ix | die for the mission

a/n: i really tried so hard to get this update out for you all as soon as possible and it's still been over a month since the last update. i suck, holy shit.

don't forget to vote.

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The car ride from our home to the family home is the longest one I've ever endured. Liam drives, with Dominic in the passenger seat. I'm trapped between Carmen and Veleno. She's been whispering up prayers from the moment we pulled out the driveway, while the man to my right can't stop bouncing his leg in anticipation, nor will his hands stop shaking.

I grab his hand and offer a reassuring squeeze.

I don't have to break the tense silence in the car to get my message across.

Everything's going to be alright.

My lips pull into a soft smile as his long fingers curl around mine, faintly returning my non-verbal message. Veleno returns his hands to his lap, their shaking now a little less intense.

"—Liam, please."

"Dominic, for the fourth fucking time, I am not giving you any medication." I can tell Liam means it just by the way he sets his jaw and clutches the steering wheel with that white-knuckled grip of his.

Dom doesn't appreciate the answer. His sigh is full of irritation and annoyance at the man sitting beside him. He looks out the window, watching the California landscape flash by in a blur as our car picks up in speed. A bead of sweat rolls down his brow as his left leg rises and falls, incapable of remaining still. I watch Dom fidget for a few quiet moments as concern forces my brows together.

"Liam, please, I need—"

"No!" Liam snaps, startling all the inhabitants of the car, including Zara and Vince, who were so quiet that I forgot they were taking up the last row of the SUV. Their hushed conversation stalls as all eyes fall on Luciano. "No," He repeats in a softer, gentler tone after catching all of our stunned expressions in the rearview mirror.

"But—"

Liam slaps the steering wheel as he raises his voice. "I don't have your fucking pills, Dominic! They're back at the house!"

The anger that transforms Dominic's features comes out of – literally – nowhere. The tips of his ears go red as he reaches out to Liam, prepared to inflict some sort of pain. I don't have time to warn Liam, and I'm glad I don't have to as Veleno reaches out, capturing Dom's wrist in his hand before it can reach our driver. He leans forward and lowers his voice.

"Look at me." Dom does as Veleno orders. "You're stressed, anxious, and worried. You don't need pills, you just think you do. Can you do something for me?" I don't think I'd ever heard Veleno's voice as soothing as it is now. Dominic nods, lips pursed. "Sit back, close your eyes, and take deep breaths until we get to the house."

The tension in the car eases as Liam focuses on driving and Dom allows his mind to take a break. Veleno leans back and shifts in his seat, quietly apologizing whenever his knees brushed against my own. I didn't take it too personally; the car got even tighter the longer the duration of the ride extended and Veleno was a fairly large dude, with long legs and wide thighs.

At Dom's silence, I hear Vincenzo speak up from behind me. "I can't believe for all these years I've used you as an assassin when your true calling was as a psychologist."

Veleno chuckles underneath his breath, but I don't think anyone else in the car can hear him. The only way I was able to tell was by the feeling of his shoulders moving against mine.

When the news was broken that it was likely we had received Federico's body from Valentin, Vince demanded that he join us. It was the first time since he returned from the hospital that he got out of bed. It took both Liam and Veleno to get Vince into his wheelchair, with Zara steadying it from behind. They carried it, with Vince inside, down the stairs – and it probably would've been easier if Rosie hadn't decided to hop a ride down in Vincenzo's lap at the last second.

Rosalie, too, had joined us – absolutely refusing to be left home alone once again. She promised not to say a word and it looks like it's a promise she's serious about keeping. Crammed into the far back corner of the SUV, Rosie clutches the teddy bear that she's named Rico. In her lap, she balances a black sketchbook; a book she's never let me see or open.

Veleno tosses an arm around the back of the seat as he angles his body to give Vince a look. He doesn't say a lot, but it sends the car spiraling into a silence that was even quieter than before – if that was possible.

"I had a lot of a practice."

Carmen and Dominic hop out the doors before Liam can pull our ride to a stop in front of the house. I slide out after Veleno, my eyes scanning the large crowd of men that appear to be huddling in a large, unorganized circle. My stomach twists, churns, and drops all at the same time. I stall, unable to move forward as conversations rise behind me. I can hear Liam telling Veleno to help with Vince, followed by Rosie's orders to stay inside the car.

Liam appears at my side.

He reaches down, grabs my hand, and intertwines our fingers. I look up at him, a weary grimace pull my lips apart instead of a confident smile.

I lower my voice, making sure Dominic, Carmen, and Veleno can't hear, and poise a question I've been trying to deny ever since we got the news. "What if it's him, Liam?"

Liam pulls my hand to his lips as he bends. His words tickle the back of my hand as he mumbles against my skin. "Then we find a way to finish his fight for him."

And with his hand in mine, we approach the house.

Three body bags.

Three dead bodies.

Just seeing them made everything feel so surreal. I've been trying to deny it, as well as get over Federico's death from the moment I heard about it, but if what the sickening feeling in my stomach is telling me, I won't be able to deny it any more after today.

I stop short, forcing Liam to release my hand as he moves closer and bends down, positioning himself into a squat.

Austin's eyes graze over our group before falling to his boss. "We woke up this morning and these," He motions towards the body bags, "Were waiting for us."

"And you know the Russians sent them?" Liam asks, awaiting confirmation.

Austin glances over at Steven, who nods. "One-hundred percent."

"We didn't know if we should've gone on and opened them but..."

"You did the right thing," Liam responds.

Luciano leans over the first body in a way that shields the rest of us from seeing it. All I can do is silently nibble on my bottom lip and study his body language as he slowly pulls the zipper down, wasting no more time. I watch Steven and Austin, whose backs are to the front door, hoping for an answer just by their facial expressions.

The body is revealed to the three of them, and all Steven does is lean into Austin's shoulder, whispering. In reply, Austin shrugs as Liam leans back, glancing over his shoulder.

"Who is this?"

Carmen, Zara, and Dominic stay back as Vincenzo wheels himself forward, with Veleno now at his side.

The two pass me, only to stop once the stench reaches their noses. It reaches me next, forcing me to yank Liam's hoodie over my nose and smell his cologne rather than decaying flesh. I brace myself and step forward, peering around Veleno's shoulders.

The face that stares back at me is one I've never seen before. Stare, also, may not be the best word to use considering the man's eyes have been gorged out. A thin, red line wraps around his neck – possibly from strangulation? His skin is pale, borderline transparent if I had to exaggerate. Both Veleno and Vincenzo are left speechless, despite their recognition of the guy.

"Alfred," They both breathe out at the same time.

