GIOVANNI POV"You didn't do that, man," Theo said at the other end."I did," I murmured, taking a drag from the cigar in between my fingers."That's Diego's cousin." Theo reminded me."And?" I arched a brow. "My sister died because of that wimp. And I did what I got to do."I shrugged, walking to the window and peering out of it."You're calling for war, bro. Pulling a hit on his nephew isn't the right way to go about it. What if he isn't responsible? It's possible he's only there at the wrong time-""I don't care if he's not directly involved. He placed his dirty hands on Marcella." I said through clenched teeth.The video I had watched the other day and maybe more of him terrorising her each time. I had tried my best not to give in to my rage, but I couldn't.I couldn't overlook everything he had done, and watching him walk the university as if he fucking owned it.He had been hitting on Lilith, and to stop him from doing the same thing he did to Marcella, I had done what I needed t
LILITH POVHugging him felt so nice. His familiar manly cologne enveloped me, making me momentarily forget my ordeal and the reason I had come to school in the first place.I shouldn't enjoy being in his presence in this form, but I couldn't stop it on my own will. I was Raven. I was Lilith. What Raven felt, Lilith would do, too.I was stupidly in love with someone who didn't care about me. A potential murderer. Even though he hadn't accepted the fact that he killed Melvin, I believed he was the one who did. He was the only one I gave the information to."Did you come here to enjoy what's happening? Perhaps you take pleasure in seeing people cry." I murmured, my back was still turned to him.I hadn't made a move away from where I was, even as I had told him I was leaving."You see me as a monster," Giovanni chuckled. "Even if I was responsible for the death of that little shit, wouldn't you want to know why it happened? Would you think he deserved it after knowing, or would you judge
GIOVANNI POVI walked into the hospital, ignoring the eyes that followed me. When I got to the room Don Massimo was in, I opened the door, stepped inside, and locked it behind me to ward off intrusive nurses.Also, I wanted to be in the room alone with him.I had been restless since I heard the news about Massimo being hit. I had gone to Varese, a town about 15km from Milan. I couldn't leave there as fast as the news came due to the negotiation that was currently ongoing. If I left, I'd be missing out on the deal.In the Mafia world, leaving a negotiation halfway could be seen as a sign of weakness. Since I had enemies everywhere, they'd surely take advantage of the situation and jump in on any offer given in the deal just to spite me.It was Don Massimo who had sent me there, and now, thinking about it, I wondered if this had been set up so I'd leave and Don Massimo could be hit.They knew if I were around, they wouldn't have been able to pull this shit.I drew out a chair and sat on
GIOVANNI POVI stepped out of my car and looked around me.The sun's golden rays covered everything, but they did nothing to distract me from the eerie stillness of this place. Her home—or whatever you could call it—sat at the edge of a swamp, its wooden stilts rising just enough to keep it from sinking into the murky water below. The air was thick with humidity, sticking to my skin like an unwelcome second layer. Around me, the buzz of insects was incessant, making the silence even louder between their calls. But it still gave life to this place.The house itself was a patchwork of faded wood, rusted tin, and scraps of colorful fabric strung up. Wind chimes made of bones and broken glasses hung from the porch, clinking softly in the warm breeze. A small black cat darted out from the shadows, its yellow eyes fixed on me before disappearing just as quickly into the underbush.It wasn't my first time coming here. Whenever we desired to embark on a mission, our first stop would be here
LILITH POV"Does he know about the baby?""Nope," I said, pressing the phone to my right ear with my shoulder.Casey told me about seeing Giovanni in front of his usual spot today. He asked after me, and she denied knowing me.It was funny thinking about it now, but I knew Casey; I believe she was trying to protect me. It wasn't as if she didn't know who Giovanni was since I had told her a lot about him; she must have done that on impulse."Why didn't you let him know? Does your mother know, too?"I didn't respond to her as my mother suddenly appeared in the doorway. I flashed her a brief smile, arching a brow."Dinner is ready," she said."I'll be out in a few minutes," I said to her, hoping they would eat without me. I didn't think I was interested in eating whatever was prepared. By the smell drifting into my room, I could guess she had made pasta, bacon, and some pancakes.They were, in fact, one of my favorites, but at this moment, I preferred not to eat any. I'd rather go to bed
GIOVANNI POVI was at the location Mama Cole asked me to be; honestly, it wasn't like anything I had imagined. Also, I hadn't been here before.The roads were uneven and cracked in some places, but they were still functioning. They wound between low-rise buildings. Some of the buildings looked really old but were livable.It was far from the polished, manicured world I was used to. There was no glamour, no pretense. The people moved with quiet confidence, their clothes simple. They didn't care to impress anyone. There was no need. Their presence alone commanded respect.I was in their settlement—the nomads. As I had heard, they had a tight-knit community that protected its own no matter what. They were known to be resourceful, adaptable, and fiercely independent. However, they were outcasts, wild and ruthless—unforgiving in their ways.They curse people just for the fun of it and when asked to lift the curse, they'd send them to the devil to ask for his mercy because mercy wasn't thei
