Torment

by Leanne Wood

  Daniel checked the front door was locked then kept a hold of Bridget’s hand as they made their way back to the bedroom. Once in bed Bridget snuggled into his chest. He wrapped his arms around her. She could feel his gentle breath. She could feel the warmth of his body. She focused on the soft scent of lavender that sat in the oil burner. She closed her eyes and drifted back to sleep.

  CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE

  “I

  don’t care what you think, and I certainly don’t give a rat’s arse if she’s in tears. You both work for me and I don’t do pity parties,” Edward Wolf yelled. He sucked in another breath and continued. “Her dead aunt means nothing to me. If she can’t get her shit together, then piss her off. Performance review her arse out of there. You know you have my support. These bitches just want to ruin our lives. Why do they even want to work in business?” He smashed his fist down on his desk. “Women are good for only two things! Fucking and fucking off. Do it!” He slammed the phone onto his office desk and peered towards his masseuse.

  “Good afternoon, Mr Wolf. My—”

  “Yes, yes Simon. You are here for my massage. How long should it take? I have a dinner engagement,” he snapped, cutting the greeting short. The telephone rang again, and Wolf snatched at the receiver.

  “What is it now?” he yelled. “I don’t care what the Union says or does. I want them gone. This is my business and I’ll run it how I want. It’s been three months since I got rid of that bloody Pierre Rainer and those other two morons. I am not going to start this again.”

  He smashed the receiver down then turned his attention to his masseuse. “How long?” he said, and looked at his watch.

  “I wouldn’t be worried about your dinner. It will all be over by then,” his masseuse replied nervously. “If you would like to undress we can get started. I’ll set the table up over here and give you a minute. Please strip down and remove all clothing and jewellery. Just leave your underwear on and lie down on the bed; face up and with the towel over your waist.”

  The conversation continued as Wolf de-robed. “Is there anything in particular you would like me to work on?”

  “Yes, my shoulders and neck have been giving me grief. I have so many headaches I have to deal with,” he snorted.

  “No worries there, when I’ve finished with you, you won’t have anything to worry about.”

  “Good man. That’s what I like to hear.”

  Unfolding the table his masseuse ensured all the locking pins were in place. The last thing he wanted was for the table to collapse. He hoped it would withstand the weight. Mr Wolf had been described as a big man – he’d seen photos of him – but in real life he appeared bigger. In fact, he would have been classed as morbidly obese. Wolf reminded him of Jabba the Hutt, from Star Wars; a large slug-like alien, a cross between a toad and a Cheshire cat. Jabba had made him feel ill while watching Star Wars. Edward Wolf had the same effect. He was loud, abrupt, rude and obnoxious. Edward Wolf used his size to intimidate and bully. Thin-framed glasses, perched on his snub nose, highlighted his dark, soulless eyes.

  Wolf kicked off his shoes. He strained to reach his socks. Undoing his belt, his trousers dropped to the floor. Loose coin jingled in his pocket.

  “When my fiancée found out you were my client, she was so excited. She knows so much about you and how you built such a powerful empire. You see we only—”

  Wolf scoffed. “Women, you had better watch out. Before too long she’ll have you by the short and curlies.”

  “Not my beautiful girl, she knows exactly what she wants. We’re soul mates.”

  “Soul mates,” Wolf grunted, as he climbed onto the massage table. “Surely you don’t believe in that gobbledygook,” he said, groaning as he straightened his body. “Come on then man. I don’t have all day, Simon.”

  His masseuse slowly poured oil on his hands, shaking his head as he approached Wolf’s blubbering mass. He gritted his teeth trying to shrug off his remarks. The man was arrogant, egotistical and a borderline narcissist. You patronising prick, you can’t even get my name right.

  The man was definitely morbidly obese. Fully clothed was bad enough. Undressed he was sickening. Repulsive.

  “So you say your woman admires me,” Wolf said, between wheezing breaths.

  “Well she does know a lot about you. She said she’d like to meet you one day. You’re very successful.”

  “Well she is right in that regard. That’s because I get what I want, I always get what I want.” Wolf’s belly jiggled when he spoke. “The power of persuasion. The power of the almighty dollar. A push here. A shove there. A man can get anything he wants in life. Business is like war; you have to be extremely tactical. Make your enemy believe you’re willing to work together and then when they least expect it wipe them out of existence. Squash them like a bug.”

  “Don’t you think about their families? Doesn’t your conscience keep you awake at night?”

  “Awake…?” Wolf burst into laughter. “I sleep like a baby. My business is booming. The best thing I ever did was branch out into Asia. Cheap, those little slanty-eyed creatures are so cheap and gullible. I can make so much money and all I have to do is pay them peanuts. I love my tax-deductible business trips,” he said with a moan as the masseuse’s fingers dug into pale flesh. “Those young girls are quite the reward. They’ll do anything. Sit here. Bend there. Suck that. Stroke this. Come to daddy. Oh, I love those girls. That’s where a woman’s place is, not in the bloody workplace driving us crazy. No wonder I have a fucken headache.”

  “Not for much longer. I’m going to fix that up for you,” his masseuse replied, as he tried to focus on his job at hand.

  Leaning forward he worked his fingers deep into the top of his shoulders. His pressure increased. Wolf groaned.

  “What about your wife, doesn’t she miss you when you go away for business?”

  “Give her the plastic card. Let her shop. She wouldn’t know the difference,” Wolf laughed.

  “ Besides, I make sure I always get what I want.”

