CHAPTER TWO

"It's time, boss." 

Sebastian nodded. He got down from the car and proceeded into the underground building with ten men trailing behind him. Frank opened the door to the big meeting room and Sebastian stepped in. 

A total of twenty men sat round the large silver pentagonal table. They all had shock written on their faces as Sebastian walked in. It was as if they just saw a ghost.

This place is called Pentagon, the underground building where mafia bosses around the world meet once a week to discuss business around the mafia world. They are all controlled by one person "King", which is Sebastian himself. To be the next "King", you have to get rid of the ruling king. That was what led to Sebastian injury the day before. 

They thought he had died, another person was already sitting on his seat. The sight of Alexander disgusted Sebastian to the gut. 

"And what are you doing on my seat?" 

Alexander was beyond astounded. Thoughts ran around in his head. But I was sure I killed him. How is he still alive? I shot him in the heart! How could this be? 

Sebastian took Alexander by his collar and shoved him off his seat. Alex hit the ground with a loud bang.

"Surprised?" Sebastian sat down on his gold throne. He crossed his legs, staring at the men before him one after the other. 

"You see," he stood back up and began walking, his hands tucked in his pockets. "I expected a day like yesterday to come one day but..." He paused behind Ronald, Alex's son. Ronald didn't turn back but he knew Sebastian was behind him. He could feel the shivers of his glare. 

"Why did you do that, Ronald? No, how could you?" 

Sebastian was genuinely hurt. He trusted Ronald. He took him as his own brother but he ended up getting betrayed by him. 

"Seb... Sebastian... it's...it's not what you think." 

"Oh" Sebastian laughed hysterically. He held Ronald's shoulders. Ronald's heart was beating wildly against his chest. Sebastian's tight grip on his shoulder spelt out just one thing; 'death' 

"Sebastian...don't you dare touch my son!" Alex fired. He rushed to Sebastian and tried to pull him away from his son. Sebastian got hold of Alex's throat and began strangling him. 

He ignored the cries of Ronald as he strangled Alex till he took his last breath. 

"Dad! Dad!" Ronald cried, holding his father's lifeless body. 

"Take it out and deal with him." Sebastian ordered his boys. 

"I'm gonna kill you, Seb! Mark my words, I'm gonna kill you!" 

Sebastian paid no attention to Ronald as he was pulled roughly out of the room.

Sebastian sat back down. He almost laughed at the horror on the men's faces. 

"Report now."

Like robots, they opened their suitcases and brought out different documents. Sebastian leaned back, a satisfactory smile on his face. This should be fun, he thought. 

===

"Who's there?" 

"Mum, it's me." 

"Dante?"

Mrs Yolando approached the door quickly. Her face lit up in excitement when her son's face came into view. 

"Dante!" 

"Mum!" 

She hurled herself on him, almost causing them to fall. Dante balanced well with his mother, his arms gently wrapped around her waist. He hugged his mother tenderly, sniffing in her scent. It's been long since they saw eye to eye.

"Look at you!" She held Dante's face, "you're now lean. Don't they feed you in that hospital?" 

"Mum, I work there. The place isn't a hotel." 

"But still!" She protested. "Here, come in. We have so much to talk about." She pulled him in, not bothering to close the door. She's that excited. 

"Mum, the door." 

"It'll close by itself, don't worry. Here, sit. Let me get you something to drink." 

"I'm fine, mum." 

"No! Your skin obviously needs vitamin c. Stay put." 

Mrs Yolando rushed to the kitchen. Dante stared at his reflection in his phone screen. Is his skin really that bad or is his mum overreacting? Dante was surprised when he heard the ringing tone of the land phone resting on the shelf. It was used to receive calls from his mum when he saw still young. He didn't expect it to still be working. But who could be calling? He wondered. He went to it and picked up the call. 

"Good evening, am I speaking to Mrs Esther Yolando?" 

"Um...this is her son."

"I see. We have Rachel Yolando in our custody, I believe she's your sister?" 

"Custody? As in police custody?!" Dante exclaimed. 

"Yes. She..

"Please, where? Where is your custody?" 

"It's Kansas Police District." 

"I know there. I'll be there." 

Dante quick put the phone down and rushed to pick up his car keys. 

"Who was that?" 

"From the police custody." 

Mrs Yolando's face fell. She knew distinctively that Rachel was in trouble...again.

Seeing the look on her face, Dante asked, "why do you look as if you expected it?" 

"It's Rachel, isn't it?" 

Dante's eyes widened. He had questions to ask but he kept them for later. "Let's go. We need to get Rachel out of there." 

===

Dante didn't bother shutting the car's door before he rushed inside the station. His sister's nonchalant face is what he first saw as he entered. She was sitting in front of a police officer, having a conversation with him. 

Rachel turned sideways, she was shocked and at the same time, pissed off to see Dante. Why is he here? She mumbled to herself. Dante went to her. 

"Good evening. You were the one I spoke to on the phone?" 