Liam's face surely masks mine as a confused look passes over him. "Who's Alfred?"

"That was Alfred," Steven speaks up behind Liam, using his finger to point to the dead man.

Austin elbows the young man hard enough to cause him to stumble, and nearly trip over one of the dead bodies. Austin looks exhausted as he reaches over and grabs the hem of Steven's polo. His bicep flexes as he steadies Steven, keeping him from toppling over. He tugs Steven back to his side with a huff.

Everyone appears to ignore the last three seconds.

"Alfred was our butler. He worked for my father and continued to work for me after I took over," Vincenzo explains in a hushed tone. His head shakes from side to side as he suddenly slaps the side of his wheelchair in anger. His head finds refuge in the palm of his large hand as he lets out a shaky breath. "He deserved better—"

Veleno claps his boss on the shoulder and squeezes. "He was more than just a butler, he was my friend, and Rico's."

Liam moves on to the next body, causing everyone to shift over a bit. Again, he uses his back to block the view as he eases the zipper down. Liam slowly leans back and glances over his shoulder, muttering a name I never thought I would ever hear again. "Luis."

Liam and I's relationship was practically love at first sight, and Luis was there to witness that.

He was one of the first people I ever met that worked for Liam and he was nice, he was sweet, if I remember correctly. I don't remember many more interactions with him from my early time with the Luciano family, but I do know he ended up leaving at the end of August. He wanted to return to his family, and Liam granted his wish with an easy goodbye.

My stomach lurches.

Yet, here he is, lying before us; dead.

One body bag remains.

Liam hesitates on this one, as I expect him to. He goes to unzip the bag, only to recoil his hand in uncertainty. Moments pass, yet nobody pushes him or urges him to continue, to reveal who is inside. A part of me doesn't want him to. A part of me wants the final body to remain a mystery, to keep my hope that somehow by some miracle, Federico's body isn't inside.

"I can do it if you can't," Veleno quietly offers.

A shake of Liam's head is enough to cause Veleno to back away.

Liam still doesn't move, and he doesn't look like he has plans to.

"Babe—"

He practically explodes, his voice rising to a volume I'm not comfortable with. "Shut up, Faith!" He twists his body around and holds a hand in the air. His jaw is set, his eyebrows bushed together as he stares me down.

Liam doesn't hear my feeble, "Sorry."

I feel myself go numb as Liam leans over the body, slowly dragging the final zipper down. My heart hammers in my ears. Liam's shoulders go tense and he pauses, refusing to move away. I can feel the tears prickling at the corner of my eyes as he hangs his head low. His anger surges in a way I've never seen it before as he slaps the pavement with all his might, "Dammit!"

Liam staggers to his feet and brushes by Steven in the direction of the house.

I want to move, but I can't.

"—no, Carmen!"

Dominic reaches for her as she breaks out of his arms and rushes towards the body. Her face glistens with nervous tears as she falls to her knees, desperate to see the body for herself. Carmen's shoulders slump as she scans the inside.

Then a smile spreads over her face and I can breathe again.

It's not Rico.

Everyone releases the breath that I know they were all holding, yet something still nags at me. Liam's reaction; most people don't curse and slap the pavement in a rejoicing manner.

I move past Carmen and immediately feel the need to throw up.

It might be the stench that causes me to feel nauseous, or it may just be the fact that a lifeless William is staring up at me.

The same William that once upon a time was nearly tricked into working with Michael to kill me. I forgave him, as did Liam, but I couldn't help but notice that a piece of their relationship never mended. Liam could no longer trust the brotherly figure as he once did before, so when William began to enthuse about his wants to leave this life and attend school, Liam put his foot forward and paid the young man's tuition.

The same life he wanted to leave, the same one he wanted to run from, found a way to catch back up to him.

Dominic makes his way beside me. He slides his hands into his pocket and releases a breath, one loud enough for me to hear. I watch him carefully, sorrowfully. His eyebrows connect just as he lifts his head towards the house.

"Nobody's safe," Aware of my stare, Dom leans on his back foot and looks at me. He looks scared, just as I'm sure I do. It's a hard pill to swallow, but it's the truth.

"Is it uncle Rico?" By the time I hear Rosie's voice, she's directly behind us. Dominic shifts in his stance, doing his best to hide William's body. "You can tell me," She tries to peer around Dom's figure. "I won't cry...too hard."

I look away from Rosalie for a second, letting Dom take the reigns on answering this one. Carmen and Veleno have retreated away from the group, where they stand, holding each other. She seems to be more invested in the hug than him – which I'm not surprised – and even from here, I can see her shoulders shaking as she presses her face against his long-sleeved t-shirt.

Then I turn to Vincenzo and Zara. She bends at the waist and whispers something in his ear, all while her hands travel across his shoulders in a loose massage. Vince leans his head back to respond and whatever he says, makes Zara smile. If I turned away, I would've missed her sliding her hand into his. It takes a second, but Vincenzo squeezes back before releasing her.

"I'll be right back."

I miss the ending of Dom and Rosie's comforting hug as I move past the bodies and around a whispering Austin and Steven. I hop up the stairs and push my way into the nearly empty foyer. A few men linger around the doorway, but for the most part, the place is still.

"Have you seen Liam?"

The two gentlemen look in my direction and shake their heads. They look away almost immediately. I glare.

They're lying.

I ask another passer-by the same question, and I get the same response. No. I scan the groups of men that come and go, some whispering in conversation while others talk loudly, not caring who heard. I recognize a few as soldiers that Veleno is trying to train.

I don't like the feeling that settles in my gut. It's a feeling of being lost, like I shouldn't be standing here. Like I don't belong here. Everything feels different when Liam isn't by my side, and I don't like it at all.

"Hi," I smile as I enter the kitchen area and greet two well dressed butlers. "Have you seen Liam?"

"Mr. Luciano?" One quirks his head and tilts a smile. His eyes drift over my shoulders, but I don't pay it no mind. "Why, yes, I just saw him—"

"I'm right here."

Relief washes over me just at the sound of Luciano's voice. The same voice that's lulled me to sleep a countless amount of times. I'm happy I've found him, but my concern rises ten-fold at the bloody towel he has balled in his hands. He uses the fabric to wipe over his knuckles and the back of his hand before tossing it to the butler to dispose of it.

I immediately reach for his hands, and he pulls them away. "I'm fine I just..." He stares at his knuckles and lets out an unstable breath. "Needed to punch something."

"I'm sorry about William—"

"Are you?" Liam looks up, his eyes searching mine. I take a step back at the tone he poises the question in. "I'm sure you're thrilled that it was William's body and not Rico's, just like everyone outside is."

