LILY'Ladies and gentlemen, we apologize for the delay. We are experiencing technical difficulties, and our team is working hard to resolve the issue. Thank you for being so patient.'Hugging my bag, I inhaled deeply as the heartwarming scenarios in the train station engulfed me, sending waves of longing and nostalgia slamming in. A young couple, their faces radiating with love, shared a tender embrace as they bid each other farewell. Nearby, an elderly gentleman offered his seat to a pregnant woman, his kind smile lighting up her tired face as she settled in while he stood beside her, his attention in a newspaper. Each interaction filled the station with a warmth that melted away the frustration of the delay. Despite the chaos around me, there was a quiet beauty in these simple acts of kindness, I had always found joy in the smallest moments, so as I sat, nestled in a corner, my eyes fixed on the scenes unfolding before me, my sight began to blur. None of that changed, and I was
He shut the car door, "What did you think? That I will leave without you? "My mouth opened, but I couldn't get a single word out except deep-throated croaks despite the thousand thoughts running through my head. "Take all the time you need." He checked his watch, "We have a flight to catch in a couple of hours." He left me and poked his head in the front seat to speak to the driver. So back to Campania, I thought, taking the first step to Alessia's door, if I had a clue, that was all it took to change his mind. But then I never imagined returning to a place I swore never to set foot in, and even so, the manor?As I reached Alessia's door, I glanced back to see Adler leaning on the car, engrossed in his phone call, prompting me to question how patient he was willing to be. With a deep breath, I pressed the doorbell and waited."One moment!" Alessia called out, and soon after, the door swung open, revealing her. She froze at the sight of me. "Li... Lily?" she stammered, embracing me
RUNESmoke and dust cleared, and he winced, damn... The outcome was more horrific than he calculated he wasn't gonna lie. The crates toppling over on the other side of the warehouse had him rolling his eyes until they almost hit the back of his head; by God, she was so dramatic.What was she screaming about? Was she thinking she could take on five men three times her size and mass? Maybe she could, but that was going to take ten times the time they would need to bury a bullet in her head.He crouched against the metal aid holding the ceiling, staring closely at the toppled crates at the far end of the warehouse, and sang, "Kyra?"She showed up almost immediately, face reddened and sizzling inside; Rune sighed; how much he missed he... Annoying the fuck out of her, he corrected as he suppressed his heartbeat, flipping out of proportion.Walking up to the corpses sprawled on the floor, not even betraying as much as a fling at the horror that lay on her feet, she looked up and snarled,
SALVATOREWhen there was a gathering that involved making a circle around a weak and wounded person, he knew he was about to sniff the faint whiff of blood and listen to the agony of the newest enemy Domenico had his hands on. None of which were his favorite things to do.But what he never expected was Rune to be dragged into their center, half-conscious, the hair on the back of his head matted with blood seeping down his neck.His stream of consciousness paused, and he held his breath, determined not to betray his emotions, especially under Domenico's watchful eye as he handled an AR-15. The older man had ulterior motives, and he wasn't willing to comply without a cost.Until he caught sight of Kyra behind him, seeing his sister shut her eyes against the sight of Rune had the organ in his chest aching in a way he never thought would. And what was that bruise on her face? Why was there a fucking cut on her lips?He looked back at Rune on the floor; the clothes he had on, covered in d
ADLER"... You will have no say in any decision-making or my authority," Adler recited from the notes he had prepared during the brief car ride to the Manor. "Additionally, Rune is receiving a promotion, and I am aware that one of the four disloyal Capos will have to be removed to make room for that, so choose who you want to let go."All remained as he had encountered it, except for the lack of the goons who had departed upon his orders, leaving the five of them still grappling with the tension that had nearly resulted in losses.He had made the right decision by asking Lily to wait in the car, and she had chosen wisely by not creating a fuse about it. Wait till he told them they owed their life to her.Salvatore's expression upon seeing him was far from welcoming. Perhaps relieved, yes, but the grand entrance failed to captivate him. They all had reason to be angry; he had observed their rising emotions and chose the last moment to reveal himself.Now that he thought of it, that was
ADLER.Just like he thought, she wasn't in the car when he went to get her, so pulling back into the manor, he raced to the stairs, hoping she wasn't in the room.There were many things he needed to get rid of, things that could set her off in a nanosecond. Things that could bring back memories in the blink of an eye.But when he pushed the door open, and it gave way immediately, he felt his stomach churn upon seeing her standing before the hung jewelry and observing its shimmer.Her father's pendant hung above her while she stared at it, rigid and unmoving.His heart pounded uncontrollably in his chest."Why didn't you get rid of it? Yeah, that question. Why didn't he get rid of it? Maybe it was because it was the last object that held her memory, or that was what he thought.Grief had erased the thought that the pendant had more to do with her father than her; all he thought was to be able to hold something, anything that spelled her name and carried her memories.When it got too qu
VITOThe last time they spoke, they told him they were working on his release."Working on it?" He had growled, standing up from the queen-sized bed he had been sitting on, "I've been in here for two weeks, and you're just working on it?!" "Sir," his lawyer stepped forward, "There isn't a case to be debated on when the evidence was served to them on a silver platter.""Oh shut the fuck up, Homer," he had snapped, " There is nothing a little more money can't solve. All it takes is the right amount of toppings to serve it out.":Exhausted, he rubbed against his forehead, " I need to get out of here before this becomes public knowledge.""So far, there is nothing out in the media. And with the judge's feedback, you'll be out of here in no time and even pick up from where you stopped in the election," his lawyer explained, voice so even it made him spite, he lost a lot, including their terror when they stood before him, " All I ask of you is to be patient. "He sighed. Maybe he was over
Predictably, he wasn't in bed when I woke up. Had it not been for the digital clock on the bedside table showing 8:48, I wouldn't have realized it was already that late, and I was still lying in bed.With a sigh, I descended from the bed and glanced at my reflection in the mirror across the room. My hair was messy, and I resembled an aurora from a discount store. Thankfully, Adler wasn't present to witness this calamity.Brushing my teeth and my hair, then tying the later in a tired bun, still in my pajamas, I stepped out of the room, moving down the stairs as memories slammed into me. Aside from that, I felt the familiar humidity in the air, pointing me towards a deja vu, I couldn't wrap my head around it no matter how I tried, but since nothing came, I shoved it aside.Descending the stairs and finding the sitting and dining areas empty, a frown creased my brow. Breakfast lay untouched on the table. Given what I knew about them, Rune would typically be an exception, even if no one e