XXII

3...

For every count, the beat of my heart grows louder and stronger, thumping away in my chest like the beat of a drum.

2...

I am prepared and above all, ready to fight for myself and my family.

1...

"Now!" James yells, breaking the silence and the sound of my heart banging away in my chest. I don't waste a second before kicking the door open with the heel of my foot and springing out into the hall. I sharply turn my head to look left and right and acknowledge the emptiness of the hall. Only a few metal bullets lie stationary on the floor.

"Clear!" I yell to James and Fran running up close behind me. "Search the rooms, I'll cover downstairs." I say with confidence lacing in my voice. James nods and runs down the hall, disappearing around a corner. Fran moves the other way, shooting the lock of a door and barging in.

As she departs from my gaze, I twist the cylinder on my gun and storm down the hallway to the spiral staircase.. I tip-toe down the stairs making sure to closely examine each and every corner of the building. I remove a hair tie from my wrist and tie my hair into a low bun to keep it out of my face.

After what seems like forever, I reach the end of the stairs and creep around, listening closely for any slight sounds.

Weird... Nothing.

I don't take the silence as a reason to let my guard down. I continue creeping around until rejoining with Francesca, James and a few others. Each individual shares the same blank expressions on their faces.

"They can't be gone yet, they were just here a few minutes ago." James suggests, glancing around nervously. "Well where are they then?!" I snap.

"No idea." A familiar voice calls out from behind the others. My mother emerges from the crowd and my I feel a sense of relief knowing she is okay.

She pulls me into a small hug in appreciation of my presence and I return the favour. She quickly pulls away and stands assuredly besides me. "Its Luca Martinez and his men." She announces.

I share a pernicious glance with James and we both turn back to my mother at the same time. "Are you sure?" I ask.

"Yes, Milana." She replies. I don't question her any further, and don't find it hard to believe that Martínez and his men would do this.

"How do they know we are here?" I question, locking my fingers together. "No idea." My mother replies.

"What do they want with me?" I ask. My mother takes a deep breath and rubs my shoulder with the palm of her hand. "It's not just you, Mila. It's all of us. They are trying to bring down the entire Russian mafia and you are the key to it." She explains.

I fold my arms to seek some warmth, rubbing my shoulders slightly. The thundering silence is interrupted when Marco comes storming down the hall dragging someone along the floor. I take a long lingering look at the figure and finally identify him.

"David? You're working for Martínez!?" I call out.

"I found this fucker hiding behind the elevator." Marco yells, wrapping his hands around David's neck. "It's not what you think! He has the whole police force in his pocket. He'll hurt my family if I don't do as he says!" He shouts.

"This doesn't make any sense. You warned me about him!" I yell in ferocity as David is hurled upwards. "I was trying to save your life!" He exclaims through nervousness.

Marco lifts David by the collar and raises his fist. I put my hand on his arm urgently, and he halts.

"What's Luca planning?" I ask. David falls silent for a moment and I tilt my head at him. "He wants to take your territories. Tonight." He announces.

"Which territories?" Marco asks shooting him a mortal glance along with his sharp words. "All of them. He's been wanting to drive a wedge between your families to make it easier to attack you." He conveys.

"Fuck. We have to go back NOW!" James yells, running down the hall grasping Fran's hand and dragging her along with him.

"We should kill him." I spit. "No." My mother says eerily calm. I load my gun and hold it to the fleshy skin surfacing his throat. "If you think you got lucky, you're wrong. I will hunt you down." I yell as I jaggedly pull the gun away. Marco releases David and waits for him to get back on his feet, only to hold a knife to his throat.

"Convince me not to kill him." Marco says, gazing at my mother with his poisonous eyes. Before she has a chance to respond, the blaring sound of a helicopter rings through the building. My mother puts a reassuring hand on the small of my back and leads me outside.

I turn to Marco. "James must have called for help." I say through a whisper.

We arrive outside and the ruthless wind almost knock David clean off his feet. He steadies himself and Marco grabs him, loading him into the helicopter. Me and Marco also get in alongside him. "There are more helicopters arriving soon, stay here." Marco says to the rest of the group waiting besides us.

***

We are flying high over New York city and multiples lines of flames spread close to my home. "All our territories are under attack." I exclaim, digging my nails into my skin. Marco looks at my hand and notices what I'm doing. He looks at me with such severity, my heart skips a beat. "We're in this together, bella. Our families will fight tonight. We are prepared." He says with certainty. "Yes I know, I've just texted James. He'll gather our men and meet us at my house." I say.

Marco turns his head to David whose staring blankly out the window. "He knows more than he lets on." He assumes, leaning closer to David. I switch places with Marco so that I can look David in the eye. "What's Luca planning?" I ask.

"I already told you. He wants to take over your territories and Marco's." He utters, his gaze still falling out of the window, looking over the deadly city. "To what end?" I question. "He want's to become king of New York City." He adds.

"He told you that? What else did he tell you?" I interrogate, harshly spitting out my words. He finally turns to look at me. "What do you mean?" He asks. David starts shifting uncomfortably in his seat, his hands bound in his lap by handcuffs. "You know exactly what I mean, so tell me." I order.

I reach forward and dig my nails into his thighs. He winces in pain. "He'll have my head if I tell you!" He yells, fear tracing his eyes. "Fuck this." I spit.

I snap open the door of the helicopter and snag David by the cuffs, pushing his upper body out of the door. "WHAT THE FUCK!" He yells.

"You have ten seconds to tell me Luca's plan, or I will let go." I shout, keeping his chest out with one hand while pulling at the cuffs with the other. "Ok! Ok! I told you you have a mole in your midst. Luca ordered them to kill you tonight." He explains, nervously glancing between me and Marco.

I pull David back by the cuffs and throw him into his seat. He's looking livid and panting hard. "So someone's trying to kill me?!" I ask. Marco twists his head to me and smirks slightly. "If anyones going to kill you bella, it will be me." He speaks with a hint of playfulness lacing in his tone. "Is now really the time for jokes?" I ask, rolling my eyes. "You smiled, didn't you?" He asks, holding eye contact. I fall silent and ride the rest of the way fighting the urge to punch David.

Finally, the helicopter lands on the lawn in front of my house. I spring out of the door and dash inside to the dining room with Marco on my heels. I'm greeted by James and my closest cousins.

This will be interesting.

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