The two butlers ease themselves out the room, leaving us alone. Liam walks by me and stops. I wait until I organize and rationalize my thoughts before turning around.

"Do you blame me?" The muscles in Liam's back tenses beneath the black, long-sleeved shirt that emphasizes the size of his shoulders. I try not to let them distract me. "I was closer to Rico, but that doesn't negate the fact that I am sorry about William." I move toward him and press a palm against his back and he does something hasn't done in a while.

He moves away from me.

"Don't touch me," His jaw locks as he turns his head, glancing at me out the corner of his eye. "Please."

I let my arms dangle at my side as I watch him. "I know how much he meant to you."

"I'm scared."

My eyebrows form together in confusion as Liam turns his entire body around.

"Of Valentin?"

He casts his gaze to my feet, muttering out a "No," so soft I think I imagine it. When he lifts his head up, a strand of hair falls over his forehead. He hesitates, his mouth opening and closing. My frown deepens at the length of his silence.

I move toward him, only to stop at the sight of him preparing to step back, away from me.

"What are you scared of then?"

With a shake of his head, Liam begins to move past me, done with the conversation. I reach out and wrap a hand around his bicep. It flexes at my touch and Liam stops. Our shoulders brush as he swallows and looks down at me.

The intense look in Liam's beautiful brown eyes is enough to knock the wind out of me. "I'm afraid that Valentin is going to force me to become a man I never wanted you to see."

I let him go.

And watch as he vanishes out the room, leaving nothing but the scent of his aftershave.

Between the revelation of the bodies outside and what Liam just said, my mind is reeling. I feel like I'm being tugged in every direction, but that doesn't stop me from rushing to catch Liam before he makes it outside. I don't say anything as I fall in step with him, and I think that's for the best.

Austin is still outside, ordering a few large men around as they re-zip the body bags and carry them away. Liam branches off to speak with him as I head toward the group, who are now huddled together in a lopsided circle.

Carmen stands a little further out, bouncing an infant in her arms. She coos, causing the little girl to send her a smile. The precious little thing can't be any older than a year. Carmen is readjusting the pink headband that had begun to slide down the little girl's face when I hear my name.

"Faith Crawford?"

Xavier Corinelli.

My lips pull apart in a wide smile as Peter Corinelli's son breaks away from the group to throw his arms around me in greeting.

Xavier Corinelli worked along side his father, Peter, and we met when I gave myself up last year. Sacrificing myself and ending up in the home of a man as dangerous as his father was nothing short of terrifying, even if it needed to be done. Xavier turned out to be nothing like his father, and for that I was grateful. Despite only being in their captivity for a short while, I got to know him; and I'm thankful I did.

"Or is it Faith Luciano now?"

I lightly punch Xavier's chest as he backs away, a bright smile on his face. He doesn't look like he's aged a day, but if my calculations and assumptions are correct, the little girl in Carmen's arms would be a dead giveaway that time has passed.

"Not yet," Liam answers for me.

I didn't think Xavier's smile could get any wider until now. Moving from me, the two men embrace in a tight, two-armed hug.

The last time I spoke with Xavier, he was preparing to take over the family that his father left behind. He wanted to change the direction they were headed in and vowed to the rest of the families in the organization that he would make the Corinelli name one to respect again. And from what I've heard in passing over the course of the last 12 months, Xavier has done just that as their Don.

As they pull away, Liam nods toward the group as they all move closer to us. "You know everybody, right?"

"Yeah," Xavier bounces around to face the others. "Zara? Hi," The two share a short hug. "You're looking as beautiful as ever."

Vincenzo makes a noise out the back of his throat.

Xavier quickly glances over his shoulder at Liam. "Just for clarification, I'm not making a pass at your mother."

Liam smiles.

"Xavier?" Rosalie steps forward, a soft smile on her face. "Do you remember me?"

Xavier rests his palms on his knees and bends at the waist. "Do I remember you?" He mocks a tone of unbelief at her question. "How could I forget baddest bitch in the game?"

Rosie laughs as she hops up to share a high-five with a man who once protected her.

"Mr. De Santis," Xavier moves to his left to shake Vince's hand. "I don't think we've ever been formally introduced, despite me having taken my father's throne."

"I've heard you at Council meetings. You seem like a smart kid."

"I'm just trying to be like you, Sir." Xavier laughs, sounding genuine. He speaks to Vince in a tone he doesn't share with Liam or the others. I wouldn't say his words are laced with an aspect of fear, but one that resembles respect and adoration. "I grew up hearing about you and things you've accomplished. And then I was able to witness it when you came into our home that day to help Faith. I just...I don't think I've ever seen anyone handle power quite like you."

Vincenzo's face falls. "That was a long time ago, kid."

A hush falls over the group as Vincenzo lowers his head in distress. Xavier angles his body to the right, giving Liam and I an apologetic look.

"Dominic Santiago," Xavier and Dom lock hands, only to pull each other together and slap one another on the back. "Last time I saw you, you were bleeding out in my foyer because of one of my father's men."

Dom forces a smile on his face. "Fun times."

"Great times, great times." Xavier clamps a comforting hand on Dom's shoulder. "In case you were curious, it took forever to get your blood off my damn floor."

"It wasn't exactly weighing heavily on my mind."

Xavier moves to Carmen, who's still clutching his baby to her chest. "And you are?"

"Me?" Carmen tucks a strand of hair behind her ear and shrugs, her attention remaining on the little one in her arms. "I'm nobody, really."

"You must have a name."

Switching the infant to her left shoulder, she offers up her hand. "Carmen—"

"I knew you had a n—"

"—Vega."

Xavier stops mid-sentence. He forces a cough to break the silence and accepts her hand in a quick, gentle shake. "Carmen Vega," He repeats. "You're the one on the list."

She pulls away, confused. "What list?"

Veleno slides in beside Carmen and lowers his voice. "When we care about somebody, we put their names on the list to signify that they are off limits to any attacks within our organization. It doesn't secure their safety to outside threats, but you, Carmen, you have no idea how many street thugs between California and the east coast know your name because of him."

Xavier beams at her. "I've never met an angel before."

Carmen suppresses a blush. "I'm not an angel."

"You were his."

With Carmen now speechless, Xavier moves his attention to the last person. His eyes rise from Veleno's shoes to the top of his head, hovering a second longer over his blind eye. "You must be Veleno. I've heard a lot about you." The two shake hands.

"Good things?" Veleno inquires.

Xavier doesn't seem to hesitate. "Yes."

The corner of Veleno's lip twitches. "You must not be talking to the right people then."

