LILY'S POV.I stirred to the feel of my hair caressing my face, the strangeness immediately hitting me out of nowhere; for the last I remembered, I wasn't supposed to be alive.And why was the ceiling a beautiful white design, or was it just my sight blurring from all the pain dancing in my skull?I winced, shutting my eyes, and when I opened them again, thankfully, my sight had cleared, and yeah, the ceiling wasn't mine. This was a very, very strange place.Although My brain felt void, I knew I was in a place I wasn't supposed to be.What had happened? I looked down at the light blue floral dress that stopped at the middle of my lap; I drew myself up in a sitting position, puzzlement nudging as I looked around.This place, the air, seemed too expensive.Where was I?The last I remembered was the shooting in the church, Enzo's blood seeping out of the crimson hole at the side of his head to the floor, I felt my body tremble as I slowly dropped my wobbly legs to the floor, my fingers
AUTHOR'S POV (ADLER.)He knew she was recollecting, her face dawning in recognition as more minutes passed but still staring at him in unbelief.For a moment, he thought she couldn't remember that afternoon years ago because she was someone who would jump at any opportunity to offer help to just anyone.So maybe their case wasn't that special.But she did; she kept him in her memories just like he had kept her in his, but maybe not as much as he had held her, like seeing her in his dreams, having nightstands with girls that had her features.It never gave him that fill, that thrill he had gotten lying under the shed, his head resting against a pile of bags she had gathered, for him while she continued to try to pry the gun out of his hands."Stai per premere il grilletto su te stesso!" She'd chided. You're about to pull the trigger on yourself.And even as he lay there fighting for his life, he remembered the only reason he had refused to let the gun go was so she kept repeating that
LILY'S POV.The fear I had felt waking up and seeing this place was gone, in its place, was a worry for Eva, but immediately I had spat out my concern; Adler and Rune left the room. Adler returned an hour later to tell me he had dispatched soldiers to the house, and Eva would be okay till I came to collect her.I didn't know which I thought was weirder, a man who seemed to hold all the hardness in the world, being this gentle with me, or that he had searched for me for seven years because of a one-day save.The day I lost my father, which was my fault, was a secret I was willing to keep with me until I died.Rune was gone, and Adler, after receiving a phone call, left too. I was left alone with Salvatore, whose relaxed demeanour was the opposite of my continuous fidgeting."You're in safe hands, Lily, wouldn't be the case if it was another human," a faint smile appeared on his lips, "But once it's you, Adler loses all of his psychos."I drew my knees under my chin, watching him speak
Author's POV (SALVATORE.)***"Adler fucking had a spark in his eyes from just watching her" Rune took a swig straight from the bottle, his forehead still creased in confusion as it had been since he saw Lily in the church, "You think it's normal?"Priest placed his cup under the coffee maker, frowning inwardly, fighting the urge to tell Rune it was just too early to be swearing and getting himself drunk.This meant he had to be the one in charge of driving, for no matter what, it was his religious duty to care for a full-grown adult who decided there was no care in this world for him.He and Rune, it was a wonder they stayed this long as friends when all they did was hate each other's choices, like how Rune had forced on him the name 'Priest' when he had clamoured to go to the seminary at age fifteen.He had always felt there was life for him in the priesthood, but his father was having none of that, and his ways of having his son focus on replacing him as Consigliere wasn't a memory
The smallest hall in Dimitri's residence had been transformed into a solemn mourning room. The only sounds that broke the silence were the hushed whispers of a few bodyguards near the doorway.Decorated with flowers, from windows to the roof, the pleasant scent didn't match the atmosphere.At the head of the room, with her hands resting flat on a black with golden rimmed closed coffin, was a middle-aged woman; this woman was Enzo's mother.Her eyes were reddened, her lush black hair was a brushed mess, and while her fingers trembled on the surface of the death bed, where her son's picture stood, the rest of her body was motionless.Clad in a flowing black dress, her countenance appeared devoid of tears, yet her face bore the anguish of her heart like an open book.With an audible creak, the large doors swung open behind her. In response, she raised her chin, straightened her posture, and spat out, "I made it clear that I wanted to be left alone."When there was no response, she looked
(SALVATORE)Priest saw Domenico's forehead creased, and the unbelief in his dead cold eyes was opened for all to see.How could Adler even think that would work on his father? Since Adler's mother died, the two could never stay in the same room without a confrontation.Adler's immense disdain for his father was such that he adamantly refused to be associated with him, save for the shared trait of their green eyes. Apart from this singular similarity, they had nothing else in common and preferred to remain far apart.Adler did not doubt that the Boss deserved his respect, considering he was his father. However, they understood the importance of never crossing paths, avoiding prolonged eye contact, and refraining from sharing the same roof.Priest knew it was all about to change.Domenico drew closer, bringing his face within inches of Adler's, his fist tightly clenched by his side. However, Adler remained steadfast, resolute in his stance as a formidable barrier in his father's path.
LILY'S POV.He turned in the knob, letting me walk in, my hands wrapped around my shoulders, still chilled from what I had just witnessed.How did they all stay calm at the sight of a near murder? That man had a gun pointed at his son's face, and his finger had rested on the trigger, his eyes dead, ready to put a hole in Adler's head.And Adler had done nothing. I could hear the grin in his voice as he urged his father to do his worst; my heart was in my mouth, and my breath cut off as I eavesdropped.When the Boss had asked I be brought to put an end to Adler's disobedience, at that moment, I saw my life flash before my eyes. It didn't help that I traced out the worry in Salvatore's too.After he entered, he shut the door, twisting the lock, before turning to look at me, already seated on the bed."You shouldn't have seen that." His back rested against the door as if he, seeing my fear, had understood that I needed the space. "Don't let it scare you," For a Don, he was sensitive, H
(ADLER)What had he done?He raked his fingers through his hair, walking down the hallway, silently past doors, and on a long red rug leading towards the room at the far end.In the room with her, her question had struck him. She had asked who he was, asking if every damn thing he showed her during the last few days their paths had crossed was a fake.Adler would have answered if he knew. How was he to tell her he was a self-absorbed human who couldn't get his thoughts across without involving a gun?How could he tell her he spent the last few days staring at his bed, wishing she was in it, writhing, and screaming his name?How could he tell her he wanted her hands tied above her head while he felt her, kissed her, tasted her?Was this some witchery? He had always had a thing for her, wanting to find her, and now that he had, what next?Hopefully, she didn't decide one day to leave; else, it might just be a kidnap situation. For the first time in his life, he was afraid, afraid a da