"Yes." Dante replied, his eyes on Rachel. 

"Officer, what happened?" He turned back to Rachel. "Why is your face swollen? Rachel, what happened to you?" Dante threw questions at Rachel. Rachel didn't find it a need to answer them. Mrs Yolando stood behind Dante without saying a word. 

"She engaged in a fight with her classmate. An assault." The office explained. 

"Assault? Look at her face!" Dante pointed at Rachel's bruised and swollen face. "Clearly, she was the one that got assaulted." 

"The other party is in the hospital right now. In a very critical condition." 

Dante's eyes almost bulged out of their sockets. "Hospital?!" He exclaimed, shock written all over his face as he stared at Rachel. 

"You beat someone up?" 

"Why are you here?" Rachel demanded, totally ignoring Dante's question. Dante breathed in, trying to suppress his building up anger. 

"So..so what now? Is she gonna be jailed?" 

"Thankfully, the assaulted only wants to settle. The boy's mother demanded...

"Boy? She beat up a boy?!" 

Dante found it unbelievable. His 5'5 sister, beating up a guy so bad that he landed in a hospital? He found it absurd. 

"Yes. The boy's mother demanded full payment of her son's medical bills until he's discharged." 

"And how much is that?" Mrs Yolando spoke for the first time since the conversation started. Even Rachel and the officer are just noticing her. 

"Are you her mother?" 

"Yes." She replied, not sparing Rachel a glance. 

"The hospital bills, for now is 5000 dollars. But more might arise in the future." 

"I understand. How will we pay?" 

"She dropped her number so I guess you'll have to call her." 

The officer gave them the woman's number, they signed the necessary papers and left. No one spoke throughout the drive home. 

"Rachel, we need to talk." 

"I don't feel like talking." 

Rachel tried to walk into her room but Dante pulled her back. 

"Are you out of your mind? You beat up a guy to the point of getting admitted? How could you...

"Dude, don't act all brother on me. Leave me be and piss off." 

"Rachel! Don't talk to your brother like that!" Mrs Yolando cautioned. 

"He's not my brother and you fucking know it!" Rachel fired. This is not the first time Dante is hearing this but it breaks his heart every single time. 

"Rachel...

"You know what, I don't understand why you're always in my business. Just go! Fucking leave! Go back to the gutter where mum picked you from!" 

"Rachel!" 

Rachel slammed the door at Dante's face. Dante stood rooted on a spot, speechless. 

"Dante, are you okay?"

                            

Despite his aching heart, Dante gave his mum an assuring smile. "I'm good. I just...I need fresh air."

Mrs Yolando knew Dante was far from okay but he let him go. She doesn't think she has any way to make him feel better. Dante decided to branch at a popular bar in the area. He doesn't take alcohol well but he kept drinking. 

Mrs Yolando adopted Dante when he was ten years old. Rachel was five at the time. And never for once has Rachel seen Dante has his brother. She claims he stole her mother from her. Dante loves Rachel dearly but Rachel's deep hatred for Dante is just as much. 

Dante drank a whole bottle of wine on his own. He was clearly drunk after that bottle. Unknown to him, a man has been observing him  since he entered the bar. Sebastian wasn't expecting to see Dante there. He was about to leave when Dante came in but he decided to stay back. 

He then decided to go up to him. He took a seat beside him and ordered.

"It's you." Dante said drunkenly. 

"Why did you drink so much?" 

Dante giggled. He held Sebastian's face, a drunken smile on his face, "has anybody ever told you that you're handsome?" 

On a normal day, Sebastian wouldn't let anyone touch his face but...

"Not really." 

He pulled Dante's stool closer such that their faces were inches away. This didn't phase Dante. He was too drunk to process anything. 

"You're really handsome." Dante trailed his finger across Sebastian's eyes, "your eyes are pretty," his fingers went to his nose, "your nose is cute too and..." He paused, looking down at Sebastian's lips. "Your lips...

Sebastian was intrigued. He decided to tease Dante.

He bit his lower lip flirtatiously. "My lips?" Seduction was evident in his voice. 

Dante leaned forward, Sebastian kept his head still, eagerly waiting for what the drunk guy in front of him wants to do.

Dante rested his hand at the back of Sebastian's neck and pulled him in for a kiss.

The moment their lips touched, it was as if time stopped moving forward. Dante's lips tasted like the chardonnay wine he just drank. Sebastian didn't reciprocate but the moment he felt Dante withdrawing, he pulled him back and took over dominantly.  His hands caressed Dante's neck as he nibbled on his lower lip. 

Dante was surprised over Sebastian's sudden pull but he couldn't deny the fact that the kiss was breathlessly good. He pulled away, trying to catch his breath. Their breaths mixed together as they tried to steady their breathing. Dante looked into Sebastian's eyes. He couldn't get any type of emotional from them, they were empty. His eyes suddenly felt heavy. He wanted to say something but he ended up crashing unconsciously into Sebastian's chest.