"And this!" Xavier reaches for his daughter. He clutches her to his chest and spins slowly, so that everyone can get a glimpse. "This is Abigail. She just turned one." Leaning down into her ear, he loudly whispers, "Wave, sweetheart."

The little girl doesn't comply to her father's wishes, instead, she buries her face into his shoulder in silence.

Xavier sways his daughter back and forth, left and right for a few seconds before slowing to a stop. Both of his hands cradle her body to his as he looks up, locking eyes with Liam, then me, and so on down the group.

"Did you feel it?"

I'm not sure who says it, but someone mutters, "Excuse me?"

"Did you feel the foundation of La Cosa Nostra shake when Federico died?"

No one responds.

"Because I did, we all did. You aren't the only ones mourning his death," Xavier continues. "Everyone in this organization is and I want to help you. I want to be by your side when you fight these damn Russians, but I—" His eyes fall on his daughter. "—I have too much to lose." He looks back to Liam.

Luciano huffs from beside me. "I understand completely."

"I'm sorry for your loss," He makes sure to look between Vincenzo and Carmen. Turning back to Liam, Xavier hands over a folded piece of paper. Liam unravels it, scans it, then hands it to me so I can read it.

It's an address.

"It's not much," Xavier explains, "But it's a start. I've had surveillance on this particular neighborhood for almost a year now for personal reasons, and just recently have I started witnessing unusual activity."

Veleno walks around Liam and glances over my shoulder before asking a question of his own. "What kind of unusual activity?"

"A—" He covers his daughter's ears and finishes with, "—shitload of Russians. The houses are fairly small, and my surveillance has caught at last twenty different Russian men coming and going from this house within the last few weeks." Xavier clears his throat. "Besides, I saw the body bags earlier and if that's the work of the Rostov's, I'd say now would be a pretty good time to retaliate."

Liam snatches the paper from me and holds it high. "Are you sure these are Valentin's men?"

Xavier nods. "One hundred percent."

Liam slaps the piece of paper to Veleno's chest. It sounds like it hurt, but I swear I didn't even hear Veleno lose air. The two men eye each other.

Luciano speaks first.

"We move on this location tonight."

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I told you my secret, now it's time you tell Faith yours.

Dominic's words or warning to Liam rush to the forefront of my mind as we all sit comfortably on the sofas inside the home. Butlers comply to our every wish, ushering out drinks and other snacks as our group listens intently to Xavier talk, excited about a project he's soon to implement.

I'm too suspicious to even pretend to listen, because for the second time today Liam has disappeared.

The first time was by himself, right after discovering the bodies.

The second happened just moments ago, when he slipped away from me and silently motioned for Veleno to join him.

It isn't until Xavier and his daughter stand to say goodbye do they return side-by-side.

I don't realize just how fast time has gone until Liam tosses an arm around my shoulder and pulls me close. "We should leave for the meeting with Rosie's teacher now."

I just nod. "Where did you and Veleno go?"

Liam's hand is cold in my own as we both say goodbye to Xavier. After promising everyone else that we'll be back soon and listening to Liam order Austin to keep the dead bodies here until we return, the two of us head outside.

The car ride starts off quiet and a part of me wishes we had dragged Rosie along, at least then someone would talk. My question about where Liam and Veleno's adventure had taken them hung in the air far too long without an answer. All it did was make things awkward.

Silently, I settle my gaze on the speedometer for most of the trip. We hit the highway and almost immediately, the car lurches forward and the needle slowly rises. It hits 70 miles per hour and continues past 80, then 85. When it hits 90 and stalls, I divert my attention to Liam.

More specifically, his jaw.

"It was nice seeing Xavier again," I blurt out.

The sound of the indicator blinking fills the car as Liam merges lanes. We pass a slower moving eighteen-wheeler in the blink of an eye.

I settle back into the passenger seat with a sigh. "It's not your fault, Liam."

"Look William in the eye and tell him that."

"How could you have known that Valentin was going to target him?" I twist in my seat to face him. "William gave up this life. He walked away. He was no longer involved. You can't read minds. You couldn't have known."

Liam doesn't believe what I say, and I can tell that by the shaking of his head. "Michael would've known. He would've been prepared—"

"You're not Michael," I grind out through a clenched jaw.

Liam slaps the steering wheel and raises his voice to a level that frightens me. "Well maybe I should be!" My shoulder hits the door as I recoil in fear. "If I was anything like Michael, people would fear me! I wouldn't be known as some weak bitch who can never do what needs to be done—"

"—if you were anything like your father, I would have nothing to do with you."

Liam is the first one to look away from our intense stare-down.

The car comes to a stop in a parking lot. Liam throws the engine in park and twists the key before yanking it out, giving his undivided attention to me.

"Whatever happens in there," He changes the conversation with a simple nod towards the recently renovated school building, "You follow my lead."

I hesitate.

There was a time when I would've never hesitated.

"Okay."

The walk from the parking lot to the administrative offices is short. With school already being out for the day, the hallways are empty, except for a few janitorial workers. We pass by a gym on our journey just as a young girl let out an ear-piercing scream – one of joy, not terror. After checking in and getting directions to the fourth-grade classroom, Liam and I find the correct classroom.

Camilla Wilson is nothing like the meowing...sex lady from our questionable past. She's short and petite with a thin figure and short, brown hair. Glasses rest on the bridge of her nose and all around, she really does have that teacher aesthetic vibe down.

I note that her classroom is surprisingly in decent condition as we enter.

"Mr. Luciano!" She stands from behind her desk, which is stacked from corner to corner with papers. Excusing herself past another woman, she moves briskly through the rows of desks to meet us halfway. "It's a pleasure to see you again," She grips Liam's hand in a firm shake before looking over to me. "I didn't know you got married—"

"He didn't." I answer before Liam can, and the quickness of my response causes them both to give me a weary glance.

I widen my smile and shake the hand of Rosalie's teacher.

"Faith Crawford," I introduce with a polite smile.

"Girlfriend," Liam explains further. With a nod of her head, Mrs. Wilson ushers us toward the front of the room. She motions toward two chairs that have been purposely set up for the meeting. She takes her seat as we do. "She helps me take care of Rosie, and I figured it would be appropriate that she came as well."

"This is Veronica Smith, our Principal." Mrs. Wilson introduces the quiet woman that sits to her left. Veronica Smith, upon first glance, appears like a strict, no-nonsense black woman that certainly has her shit together. She slays her burgundy and black dress suit, something I couldn't wear without looking like an absolute fool.

I give her a tense smile as Liam stands and leans over, offering his hand to her.

The two of us simply nod at one another.

"Jessica, the superintendent of this school district should be arriving shortly, but we can go ahead and get started now."

