AllFreeNovel
Share Us
CHAPTER ONE: ENZO
I don't think winter has ever felt so cold.
Maybe it's the fact that I've never had to live in it twenty-four seven.
Once upon a time, I could go back to my home, or even the barracks. I could pull my warmest coat around me to heat my skin. I could have soup or a hot cup of coffee to knock the cold air out of my lungs.
But that wasbefore.
Now, I have to fight frostbite and other bums for the warmest spots in the city.
This time of year, there aren't many.
Warm spots, that is. There's more than a few bums, most of whom put down without blinking an eye. It's hard out here and it's a dog eat dog world. I learned that the night I woke up and found another man trying to pull my shoes off my feet. I didn't want to choke him out right afterwards, but I sure as shit didn't want to lose a couple of toes due to the frostbite. I’d made sure that I didn't cause any permanent damage or kill him in the process, and that has to count for something.
A shiver runs through my body and I pull the blanket I'd manage to buy from a dollar tree tighter around my body. It doesn't offer much warmth, but it's better than nothing. I huff a breath, watching as a vapor cloud forms in front of my face.
A sound meets my ears and my body tenses as I try to figure out what it is. A moment later, the sound comes again and I look down the dark street. The streetlights aren't very bright and there aren't a lot of them, so I have to squint hard. When I only make out the shape of a few other homeless people further down the street, my lips pull together.
It almost sounded like a-
The sound comes again, sharper and clearer now that I'm waiting for it. And if Ithoughtit was a gunshot a moment ago, Iknowit is now.
And I know, from being in the city for a couple of months now, that only the stupid would try to investigate.
If you walk into the hit of one of the gangs, you'll be the next target on their list. And if there's a misunderstanding between people that ended in one being shot, well that's none of my business either.
Still, I can't help but to continue to stare off in the direction of the noise. I have a feeling that it came from one of the alleyways, though I don't recall seeing anyone going down any of them. I continue to watch, waiting. After a few moments, a form appears, stepping from between two buildings. I keep my head low, pretending not to look even as I take in as many details as I can.
It’s a man.
He’s tall, definitely over six feet. His dark hair hangs to his shoulders in soft waves. The darkness covers and blurs his features a bit, but from his tan skin and the confident set of his shoulders, I know he's definitely a gangster, no... a mobster.
Most of the gangs in the city are black and they don't dress as prim and proper as the man standing at the edge of the alleyway. His hands are stuffed into the pockets of a black peacoat that likely costs as much as most people’s car note. With the streetlights, I can just make out a slight bulge under his coat.
In my heart, I know it’s a gun.
He turns and the streetlights hit the side of his face, but I quickly look away as he starts to move in my direction. I keep my gaze on my lap, my ears listening closely. I know as long as you leave most of the criminals alone in this town, they'll do the same, but you can never be too safe. And the man may have a gun, but Ihave my hands, and after the things I had to do overseas... they should be a registered weapon.
The man's steps are light, just barely loud enough for me to pick up. I watch as he passes by me, his shoes appearing in my line of sight. They're a pair of nice loafers made of thick leather that I would kill for.
I draw in a deep breath and count to five before lifting my gaze and looking in his direction. I pull up short as I find his gaze on me. I thought he'd continued walking, but the man stopped not even a few feet from me. His hands are still in his pockets and his body is relaxed, but there's something darkly dangerous about the way he looks at me.
His brown eyes are hard, his plump lips pulled into a thin line and in combination with his sharp cheekbones, he looks deadly. I remain still as he continues to watch me, only staring back.
His body is still angled slightly away from me, his head turned to look at me. Just when I think he's going to continue walking, he rotates his body all the way.
I hop to my feet instantly, ignoring the way my bones ache from sitting so long, exposed to the cold. I keep my stance wide as I wait for him to make another move. I don't want to jump at him for no reason and end up with the mafia breathing down my neck for a stupid mistake.
But if he tries anything, then I'm prepared to end him.
A smile crosses his lips and it takes his face from handsome to breathtaking. Mirth dances in his dark eyes. "Careful there, soldier," he says and I don't miss the humor in his words.
Or the fact that he knows I'm a soldier.
I glance down at the dog collars around my neck, but I know they aren't visible because of my coat.
He's just observant then.
