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“Did you say something?” Vlad’s voice, smooth and unconcerned, drew me from my internal monologue.
I turned to find my brother lounging on a pristine white leather chaise lounge, an amused glint in his eyes. Anton was seated on the opposite leather couch, smoking a cigarette as he pored through several reports and blueprints. I had forgotten they had been sitting there all along. Vlad's gaze held mine, a silent invitation to share my thoughts but beneath it, a search for an opportunity to condescend. It was no wonder Vanya had always disliked him.
I forced a tight smile, masking the storm raging within. “Just thinking aloud.”
Vlad raised an eyebrow, his expression suggesting he wanted more than such a vague response.
"Have you been hearing what some of the men within the organization have been saying?" Vlad chuckled as he took a sip of the exquisite Montrachet in his glass.
I made no reply.
"They're saying something about you going soft and spending time with your new bride. I'm not exactly sure, but that's what I heard," I could tell Vlad was holding a sneer.
"Names."
"Eh?" Vlad was confused.
"Give me their names," I turned to him, "And I'll turn them to bodies to show them just how soft I’ve gone."
Vlad took a large gulp and smiled awkwardly.
Taking a puff of smoke, Anton asked, “So you still want to hit them tonight, Boss?”
His words pulled me back to the reality of the situation, a dangerous game we’d been playing for far too long. I was tired of the games, sick of the name itself. A surge of determination replaced my earlier turmoil.
“Yeah, let’s end this Bianchi trouble once and for all,” I replied, the cigar held between my fingers now a silent testament to my resolve. The smoke spiraled upward and dissipated into the cool night air. With a final puff of my cigar, I discarded the remnants over the railing, the embers flickering briefly before disappearing into the abyss below.
With a graceful movement, I stepped away from the balcony, the night’s chill giving way to the warmth of the penthouse interior. Vlad and Anton rose from their perches and followed me inside with a casual saunter.
The penthouse was a sanctuary of opulence, all sleek lines and modern design, yet some parts of its walls sported ornate arabesque tapestries. My gaze swept over the lavish surroundings, from the marble floors to the abstract paintings that adorned the walls. I’d always loved such places.
For me, it served as a stark contrast to the turmoil that raged beneath the surface, and the tension, I found, was often soothing to me. Perhaps that was why I’d developed a mildobsession for art and architecture—it was of course nowhere close to Vanya’s.
The rest of my men were already gathered; a quiet suspense hung in the air as they awaited my orders.
“You all remember the plan, right?” I addressed them at last, my voice firm and commanding. “Let’s move out.” I couldn’t count how many times I had uttered those three words, and I conjectured this wouldn’t be the last time.
The imagined scene of a peaceful family life sprang up in my mind—a life with Audrey—and a subtle sense of dread rose before vanishing as quickly as the imagination had risen. As I led my men away, a sense of purpose enveloped me, drowning out the doubts and regrets that had plagued me moments before. The night unfurled before me, a canvas painted with danger and uncertainty. As we stepped into the darkness, my gaze lifted to the moonlit sky, and for a moment I couldn’t help but wonder if Audrey was looking up at the same stars, or what she was doing now. The city’s heartbeat throbbed on, slowly waning but still curiously relentless and unyielding in energy, a reminder that life marched on, regardless of the tangled emotions that bound us.
“Boss.” Anton bowed and opened the door for me.
The journey to the heart of the Italian gang’s lair was a silent one, the air heavy with tension. My men, hardened by years of battles and betrayals, sat in grim anticipation, their eyes fixed on the road ahead. I wondered if they too dreamed of a day when all of this would end. Could it ever end? The city streets blurred past, a backdrop of steel and concrete to the dangerous dance that was about to unfold.
Finally, we arrived, the imposing compound of the Bianchi family looming before us like a fortress of shadows. My heart pounded in my chest as we pulled to a stop, the engine’s growl fading into a palpable silence.
Anton, Vlad, and I remained in the car, our faces masks of stoic determination as we directed the meticulously planned assault.Here we go again. Would the same ambush occur or would we be successful this time? It was time to find out.
“Go” was all I calmly said.
Outside the car’s windows, chaos reigned. My men moved with precision, storming the compound like a force of nature unleashed. Gunfire erupted in sharp staccato bursts, the sound echoing through the night as they engaged in a deadly dance of bullets and blood.
But within the confines of the car, an eerie stillness prevailed.
Beneath my veneer of calm, a sickening feeling began to well within my heart. A memory, vivid and haunting, clawed its way to the forefront of my mind. Audrey—her eyes wide with fear, her voice a fragile whisper, as she caught me in the aftermath of a fatal encounter with Detective Lopez. In that moment, I had glimpsed the fear of how my actions could be perceived by someone else, someone I cared about. A chill crawled down my spine as I allowed myself to imagine what it would be like for my own child to look at me with that same mixture of dread and disbelief.
The thoughts ran through my head as I waited for the madness of death in the distance to come to an end. They were thoughts I knew I could never utter to anyone, especially Audrey. No one could learn about my vulnerability.
But as the tumultuous symphony of gunfire played out in the distance, a strange calm settled within the car. Anton and Vlad exchanged glances, their expressions mirroring the quiet acceptance of the roles we played. As always, we were the conductors of this dark symphony, orchestrating the moves from within the safety of our steel cocoon and this time, the symphony was progressing smoothly.