Liam freezes. "The...superintendent?"

"I don't think you understand the severity of the situation, Mr. Luciano," Veronica speaks up.

"Rosalie missed a couple days of school," Liam retorts, "She didn't commit murder."

"A couple days?" Camilla leans forward, eyebrows furrowed. "Mr. Luciano, Liam, if that little girl misses any more days, she's going to have to repeat fourth-grade."

"Even when Rosalie is here, she isn't." The principal adds.

"I have had the pleasure of knowing Rosie since she was in kindergarten," Camilla begins with a smile on her face. "She's always been energetic and never afraid of letting people know how she feels. She's always been an excellent student. Straight A's, never tardy, always focused..."

Rosie's teacher ruffles through a stack of papers on her desk before pulling out a purple colored folder. She turns it around and slides it over to Liam. I lean over as he flips it open. Worksheets with Rosalie's name scribbled at the top, along with the date and a large, red F label the five papers that we skim over.

It isn't like Rosie tried her hardest a failed, she didn't try at all.

All the papers are blank.

Liam shuts the folders and lifts his gaze. "Rosie recently lost somebody that meant the world to her. You have to understand..."

"And I do, Mr. Luciano, but that doesn't give her the right to miss as much school as she already has," Veronica chimes in.

"If I may," The two women angle their bodies in my direction at the sound of my voice. I notice Liam's jaw clench, whether that's at the sound of my voice or his growing irritation, I'll never know. He looks to me and I continue, "There are times when Rosalie simply doesn't have a ride to school. Rosie didn't just lose someone close to her," I use my hand to point between Liam and myself, "but we did too."

A look of sympathy passes over the teachers face as she glances between the two of us. Her mouth parts, but her words are cut off by the chirp of the principal's phone. Veronica looks down, only to silently apologize. Muttering something about needing to take the call, she slides past by seat and strides out the room in her four-inch heels. Once the door closes, Mrs. Wilson speaks again.

"Would it help if we arranged for somebody to pick Rosalie up on the days that you all can't bring her in?"

I lift an eyebrow, impressed. "You would do that?"

Liam's response differs greatly from my own with a stern, "No," to Mrs. Wilson's offer.

I give him a look that spells out all of my confusion.

He stands, looking even more irritated. "Rosalie will be in class tomorrow, I promise."

I hesitate and prepare to stand as Liam forces the conversation to a close.

Camilla rises to her feet as well. "Mr. Luciano, this meeting is not done."

"I'm not sure what more you could say."

Mrs. Wilson slaps a piece of paper, face down, before us. She slowly rests back down in her chair as Liam does the same. The glare they share never wavers. I lean forward and with the tip of my fingers, I use the edge of the paper to flip it over and reveal what's on the other side.

Camilla clears her throat. "I have noticed over the past year or so how Rosalie is always coming to class with new bruises. As a teacher, it's my job to notice things like this and as of recently, she has a new one every time I see her."

My throat goes dry at the illustration that's drawn on the paper, and I know Liam feels the same way.

"I'm not sure if you're aware, Liam," She continues, "But your sister has a talent."

Liam struggles to get out the simple words as he grasps the paper from me and pulls it close, analyzing it even closer. "She can draw."

"And she can draw well." Mrs. Wilson tilts her head and asks a question with an obvious answer. "What do you see?"

Liam runs a hand over his head and sighs.

"A gun," I answer for the both of us. "It's a gun."

Rosie drew a handgun. It's more detailed than just a line up and to the right or left, which is typically how children draw the weapon. She drew the handle and even went as detailed to show the ridges of grip on it's front and back. I can easily point out the trigger and even the lip of the magazine that sticks out a little at the bottom. She's missing a few key details, but with expert shading and a couple corrections, we could be staring at a 3D model.

Liam and I share a glance, one that Mrs. Wilson notices.

"I have a reason to be concerned, you two. Bruises are one thing, but doodling this—" She motions toward the paper, "—in class, while we live in an America that averages at least one mass shooting a day—"

I frown. "Mrs. Wilson, Rosalie is not a threat to shoot—"

She holds up a hand, rudely cutting me off.

The look I give her could cut ice.

"I pulled her aside the last time she was in class and asked her if anything was going on at home."

Liam leans back, masking the worry on his face. "And she said?"

"Nothing."

I don't miss the twitch of Liam's lips as they curve upwards. He's proud.

"So I'm going to ask you," Her teacher leans forward, focusing more on Liam than me. "What's going on at home?"

"Nothing," is Liam's response.

"You mean to tell me that Rosalie just wakes up with her bruises?"

Luciano smiles. "She's an intense sleeper."

"Mr. Luciano—" She threatens.

"—Mrs. Camilla Jade Wilson—"

I grab Liam's arm as he inches himself to the edge of his seat. I'm surprised that the wooden armrests don't snap underneath the intensity of his grip.

"Rosalie," I shout out, gathering both of their attentions, "Rosalie is surrounded by grown men most of the day. Grown men that love and cherish her," I make sure to emphasize that fact for her teacher. "She's also been known to roughhouse. That's how she gets her bruises."

Mrs. Wilson doesn't look like she believes me for a second, which is sad because it's the truth. Sure, I can't explain the bruise she has that Liam and Dominic caused by accident, but because of her size, Rosalie is always being tossed and thrown by Liam and I's men for entertainment. By the look on Rosie's face, you can tell she enjoys it – but roughhousing with large men has its consequences.

"Well then," She leans back, "If that's all, you wouldn't have a problem with a random welfare check by the police, would you?" Her eyes dart from me to Liam. "To ease my conscience," Camilla finishes.

Liam leans forward and lowers his voice. "Leave me and my family alone."

"Do you have something to hide?"

I cross one leg over the other and offer up a smile. "We just like our privacy."

"And I like knowing that the children I teach are being raised in safe environments."

"She is," Liam growls out.

Camilla stands, and Liam to does the same. "And the police will let me know once their welfare check is complete."

"You don't believe me when I say that she's safe?" Liam leans against her desk, pressing his fingertips against the wood as his eyes search hers. I frown and look up at him, concern spiraling in my gut at the sound of his voice and the look on his face. "I don't have the patience, time, or energy to deal with police right now, let alone a curious school teacher."

"Are you threatening me, Mr. Luciano?"

"I haven't even begun to yet."

I stand and grab Rosalie's drawing, which Liam had set back on the table. Folding it quickly, I tuck it in the pocket of my pants and force a smile. My hand grips Liam's bicep as I try to lead him away, but he doesn't budge. He plants his feet and holds his ground.