GIOVANNI POVA while later, when I came awake, I found myself in an unfamiliar room with nothing on. The girl I had seen before wasn't there, and I wondered if she had done something to me because it made no sense she had stripped me of my clothes just to help me tend to my injuries.I glanced around.The room had a dim ambient light that filtered through large windows, offering a skyline view in the distance.The walls were a soft gray, decorated with murals, and the furniture was all sharp angles and dark, polished wood.I tried to sit up but immediately regretted it as the pain in my side flared to life again. I stared at my side and noticed a small incision there. I certainly didn't get it from the people stoning me."That little witch," I murmured, clearing at the mark.From the corner of my eyes, I saw the man from earlier. John, was that his name? He was standing by the window, looking out at the city below. I hadn't noticed him there because I didn't look at that side of the w
LILITH POV"Have you been hiding from me?""Have you been stalking me?" I retorted, walking as fast as I could. "The police are a phone call away."I waved my phone in front of Giovanni."Hey!" he yanked the phone from me."Give it back!" I yelled, standing on tiptoes as he raised the phone higher."It's rude, you know; I was only trying to make a conversation. Involving the cops when I am totally harmless, eh?""And stalking is a crime, so yeah, I am in my right to involve the cops," I jumped to reach for my phone, but Giovanni only made it even more difficult as he rose to his full height.I huffed, relenting. I doubted I'd be able to take the phone from him because, if you hadn't noticed, Giovanni was several inches taller than I was, and without the six inches I often wore, I was merely reaching his chest."You're the one who's rude for stalking me. Stop getting in my personal space. I don't know you, you don't know me. We never met in my university. In fact, pretend as if I do no
GIOVANNI POV"I have information on the lady you asked me to look into, but that might have to wait because Miss Diamante Amato sent me something disturbing," Luca said at the other end of the phone."And what's that?" I asked. Since I told her off earlier, I hadn't seen her.I believed she had left angrily, and I didn't care to ask or even call her to find out where she was going to."What's wrong with her?" I asked him again unable to hide the irritation from my voice.He had called me to break a piece of irrelevant information. "How about you tell me about the more crucial one?""This is crucial," Luca said. "I sent you a message now."Pulling the phone back from my ear, I glared at Luca's text. I wondered why he couldn't just say what he wanted to. Maybe it was insensitive information, but even the most sensitive thing, he had always spoken about it in a crowded place.It was a video text, and the more I watched it, the angrier I became. Diamante was standing precariously on the e
GIOVANNI POVI returned to the hospital after a while. I loathed being here. I didn't like how it smelt like death at the same time, it was the place where lives were saved.I didn't want to be here. But I wanted to make sure Lilith was doing perfectly fine. Despite receiving information about her condition being stable, I still wanted to see for myself.Standing in front of her room's door, I tapped on it and heard a small voice ushering me in.I wanted to believe it was Lilith's but she couldn't have sounded as strong as that. I stepped into the room to see a woman, probably in her fifties, with greying hair that could have been the same as Lilith's if she were younger, and her eyes had the same warmth as Lilith's but less naive and very much intelligent.Without a doubt, I knew she was Lilith's mother. Lilith had her features, and there was no way someone who wasn't related would look the same as this.She tilted one brow, looking at me as I walked further into the room."Giovanni,
LILITH POV"Fuck," I muttered as soon as I came awake.I could barely move any part of my body. They were heavy plus my eyes had refused to open. A sharp pain shot through my ribs as I tried to move, forcing me to stay still. When I finally was able to open my eyes, I stared at my surrounding and for a second, I tried to remember where I was or how I got here.And then it hit me. I was in the hospital. The fire alarm. The chaos and burning building!"Giovanni," I whispered, turning my eyes around the empty room. I had heard his voice in the midst of the chaos.Perhaps I was imagining things but I doubted it as it sounded so vivid and sharp.The door opened, and Casey stepped in. She stood by the door briefly, staring at me. She didn't move, and she seemed to be in a daze."Casey," I murmured, my voice hoarse.My voice snapped her out of her daze, and she began to move towards me robotically. Then she stopped."Lilith," she whispered, then her eyes widened. "Oh my God, Lilith. You're a
