Present Day
This fucking hurt.
And he couldn't pretend it didn't. Tess might be okay giving into the pain but he'd realized quickly that he didn't want to give this asshole any more satisfaction than he was already getting, and that was already a lot. But that just gave him more of a reason to keep it together.
Because the son of a bitch remembered where he'd cut Tess.
And was thoroughly enjoying deciding where to cut him in response.
Jay had heard the term death by a thousand cuts before, who hadn't, though of course it had been Tess who'd told him the history behind it. It was called lingchi, the slow slicing of the body over an extended period of time which inevitably ended in death, and apparently had been a form of execution started in tenth century China for especially heinous crimes like treason, or, he hoped, torturing and eating people because this prick really deserved a taste of his own medicine. That wasn't exactly what Volya was doing to him, he was cutting him all over his body but he wasn't removing anything, just making tiny incisions that went just deep enough into his muscle to sting without immobilizing him. Because he wanted him to be able to move. He liked it when his body shook with the pain, though he honestly couldn't tell if he preferred it more when he was able to hold it in or when he couldn't. Sick son of a bitch probably liked the moment his victims lost the battle the best.
He didn't consider himself a victim, especially when he'd volunteered for this but he did know he was getting closer to giving him what he wanted. Not that it would happen anytime soon but he could see how he would get there; how the toll of all these little cuts would sap his energy, especially once he really got started. Volya had had Tess for just under four hours she'd told him and he'd already been here for one by his guess, an hour and a half, two hours max if he counted them getting him here, wherever here was.
Did Tess know?
Probably. He hadn't noticed the special contact lenses he was wearing. He just hoped she wasn't watching any of this. Or much since there was no way she wouldn't watch some. It was definitely twisted that he was torn between hoping she turned up soon and hoping he got to experience more of her pain but the feel of cool metal running along his dick reminded him to be careful what he wished for.
"You didn't cut her there." Jay said lowly, a warning other people might have heeded but it just made The Butcher grin wider.
"Spend a lot of time down there huh? I did too." He replied with a wink and he hadn't ever wanted to kill someone more, not even the man who had taken that from her.
But when this asshole started smiling, sniffing like he remembered what she smelt like, which better be all he knew, he swore he'd kill him for it.
"But they're little cuts- they fade. That's why I gave her the big one." Volya continued, evidently deciding it was time for him to get the complementary one as he put down his scalpel and picked up a serrated blade. "This will hurt."
"Higher up."
The big man blinked at him and for the first time Jay was able to shoot him a genuine smirk. "You cut her higher up. It's okay if you forgot. Or if you just feel bad because my dick is bigger than you- ahh!"
He couldn't hold back his shout when he grabbed his dick, or his panic that he would actually cut it off. He was sure that if he could get a hold of Tess then he would, and then cut her the same way, but thankfully the knife slashed against his thigh. Deep into the muscle where he knew he'd be able to feel it long after it healed, but that was okay. It was exactly what she'd gone through, what he deserved to experience.
And it gave him just enough momentum that as Volya stepped back he was able to kick that grin off his face.
He was backhanded for it but it was worth it, especially when he saw the effort the other man had to put in to calm himself when he started laughing. He was starting to understand the recklessness Tess had, how enjoyable it was to watch someone lose their shit at your sass, how willing that made you to get a little more hurt. It also turned out to be really great timing because while he was turned away that little trap door in the corner exploded, startling him further back before he whirled around to the staircase as the sound of automatic gunfire started sounding upstairs. A lot of gunfire. As if it was in slow motion he watched as Volya went to charge at the hole in the floor but he was just a few seconds too late to stop the grappling hook that shot into the ceiling, or Tess as she was pulled out his reach.
And as she too kicked him in the face.
His fucking girl.