"Only people that feel the need to threaten have something to—" Camilla freezes as she tilts her head in Liam's direction, realization sinking in just a little too late. "How do you know my middle name? Jade, how do you know my middle name?"

Liam steps away from me, ripping his arm from out my grasp. He moves around her desk, and for the first time since the meeting started, fear settles on the face of a woman who had been trying to stand tall and confident this entire time. Her hand grips the back of her leather chair, her nails digging in the fabric as Liam closes the gap between them.

I move to my right and position myself just a few steps behind Camilla. Meaning, if she tried to make an escape, she couldn't. I still watch Liam with curiosity and worry. We never talked about this particular scenario unfolding, and I'm not sure just how far he would take it.

"You're going to walk out this classroom and inform Ms. Veronica and Ms. Jessica that the situation with Rosalie is being handled." Liam's knees hit the edge of the chair, keeping him from closing in on the teacher anymore. "You're going to tell them that she will be in class tomorrow, that her home life is steady and safe, and you will not call the police."

Camilla rolls her shoulders and stands up straight. "And if I don't?"

"It would be a shame if your two young children witnessed the death of their father on this beautiful day."

My eyes go wide. "Liam!"

Camilla Wilson immediately folds.

She raises her hand in an innocent fashion and shakes her head. "Fine. Fine! Leave my goddamn family alone and go."

Liam looks around the woman, making eye contact with me. "I tried to be nice."

I grit my teeth. "Let's go."

I don't miss the wink Liam sends Mrs. Wilson as we round the desk and head for the exit.

It isn't until I scan the empty school hallway, making sure there isn't a janitor in sight before whirling on Liam. I ball my hand into a fist and hit his arm multiple times before pulling away, seething.

"How you lost your goddamn mind?!" The echo of our footsteps are the only response I receive as we head towards the large doors. "Threatening Rosalie's teacher? What if she tells people what you said? What if—"

He stops dead in his tracks. "Camilla Wilson won't say a word."

I throw my arms up in the air. "And you know this how?"

"Call it a gut feeling."

"A gu—" I race to catch up with him.

"You don't understand," Liam whirls on me, angry. "I don't have the time or the patience to deal with police and her suspicious ass! My friend is dead, two of my friends are dead! The last thing I need to deal with right now is a fucking teacher and her assumptions that Rosie is being abused! I said what I said to get her off my back and I meant every word." In a lower volume, he concludes with, "She won't be an issue to us anymore."

We walk in silence for a few minutes. I mutter a 'thanks' as he props the door open for me, allowing me to exit first. The sun is out on this breezy day as we head towards the nicest car in the parking lot.

"Were you bluffing?" We reach the car and stop. With a hand on the door, I watch Liam over the hood of the car as he pauses. He looks up. "Were you bluffing when you threatened her family?"

Liam's phone chooses the opportune moment to ring. He lifts the phone to his ear.

"Veleno, hey."

I only hear one side of the conversation, but that's all I need to hear to fit two and two together.

"Rosalie's teacher won't be a problem."

I look back up at Liam and he stares back.

"Spare her husband's life for another day."

•• ━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••

The house is buzzing with excitement and activity. Soldiers line every corner, some preparing for the raid on the Russian's not-so-secret current hideout, while others offer encouraging words to their friends.

The weapons room is full as men come and go, strapping in and adjusting their Kevlar and multitude of holsters. Liam is amongst the chaos, casually drifting from one group to the other as he re-explains everything that's going to go down. I had been by his side from the moment we returned, but the closer we got to the squad's time of departure, the more crowded the large home felt.

I had slipped outside the room and leaned against the wall, watching the group from a far less claustrophobic vantage point.

I'm trying to focus on the here and now, but my mind is still replaying the conversation we had with Rosie's teacher. Based on Liam's behavior, I think I'm more worried about the woman than he is. Maybe I shouldn't be, maybe I should trust him to know that she'll no longer be a problem for us, but what she informed us about Rosalie is still troubling. Liam and I promised to speak to the little girl tomorrow, but for now, we had a couple Russians to take care of.

"I can't believe you left me here with men all day."

I laugh at the sound of Carmen's voice. She pokes her head around a corner and her body follows. Sliding up beside me, our shoulders bump together in greeting.

"Oh, please," I give her a look and focus my attention back on the packed room. "You had Zara."

"Whom I'm not particularly fond of after her smartass comment about my...we—about me."

I sneak another glance at Carmen, only to see her frowning.

"You had Vince."

I stifle a laugh as my peripherals catch Carmen giving me a look out the corner of her eye. "The same man that threatened me and my family all those years ago?"

I nod towards Veleno, who has completely isolated himself from the rest of the men that swarm inside the weapons room. My eyebrows come together as I study him, watching carefully. His eyes are closed, his hands are locked together behind his back, and he sways gently from side to side. Carmen follows my eyes.

"You had Veleno."

Turning, Carmen rests her shoulder against the wall and looks directly at me. "I don't know him that well, to be honest."

Folding my arms across my chest, I turn to face her. "Really?"

"He was Rico's friend, not mine." Her eyes dart back over to Veleno, then back to me. I go to ask another question to keep the conversation going, but Carmen isn't done. "We've talked more since....you know...than before. Veleno has always been respectful and kind to me, even when Rico wasn't around, but something about him just..." She winces. "Somethings different about him."

"What's he even doing right now?"

Carmen and I both take a second to look back to Vincenzo's trained assassin. He's still swaying, his eyes closed, arms placed behind his back.

"Praying?" Carmen suggests.

Veleno's speech about the only help from above he acknowledges replays in my mind.

"I doubt it."

Gritting my teeth, I grab her arm and lead her into the swarm of men. We excuse our way through men with ridiculously sized necks, biceps, and thighs. We playfully high five once we make it through the warzone. We reach the other side with minimal damage and laugh together.

Veleno stands before us completely unaware of our presence.

"Are you praying?" Carmen asks out loud.

Veleno's eyes open in a snap and I quietly gasp. I know he's blind in one eye, but for some reason, it caught me off guard tonight. The hazy, white eye next to the other, which swirls with dark and light blues – similar to the ocean – is enough to take my breath away.

He blinks. "Not quite."

"Thinking?" I propose.

"More like summoning."

Carmen and I look at each other and nervous laughter erupts between us.

"You and Rico used to do this," Carmen nods at Veleno, "You guys would isolate yourselves and close your eyes and just disappear from the world right before a miss—"

"—an assignment," Veleno corrects coolly.

"—an assignment," Carmen backtracks to fix her mistake. "Why?"

Veleno's eyes drift over our heads as he scans the crowd. "Unlike what the...Teen-Fic books you read teach, even the coldest of killers can't turn their emotions off like a switch. It takes time." His eye lands on us once more. "Even trained assassins need a moment to detach themselves from reality."