GIOVANNI POVDespite how often I had denied stalking her, I might as well be called a stalker right now. I sat on a bench near the cinema, watching everyone going in and out.I saw Lilith climbing out of a red SUV with her friend Casey.Diamante was around, and she told me she'd be coming to the movies so we could meet here. Although I had told her to say what she wanted to on the phone, she had refused.Initially, I was furious at her and didn't want to be here, but now I am glad I was. At least, the sight of Lilith would distract me momentarily from her.I watched as Lilith and her friend walked through the entrance. I stood, dusting my pants, and was about to walk, but I stopped as Diamante appeared in front of me."Nino," she murmured, sliding her dark sunglasses down her straight nose. She bites her lower lip, one of her hands now touching my shoulder.I stared at the hand briefly before looking at her. I might have thought this gesture endearing four years ago. Or even thought h
LILITH POV"Don't leave the safety of the house," I read from Giovanni's text."Why not?" I muttered, staring at it. He didn't give any other reasons except for that.I rolled my eyes, depositing my phone into my pocket.I wrinkled my nose as the buttery aroma of popcorn filled the air, leaning back into the cushioned seat, I let the movie draw me in."Goodness, I hate romantic comedies," she sighed dramatically."You picked it," I pointed out. It wasn't as if I had picked it. She was the one who suggested that she needed the laughter and all, and it was the only good fit as far as far as I was concerned."You look at her perfect hair. Nothing out of place. She irks me!" Casey groaned, pointing to one of the characters.I laughed, shaking my head. I knew she loved it because she was still watching it. If Casey hated a movie, she wouldn't pay any attention to it, no matter its high ratings. She only needed to glance at the first scene to judge.But she had been complaining about this s
LILITH POVThe phone fell from my hand, clattering to the floor. My heartbeat quickened, and I let out an inaudible gasp. My eyes widened as I looked around Casey's living room.It was just the two of us, and nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary. In fact, Casey was already calmed and was now staring at me as if I had lost my mind. I must have looked at the part with my mouth open while I gasped for breath."Are you alright?" she bent to pick up my phone, but I snatched it from the ground before she could."Okay," she frowned, nodding her head.I ignored her eyes as I stared at the phone again. The text was anonymous, so there was no way I could have known who sent it or even traced it!Now, I feel even more paranoid. I was right about someone watching me. This just confirmed it. But who the hell was that? What do they want from me?Giovanni was ruled out already, maybe it was Marco.He had contacted me sometime last week to ask about my whereabouts. I hadn't given him an answer be
LILITH POVI think it was paranoia, or maybe I was losing my mind.I glanced over my shoulder for the umpteenth time while crossing the street leading to Casey's apartment.I still felt the feelings from yesterday of being watched, from leaving Giovanni’s penthouse to arriving here.I wanted to believe a car had been trailing me as well! I had seen a car from the rearview mirror. It had tinted windows, so I couldn't see who was in it. But each time the car I was in made a stop, it did as well.The only thing that convinced me I wasn't being watched and that I was just going crazy was when the car zoomed past me.Coming down and about to go to Casey's, I still felt the eyes on me!Using the spare key with me—Casey had given it to me after we graduated high school. She had said I could come to her house whenever I felt like—I inserted it into the keyhole.When I unlocked the door, I looked around me briefly to ensure I wasn't being truly followed, and then I stepped inside.Gasping as I
LILITH POV"Raven?"I swirled, locking eyes with Giovanni as he climbed down the last flight of stairs. I was in the kitchen about to make chicken broth for him. I often made it for Romeo whenever he was sick, and it was pretty effective against the flu, too.This morning, Giovanni's temperature had spiked even higher, so I thought doing that would alleviate the symptoms."You're awake," I said to him. I turned off the cooker and rinsed my hands under the faucet before wiping them on the apron around my neck.I walked up to him, touching his hands. I stood on tiptoes, touching his temple with the back of my hand."How are you feeling?" I asked him."What are you doing here?" he answered my question with one of his."Wrong answer," I replied. "I was hoping to wake you up with breakfast, but now that you're here, I guess it's okay for you to have the soup here. You can take your medication afterward," I said to him."Medication?" Giovanni murmured as I pulled him to the sofa. I nudged h
LILITH POVI left the house as soon as my mother went to bed, claiming to be staying over at Casey's. She didn't say anything as she looked at me with suspicion.Now, here I was, in the usual spot waiting for Giovanni to show up. It took only a few minutes for the black monster car that Rowland often drove Giovanni in to pull up in front of me.Rowland came down at the same time as Giovanni."I'll get the door, sir," Rowland said, approaching me but Giovanni ignored him.He leaned against the car briefly, before heaving a breath, his shoulders moving as he did.Giovanni opened the door, pointing to it, "In," he said.I walked past him and was about to slide into the car when he staggered.I gripped his shoulder, steadying him. "Are you alright?" I asked, placing the back of my palm on his forehead."Fuck!" I winced, withdrawing it. It was scorching.I turned to Rowland who helped me take him inside the car."What's wrong with him? He's running a fever!" I glanced at Giovanni again, an