The devil on my shoulder

No matter how many times I tried to deny it, I knew I'd always need Carlos. He was the only one I could trust and the only family I had left. Ever since I regained consciousness, some part of me went missing, perhaps my sanity. With a devil knocking on my door every night, my eyes were shut; the only reason I hadn't had a panic attack was the help I was getting from Nora, my therapist who Carlos recommended. Despite his dirty work, he was more willing to take any risk to see I was getting better. 

I despised every primal therapy session with every bone in my body, however, I couldn't deny that it was worth it. It'd helped me keep my shit together. For about a month now I'd been ignoring Nora's call, avoiding any session with her just to focus on my fear. 

I didn't want to keep running away. Not like I could even if I tried so hard. Everything was supposed to end after getting rid of Ray. It was supposed to be. No! Another phase unlocked and now I had to be chasing after a ghost that wanted me dead. Although Artem Kirill disclosed he wasn't dead, I hoped he wasn't. For what awaits him—it’ll be a sweet, slow torture. A promise I must keep.

After running away from the clubhouse yesterday, I shut myself inside my room and buried my body under the duvet while intentionally ignoring the phone call. I could guess who had been calling. It had to be Carlos. I was unable to sleep till the next day because my head was overheated with awful thoughts. All of a sudden, my stomach grumbled. Remembering the last time I ate, that was yesterday evening, and I had to force myself to eat. 

I skipped to the edge of the bed and put my feet on the floor before limping out of my bedroom. Rebecca came over in the morning; she knocked several times, and when she got no response, she eventually left. I was glad she didn't try to force her way in. I didn't want to see anyone.

I microwaved my leftover sandwich; I ate it before returning to my room and taking a quick shower. After that, I got dressed in a simple outfit, all black.

Lenox and Emily hadn't returned since yesterday, however, I was certain that he had people watching me in shadow. I'm mad at him, myself—everything in general. Thank God I still had the business card Artem Kirill left behind yesterday. I was able to hide it before Carlos destroyed it too.

Going out right now,  there was only one place on my mind before meeting up with that half-crazy bastard. I needed to know who he was. I shoveled two pills of painkillers into my mouth, then guzzled down water. I grabbed a car key before exiting the room.

Arriving at the car park, I hopped in my car and drove to the location on my G****e map. The painkillers were playing the trick, my thigh didn't hurt like before. Visiting Artem’s might be a terrible choice but he assured me my safety after asking if I could come around.

I couldn't wait to hear what he knew about him.

When I arrived at his territory, I was overcome by fear. His men were fearsome but when I saw his second-in-command, he didn't look like the guy I saw yesterday, it was someone else. He was too young to be his second-in-command—I must comment.

“Walk with me or you die,”

I couldn't guess if he was giving a warning but it hit me that I'd been on the same spot, scrutinizing everywhere. I gazed over to see him heading inside, I hurried after him.

“Artem needs me alive if you understand what I mean,” I said after him, knowing that my comment wouldn't elicit a response.

Strangely, he replied. “The only reason you're still alive after what you did is because of the man. Once you find him, you're as good as dead.” 

“That means without me you can't find the man. Aren't you desperate? Then you better start treating me like a queen. You're the one that fucking needs me, got it?”

He halted suddenly. My body almost bumped into him. He leveled me a killer look before walking ahead.

“You really have a death wish, bitch” He said in Russian.

With the look on his face, I bet he didn't know I understood him. Fuck him, I understood what he said. 

He took me to Artem's office. The man was sitting on an office chair, operating a laptop on his desk.

“You may leave, Cristiano.” He bowed before leaving. “I wasn't expecting to see you soon. Did you find him? Please have a seat.”

I walked to a leather chair and sat down before facing him. “The information you gave isn't enough.”

He frowned. “What else do you need? I already told you all you need to know.”

“His name…” 

“It was written on the back of the photo.” 

“Carlos tore it,” I told him the truth. The reason I came to him wasn't because of Martello only; I needed to get another photo of the man.

“If he doesn't want you to work for me, you shouldn't be here.”

I clasped my hands on my lap. “If I don't do it, I'll die. You said you'd kill me if I refused.”

“It’s true I said that. Do you know why Carlos is stopping you?” I shook my head. “The man I want you to find was your ex-boyfriend. Sergio. That Russian bastard owes me his fucking life and I'm going to take it brutally. So Sia, will you find him for me despite your relationship with him?”

Boyfriend? No one ever told me about my past relationship. Being twenty-two didn't mean I never had two to three boyfriends but Carlos never told me I was in love with someone, a criminal.

“If he broke my heart, then it'll be my pleasure.”

“I bet he broke more than your heart, dear.”

“About Martello? Do you mind telling me about him now? If you tell me what you know about him, I'll be happy.”

He was quiet for a while as if contemplating if it was right to disclose more truth. “Most people believed he was killed by a crime organization but the truth is he changed his identity.”

My brows arched. My curiosity piqued. “Whose identity has he taken?”

“No one knows. The man you're looking for is a nightmare. He's not a regular mobster, he controls the most dangerous organization. These people are invincible. I'll implore you not to look for him. If you can, run away, Sia. You're the one asset. Everyone wants you.”

An asset? Something didn't feel right. 

“I’m not running away. I can't run away without knowing what's chasing me. Also, it seems like he also needs me alive like everyone else.”

“How are you so confident?”

“I don't know,”

 Of course, I'm confident. 

He didn't let me live that night without a reason. 

He smiled warmly. He put a call through someone. In less than ten minutes, his second-in-command entered and handed me an envelope. “You’ll find all you need. If you fail,”

He hung mid-sentence, staring at me as his gaze pierced into my eyes. I didn't say anything before walking after Cristiano who led me outside. I hopped in my car and drove out of his territory.

The ride to Ray's warehouse was an entire fucking journey. It took me almost two hours to get there. I'd been driving through the woods before finding the warehouse, standing in the middle of the isolated woods.

Before alighting from the car, I almost changed my mind. I felt the urge to text Carlos about it but stifled the desire. I texted Lenox instead, I still trusted him. Not that I didn't trust my brother, I wasn't sure what he'd do to me if he found out I went without informing him. He'd literally kill me.

I headed inside the building. The whole building was burnt. Destroyed. Did Carlos do it after we left? I wondered but I wouldn't be surprised if it was his handwork.

I looked into each room. The whole place was empty. I was pissed off, feeling like I was tricked by him. I clenched my fist, furious.

It was getting dark outside. I checked my watch; it was quarter past eight at night. After rechecking the first grand empty room, I heard feeble footsteps approaching from the west.

Each step felt so heavy, yet with feeble sounds, I could feel the weight on my chest as my heart palpitated terribly in my chest. At that moment, I was almost overcome by regret, fear I couldn't explain.

As the footsteps got a bit louder, I gazed forward to see him walking in. “Am I dying today?” My hands became sweaty, trembling by my sides. With my eyes glued to the entrance, I saw his feet, my eyes ran up to see what he looked like.

“Carlos?” My eyelashes flickered with confusion as I arched my brows.

The air intensified. He walked majestically with both authority and lethal aura draping his body. “Did I keep you waiting, Alessia?” A dangerous smirk was dancing on his lips, approaching me like how a predator approached its prey.

“Why are you here, Carlos? Did Lenox rat me out to you? I'm sorry I should have told you.”

A sly smirk lingering on his face, he said. “I know you'll be here. Sadly, no one can save you from me now, Alessia. Not even Carlos,” then he took off something that looked like a hyper-realistic silicone mask, revealing a new face underneath. “I told you, you're my prey.”