Veleno's eye darts over to me and I nearly take a step back. The blue in his eye is like ice; cold and unforgiving. Even the tone he spoke with was enough to give me chills. His voice was even and scarily calm, disconnected of any emotion.

"V." Liam appears at my side. He hands Veleno a Kevlar vest. "This vest has a built-in body camera. I'll be with you the entire time."

Veleno smirks. "You feel like you need to babysit me, Luciano?"

"Of course not," Liam pats Veleno's chest and smiles. "I just want to see Valentin's men die in real time."

"Does it turn you on?" Veleno teases with a smile on his face.

"Oh, you have no idea."

The two share a hearty laugh. Liam's hand drops to my shoulder as he leans in. "Find me in ten minutes, yes?"

I nod as he kisses my cheek.

As soon as Liam's gone, Carmen raises her voice. "Be safe, Veleno."

He lowers his gaze to his vest. Readjusting the strap, he responds, "I've been doing this a long time, Carmen."

"I know," She shuffles her feet and chooses the moment they lock eyes to look away. Her bottom lip is tugged into her mouth as I do my best to urge her on. "I'd feel better if...I just feel like this is different." Carmen picks at her nails as she finds the words she's searching for. "Our boy isn't watching your back anymore."

Our boy.

That one hurt.

"Our boy will always have my back." Now probably would've been a perfect time for an embrace, but the two lean back on their opposite foot, creating an even larger distance between them. "And he'll always have yours."

Carmen nods. I can see the lump in her throat and the tears welling up in her eyes. She blinks every tear away except one, which finds its way out the corner of her left eye. Veleno and I both notice, but neither one of us say a word. With one last nod she throws her thumbs over either shoulder and begins to back away.

"I should probably...Rosie might—I just—" She clears her throat one last time before ducking another the arms of two men and vanishing in the growing crowd.

"I like her," I say.

"Same here."

"She wants to get to know you better," I look back to Veleno to gauge his reaction.

He lets out a breath and has to hold himself back from laughing. "There's not much to me, Faith." He turns and struts off to a weapons table that's been pushed up against the far wall, away from most of the traffic.

I follow, standing out amongst the crowd of large men with large arms.

"That's what everyone thought of Rico when we first met him," I watch Veleno scan the various weapons that are lined up on the table for the choosing. "He ended up being the most complex person I've ever met—"

Veleno slams a weapon down on the table, drawing the room to silence. The sudden move surprises me enough to make me jump, kickstarting the rapid beating of my heart. "I am not Rico."

I know I've managed to piss him off with just how quickly he's reassembling the gun he's chosen. He slides the magazine into place.

"I miss Rico just as much as the next person, but I don't miss the constant comparisons." He spins to face me, and I step back. I've been under the scrutinizing gaze of quite a few intimidating men, but there's something about being under Veleno's that's different. "We are nothing alike."

"You can't say that."

"Federico killed with a purpose," His ocean blue eye lands on me and I lose all air inside my lungs. "I kill because I enjoy it."

I should be terrified, and maybe a little part of me deep down is, but I'm too busy trying to analyze the look that swirls in Veleno's eye to feel myself go numb. He says he's shallow, easy to figure out, but just like Rico's there's layers to his personality that he's hidden behind walls.

There's a method to his madness, and I don't think I'll ever be able to figure it out.

"How do you do it?" I question softly, doing my best to dig a little deeper without him shutting me out. "You two were the best duo this generation has ever seen and I'm curious how you did it every night. How do you go out every single night and perform to the best of your ability without a drop in performance?"

My question sends Veleno back in the past, I can see it by the distant look in his eye. He rushes back to the present in a breath and focuses on me. "I asked him the same thing, once."

"Rico?" I almost miss Veleno's nod. "What did he say?"

"I couldn't understand how he could go out every night like clockwork and do his job to perfection, with no mistakes, slipups or anything and I was jealous. I used to be so jealous..."

I watch him carefully as buried emotions rise to the surface.

"And then one night I asked him the same question you asked me, and he looked me in the eye," Veleno's chilling gaze settles on me. "And he said that in order to be the best you can be every night, you must be willing to die for the mission."

Men rush the exit as their ten-minute warning is up. Those assigned to Veleno's team tonight use the last fleeting seconds to gear up before heading outside and into the vans. I turn around as Veleno moves to join the group.

I have to speak loudly over the voices of other men. "What's the mission?"

A part of me doesn't think he hears my question, but he stops and glances back at me. "People often confuse the mission with the little assignments that we're sent on every night. The mission is the big picture. It's what we stand for. It's what we, as an organization, live for. And if you want to be the best you can be every night, you must be willing to die for it as well."

I lose sight of Veleno in the wave of men that head for the door before I can respond.

He doesn't hear my feeble, "Be safe."

•• ━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••

I find Liam in the media room 15 minutes later.

The room is small in comparison to the rest of the house, despite its decent size. The media room is home to security personnel, which explains the countless amount of flat screen tv's that are mounted on all three walls. The tv's are used to display live-feed from security cameras that are hidden in various parts of the house, but tonight, they'll be used to watch Liam's raid on the Russians.

Liam, Austin, and Steven are already inside the room and seated in swivel chairs. Liam and Austin appear to be holding a conversation, while Steven is in the corner, playfully spinning in an endless loop of circles. He's nothing but a blur, but I can still see the boyish smile on his face.

"—For fuck's sake, Steven, can you stop!" Austin's hands fly to his temples. "Watching you makes me want to throw up."

"Jesus," Steven uses his feet to slow his momentum. The smile on his face immediately fades. "I knew I was ugly, Austin, you didn't have to rub it in."

I hide my laughter as Austin turns away from the young man and leans against the desk. "That isn't what I meant," He mumbles softly.

Steven winks at me before staring back at Austin. "Are you saying I'm..." Clearing his throat, Steven's voice rises two octaves, "Beautiful?"

Austin's palm hits the table as he spins his chair around. "Stop spinning! Okay? Just...stop spinning."

The corner of Liam's lip lifts in a smile as he pats the chair next to him. Austin sends me a weary smile in greeting, looking about as exhausted as I feel.

"Where's Dominic?"

Liam shrugs as I sit down beside him. "I invited him to watch but he said he wanted to sleep."

"And Vince?"

He tries to hide his disappointment. "It's just us four tonight." Giving my thigh a pat, Liam swivels to face the other two. "As soon as our men arrive, Veleno's body cam will turn on." Using the desk to pull himself closer, Liam issues everyone a headset. His and Austin's are the only ones with a speaker. "Put these on. We'll be able to hear everything V can hear, but only Austin and I can talk to him."

