, the light I see there slowly dimming.

“Are you ok?” I ask. He looks at me in shock.

“Yeah, why?”

“You’re acting strange,” I say. He quirks a brow at me.

“No I’m not. When are you leaving again?” he asks.

“Next week.” Disappointment is obvious on his face.

“How bad is it?” I ask.

“It’s really just your mother. She hates me now.” I look back towards the stairs before looking back to Charlie.

“I’m going to kill them. This month. And we’re going to be free. You’ll be able to go back to your family,” I say.

He looks at me and I see no hope in his eyes. Not even a little. He’s broken.

“Romelo. Let’s not kid ourselves. You can’t overpower them both. And I’m too weak to even help. You’ve still got to get stronger... So much stronger. You can’t fight them both. And you can’t let me hold you back.”

He looks down. And I see the tears falling.

“I’ve already accepted it, Romelo. It’s time you do the same.”

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