After that everything sped up, Volya hadn't fallen far so Tess was still on the other side of the room but thankfully he'd always enjoyed doing pull-ups so it wasn't hard to get himself down now he wasn't being monitored. And as if she was guiding him, which he supposed she had as he dropped he used one of her moves to trip their tormentor as he went to rush her, popping his thumb from its joint so he could slip out of the rope binding his hands. And then they fought. The hardest fight he'd ever been in and as sure as he'd always been in his skills he knew if he hadn't spent the last year training with Tess he wouldn't have been able to hold his own. Would have been the liability she'd always worried about. But he had spent the last year training, not just his body but his mind so when the moment finally came he didn't hesitate. When Volya knocked him down and Tess slid one of those blades across the floor he cut so deep into The Butchers calf muscles that the giant faltered. And with a hard kick in his ass he sent him closer to Tess who threw her hand out in the move she'd been practicing for weeks, seamless as she ripped out a part of his spine.
Not a dick, but that would come.
Pleased with the vengeance rushing through him Jay pushed himself to his feet and finished him off by slitting his throat, the cut on his palm burning with the fulfilled promise. Blood for blood. But it was spilt now and the only thing he cared about was getting Tess in his arms, surprised they were shaking as much as his own before he realized how stupid that was. Just because she'd saved the day didn't mean she hadn't been terrified she wouldn't but when he pulled back just enough to look her over he saw that while she had been scared it wasn't her dominant emotion. Those were love and awe and pride. For him.
Because she had always known what he was capable of but now he'd proved it. To her, to his team who soon rushed down and most importantly to himself. He could do this. They could do this.
They could win.
They would.
"Alright, if both of you could avoid getting hurt for the next little while, I would personally appreciate it."
He gave his brother as reassuring a look as he could but despite his own attempt at a smile his pinched face made it clear they'd freaked him out. He'd been worried enough when Derek Keyes had taken him but while he'd been held for longer that time and the extent of the injuries were on par bruises were a lot easier to look at than cuts. Particularly when you were looking at someone you loved. He'd have to make sure they got a minute alone to talk so he could assure him he was really okay. For now Tess took on that role, leaving his side for the sixth time since they'd gotten to the hospital, and the other five times only because he wasn't the only one who'd gotten hurt. Both Kim and Kevin had gotten hit taking out the Bratva head, along with five patrol officers.
Two of whom hadn't made it.
That was always the worst part. Getting hurt was easy- watching other people take the hits not so much.
Once she was done comforting his brother, and once he'd left he gave his girl a sweet smile, holding it even when her own went wry. "What're the chances you're going to break me out of here?"
"Tomorrow?" She asked as she fluffed the blankets she'd already adjusted three times. "Pretty much a hundred percent. Tonight? Not a fucking chance."
"Then up you come."
With a mercifully short but still very cautious look at the bandages covering him, fair since this situation was usually reversed Tess kicked off her shoes and climbed onto the bed. She was careful as she maneuvered herself on top of him but once she lay down she sank into him, trembling as she finally let go of all the worry she'd been holding in.
For a few minutes he was content to just hold her but when her grip didn't relax he started gently stroking one hand down her hair, the other holding one of hers. "Are you okay?"
"I've been thinking, about what you said about me putting you on the bench."
Ah.
"You were right, that I've been keeping you there. But… I didn't put you there." She said cautiously, back to looking him over, those beautiful blue eyes certain but sad. As she had every right to be.
Because she hadn't.
He had.
"When I decided not to go after you."
"When you decided not to join the agency." She countered with a small headshake and that one little sentence both threw everything he'd been thinking out the window and put all the rest into perspective. "I thought… I thought that meant that you didn't want to fight with me. And I never cared, but I- I used that to convince myself that you didn't want to."
"I have always wanted to fight with you." Jay said softly, grateful when she curled back up against his chest but still fighting off frustration that he'd never realized how far back this went- it seemed like it didn't go as deep as he thought which was great, but his misunderstanding still stung.
Just one more, but like all the others it would heal.
"But you're right. I didn't want to be in that fight. But I do now."
"I know. And if I can change my mind then you can too." Tess replied with a sure nod, the sadness in her eyes replaced with softness as she grabbed his face and gave him a firm kiss that had the monitors beeping louder.
That was his girl.
She made a pleased noise and curled her fingers tighter in his hair, breathing him in deeply when he nestled his beneath her chin. "My boy."
His and hers.
Theirs.