Austin makes sure everyone can see the look he gives Steven. "So no screaming in my ear, Steven."

Lifting the cushion away from one ear, Steven replies, "Would you prefer it if I moaned?"

Liam doesn't miss a beat. "We're sending a message tonight. Everybody in that house dies."

"He's so hot when he gets like this—"

Liam, Austin, and I swivel our chairs to face Steven, who had leaned towards Austin to whisper the comment. His pale face flushes a deep shade of red as he looks between the three of us. He lifts a finger to keep anybody from commenting before dropping it.

Steven is saved by the bell, literally. The television that rests in the middle of them all exits standby mode. Male voices fill my headset as I try and get my eyes to focus on the dark screen. There's a bunch of chatter, most of which I don't understand. Veleno exits the van first and the rest follow.

A chill runs down my arms, causing every single goose-bump to rise. The closer Veleno stealthy makes his way to the door, the louder the voices behind it become. They're speaking English, but the thick Russian accents hinder my ability to translate.

It's clear that the group Liam sent had already made their plans on how to infiltrate the house, and being silent or stealthy was obviously not part of the plan. Veleno steps to the side as a man even larger than he bursts through the front door. I grip at my headset as shouts in different languages erupt. Every curse word known to man makes it way into my ears as the team floods inside the Russians home.

I'm trying to keep up with everything and everyone, especially Veleno, but it's sheer chaos.

Liam and Austin are silent beside me. Steven is the only one that looks slightly worried.

I'm witnessing a firefight in real time and it's craziest thing I've ever seen. Bodies drop to the floor left and right as Veleno and a few others take one part of the small home, while the rest search the remaining rooms in the house.

I witness, without blinking, Veleno fire three shots, right into the chest of a large, burly man. He staggers back, eyes wide, his fingers just inches away from grabbing the weapon on the kitchen counter. He hits the floor and releases his last breath as Veleno stands over him, giving us a close-up of the man he just murdered.

"V!" Someone shouts, "We checked the rest of the house. It's clear."

I shield my eyes from the screen as Veleno fires off an unnecessary shot, right between the man's eyes.

His deep voice comes in loud and clear. "We're clear in here too."

"What the hell is this?"

Veleno side-steps and jumps over a few bodies to reach one of Liam's men. They stand at a modest wooden table in the kitchen, which is covered in papers.

Liam, for the first time since the firefight started, talks into the speaker. "If those are blueprints, bring them. We may be able to figure out what else Valentin has in store."

"You heard what the boss said."

A couple of men scurry to grab the rolled-up pieces of paper.

"Let's hurry up and get out of here, this place gives me the creeps."

"Wait," another one of Liam's men says, "Let me at least loot the bodies first."

Veleno shoves the gentleman towards the door. "This isn't a fucking video game, Markus. Let's go."

"Veleno, watch out!"

The random words of warning frighten me. Veleno turns to his right, just in time to give us watching a glimpse of the woman fumbling down the stairs. His gun is aimed directly at her, as well as all the other men that surrounded the stairwell. The woman grips the handrails with all her might.

"Y-y-you have to help me." Her face is caked in a mixture of dirt and blood. Her hair is matted, and her clothes are too large for her. She holds her right arm against her side like it's been injured and her cheeks glisten underneath the tactical lights that the men have aimed her way. "They...they kidnapped me, they did horrible things to me—" Her voice cracks.

Liam scoots to the edge of his seat.

"Save her," I whisper.

Veleno readjusts his grip on his weapon and takes a step towards the woman.

"Help me, please," She cries.

Veleno stops, aims higher, and pulls the trigger.

"No!" I stand to my feet, enraged as the woman's head snaps back. My hands go to my head in disbelief as I watch her tumble down the remaining two steps. Hot tears prick at the corner of my eyes as Liam rises to his feet beside me, followed by Austin, then Steven – all in a coordinated line.

Austin rips the headset away from his ears in shock. "What the hell."

"Holy..." Even Steven is at a loss for words.

I watch, through blurred vision, as Veleno approaches his most recent kill. He bends down and places his hands on her baggy shirt. I question his sanity, amongst other things, as he begins to yank at her clothing. It takes a couple tries, but the worn-out shirt rips, revealing the woman's bare chest.

And the bomb strapped to it.

"Shit." Steven drops his entire weight to the chair in shock.

Austin turns to Liam, mouth parted. "How did he...?"

Veleno opens the woman's right palm, revealing the small detonator. "You mind, boss?"

It takes Liam a minute to respond. "No. Blow the bitch up."

With the job complete, the group ushers themselves out the house. Veleno is the last to exit with the detonator in his palm. In silence, we watch as the men climb back inside their vehicles.

"Are you talking about the woman or the house?"

Liam chuckles. "Both."

There's a second where the headset is dead silent. There's no chatter, no congratulating between the victorious team as they're moments away from claiming this small victory against the Russians. You could hear a pin drop in the media room where we stand, our eyes glued to the footage being displayed through Veleno's body camera.

He turns around to face the house and presses the button.

The explosion isn't immediate.

Veleno has time to climb inside the van and take his seat.

That's when we hear it.

Veleno's cool, calm, and stoic voice comes through the headset.

"Boom."

I rip the device off my head as Liam does the same. The screen goes black as Veleno's body camera disconnects, leaving the four of us in utter silence.

Somebody sniffles.

Steven, to be exact, sniffles.

He has his cellphone camera pointed at the black screen as he wipes a fake tear out the corner of his eye. He looks like a proud mother watching their child excel at a sporting event.

We all stare at him.

"I hate to sound like a cheesy, old white lady, but that shit was breathtaking, bro."

•• ━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••

a/n: boom.

it's been a while folks but i'm glad you're still sticking with me. i said that sh** would start to go down and well, i can confirm that this raid is the beginning of the madness!!!1!1!!! i'm excited.

i'm so damn excited for this story and this series like it may not seem like it because of my updates, but not being able to write as much as i want kills me but ya'll are being super patient and i love you and don't deserve you.

for those that don't follow me on ig (xotaintedkisses), you're missing out sis your missing out but it's not too late!!! we're planning on having a nice little memorial day for rico on his birthday (12/24) where people can send me anything related to him (i.e. why you love him, music that reminds you of him, pictures, quotes/quotes of his) you get the point.

if you want to join, dm me (on ig) what you got on the 24th and I'll share everything on my profile, unless you ask me not too.

p.s. veleno is a bad mf and nobody can tell me others DO THE DAMN THING BABY BOY