Marked For Ruin

The cover

He watched him, like a predator watched their pray. The lights flickered due to poor connection and the man began to visibly sweat. The man was tied to an old chair, thick ropes holding him confined. Like an animal, which to him he was. He surveyed the damage his men had done, multiple teeth were missing, fingers and arms broken and multiple gashing on his body. They had done a good job, it was unfortunate he needed him breathing. It wouldnt be long though. And then he could be rid of the scum that was slowly bleeding on to his floors. Traitors were lucky if they got death, and yet he couldn't wait to give it to this man. He wanted him to pay, he betrayed him. And no one fucked with him. Certainly not this cunt. He felt a smile creep onto his face. Yes this man would definitely pay.

He hadn't always been like this, this bloodthirsty. He had been an honest farm boy, going by the name Henry johnson then. But even that was fake. He wasnt born with that name but rather given it when he was taken from his mother. He knew now that his birth name was Micheal Gray, not that he went by that either. He wasnt ready to meet the past. If he was honest he was afraid of what the past would mean for him and what he would find. Not that he would ever admit that out loud. So he fashioned a new name, Reginald Strazdin, a businessman and gangster.
He had left that village, the one that acted like a giant cage, he was too smart, too ambitious to stay in the mind numbing country side. So he packed and left like a thief in the night. And he didnt regret it one bit. He would do it again if given the chance. He loved his life. He loved the money, the power and respect. It hadn't been easy, for the first few months he had been sleeping rough, avoiding coppers who were on the look out for him and pinching food from neglected market stalls. But he had made it. Reggie, had worked as an accountant for a large beer import, yes he had been young but he was smart. And brains got you far in his line of work. He had found out that the partners of the import had been embezzling.  He remembered the day, the day which changed him. If he was being poetic he would say it was the day he crossed the line, chose what kind of life he wanted. Instead of taking his findings to Mark Adam's ( the owner of the import) he took his findings to the company behind the crime, southampton distillery. He had black mailed them, yes they had held a gun to his head but his copys of his findings were hidden and the company would never find them all. So in turn for his silence thet gave him more money than he knew what to do with.
From there things had grown, escalated really. He found himself with men older than him working under his order, he was dealing and importing opium and snow, and managing high end whore houses. He was building an empire. Having only just turned 18 he had to admit he was doing very well for himself. And he didnt plan on stopping. Not yet.
A whimper bought him out of reminisces. He turned his gaze back to the traitor. Dylan Crow. One of the only people who knew of Reggies past. Who had given information out too freely. Who had put his cover at risk. He pulled the gag out of Dylans mouth and the man gasped for air. " I didnt mean to, I swear it Reg. I thought all the documents had been destroyed." He rattled on. Desperate for reggie to believe him. He didnt want to die. Reggie sighed. He could feel his anger bubbling beneath the surface of skin. Was this man fucking thick or something?
" obviously fucking not! He growled out, his eyes glinting dangerously. A peakyblinder had turned up at his old house trying to find him. He wasnt just any peakyblinder he was Thomas fucking shelby. "I dont know how he found them."begged Dylan.
Reggie had ordered him to destroy his past he didnt want anyone finding him. Not till he was ready. "It doesn't matter how. He fucking found them. You didnt do job." He snapped back. "You betrayed me. I trusted you to get them fucking destroyed and you failed!" When the last word came out his mouth he snapped forward. And swiped his knife along Dylans neck. He watched him gasp as the blood poured out until he stopped breathing. Reggies sighed. What a fucking mess. He ran his hand through his hair as he turned on his heel and stormed up the stair. His men were waiting outside the door. " sort the mess out!" He snapped. "Feed him to the fucking pigs. No mess. No body"