  “Yes well I guess if you work hard enough then people do get what they deserve, eventually. Now, if you’d like to roll over and place your face in the hole. I’ll just wipe my hands and move onto your neck. It shouldn’t take much longer.”

  “Oh, good man.”

  His masseuse scurried to his bag. He knew Edward Wolf lacked patience. Leaning down, he grabbed his towel and wiped away the excess oil from his hands. He glanced over his shoulder; Wolf repositioned himself with a grunt. Pale rolls of fat covered the massage table; a body that reflected years of gluttony and greed. Quickly, he removed the sterile pouch from the bag and returned to the massage table. A disposable mix of plastic and a zirconium nitride was all he needed. Edge retention and enhanced lubricity was vital. He checked the time. I can’t wait to get out of here.

  Wolf coughed and spluttered then muttered indecipherable words through the face-hole. “What was your name again? I’ve been calling you Simon, but he was my last masseuse,” he asked as he dropped his hands down by his side.

  The footsteps returned. Wolf puffed and grunted, as he struggled to clear his throat. He could see feet on the floor near his head. He felt the pressure of one palm at the top of his head. His neck tilted back. His eyes closed. He released a loud sigh.

  “My name is Daniel… but you can call me Danny. Oh and I have a message for you…” he said. “Bridget Tilner said to tell you she wins.”

  Edward Wolf’s head was yanked backwards, and with a sweeping arc, sliced cleanly. Blood gushed to the floor as Wolf’s body convulsed. His arms flapped then dropped. Gurgling filled the room, getting quieter and quieter.

  Silence.

  CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO

  N

  erves began to take hold as Bridget scanned the car park. Come on, where are you? Closing her eyes, she wiped sweat from her brow, and began to pray as she picked at her nails. Please, Daniel, please be okay. Time appeared t
o stand still, her breathing heavy. Why is he taking so long? Bridget had bestowed the honour of executing Wolf upon Daniel. It was his bonus for excellence in the field, with one condition attached; he had to return with a souvenir. A small trophy would remind them of their success, and Bridget was confident he would not disappoint. It was a risk, but without risk there would be no reward, no ultimate high.

  Being with Daniel was like riding a magnificent roller coaster. The initial move had been the hardest; her life shrouded by fear, the anticipation of taking that first vital step of empowerment. The sense of dread in her stomach as doubt momentarily crept in. Self-reassurance compelled her forward, positive self-talk that everything would be okay. Click, click, click, that treacherous climb had begun. Images of Pierre’s restrained body flashed through her mind. Surrounded by the wild ocean, he had been drugged, bashed, threatened, and restrained – screaming, and fearing the unknown; an unwilling passenger, but it was her roller coaster and she was in control.

  After the initial thrill of revenge things had slowed, there was a moment to breathe, and to assess – that moment at the top of the ride. Things are about to take off; you know they will but are you prepared? Hostility rises from those trapped within your ride; oh how they want to get off but there will be no escape.

  Then the world falls out from under you. Gut-churning turmoil, ear piercing screams, your heart pounding as your life flings in an unexpected direction. You are catapulted forward, propelled into twists and turns, but you hang on, white-knuckled riding it. The only way is forward. Your hands ache, and nausea swirls, but you force yourself to keep your eyes open.

  Bridget clenched her hands, and grit her teeth as she recalled clinging onto the wooden box. She bit back bile, her eyes wide; seduced by the power, excited by the unknown.

  Before she knew it, that ride had finished, and she didn’t want it to be over. She enjoyed the feeling of adrenaline surging through her veins, revelled in the tonic of invigorating terror. It was euphoric. It took her to another realm. She needed the rush; the desire for power, and the hunger for perfection. It was addictive.

  Together, she and Daniel were capable of anything, of everything. They would improve the world, snuff out the evil. Her mind turned to Zack; his life posed a great threat. Threats to power were unacceptable. Then there was Suckadick; she was an adulterous slut, a poison to society. Both knew too much, their killings would be justified, the removal of cheating liars and whores would be her gift to humanity.

  Opening her eyes she smiled. Her mind was set and overwhelming relief streamed through her body as she spotted Daniel. White teeth sparkled from behind his glowing smile, and her body tingled as she rubbed her thighs together. A warm rush encased her body. Licking her lips, she could only imagine the prize he would present, and the details he would disclose.

  Daniel flung the passenger door open, and jumped in and dropped two gold cufflinks into Bridget’s waiting palm. “You did it! You did it!” she said.

  “I did it for you. I did it for us. At last the bastard’s dead.”

  Bridget began to giggle as she wriggled around in the drivers’ seat. “There were four and four did fall. Fuck them… fuck them all!” She squealed as her body shook. The result was better than she could have ever imagined. Daniel was a man of his word and Bridget loved him to the absolute core of her soul. The tenderness in his voice and the look of adoration in his eyes as he gazed into hers, there was no doubt her love was reciprocated. Together, they had beaten the odds, overcome obstacles, and accomplished all they had set out to do. They were unstoppable, a combination of charm and intelligence.

  She gripped the cufflinks tight. “Why thank you, my sweet, and now it’s my time to return the favour.” She giggled and messed with her hair.

  Daniel lent closer, his eyebrows raised as he waited for her to continue.

  “Do you want to play a game?” She paused; licked her lips. “I have ropes and knives.”

  Daniel nodded; fire alight in his eyes. “I’d love to play a game. Who are we going to play with?” “How about Zack and Suckadick?”

  Daniel nodded again, his breathing rapid with anticipation. Placing her key into the ignition Bridget started the car and drove out of Wolf Industries car park and into a bloodied and glorious future.

  “Next stop Sydney!”