I clenched my jaws and targeted him again with my gun as what he had to say was all bullshit!My hands secured the gun while my fingers were ready to pull the trigger.
"Then I shall end that hell of a life you say you have.Good-fucking-bye Roderick, we'll soon meet inhell."
I finally pull the trigger putting that first bullet into his head and instantly, he stopped squirming on the chair.Blood spilled out of his head as he lay on the chair with both his eyes opened; there certainly was no life in them.I hurl the gun to the other side of the room and roar as this was not enough justice for me.Killing this motherfucker does nothing at all, it will not get me back my money that he purposely gave away.Keeping Roderick was a huge mistake because it cost me a fortune, because of his sticky rat-ass, I've losta lotso I had to do something about it.If I didn't, Elio would be coming back for more, but this time it could be something else.My blood was boiling in my body as I watch his dead body for a few second before I turn away and walk towards the other direction.
––––––––
"Ragazzi!Get to the office immediately, leave this for the others to clean up!"
I headed for the office, feeling Bruno and Salvatore fall in step behind me.Once we were inside, I slammed the door shut, crossed the room, and planted both hands on the desk.The frustration burned through me — everything felt like it was slipping out of my fucking hands.If that really happened...if I was losing control...then my whole empire was screwed.
“Alessandro, I think you should lay it off for a while,” Bruno said carefully.“You’ve been on this for weeks.Let us handle it.”
I looked up, glaring daggers at him.
“This is my future, my mafia — our mafia,” I snapped.“Of course I’ve been on this for weeks!You think I can just rest?You out of your goddamn mind?”
Before we could start tearing into each other, Salvatore stepped in.
“What Bruno’s trying to say,” he said, stepping closer, “is that you can’t do everything alone.You’ve been like this for three years, Ale.You gotta let it go.She’s moved on.Time you did too.”
The words hit like a punch to the gut.My jaw clenched, eyes burning as I shook my head and pulled away.
“I don’t care about her.Or anyone connected to her,” I bit out through my teeth.“I just can’t wrap my head around why...”My voice dropped to a whisper.
Truth was, I didn’t give a damn about Ariana anymore — not the way I used to.She chose to leave, so she left.I wasn’t chasing her.But my mind never stopped chewing on the same damn question: why?What the fuck did I do that made her walk away?I gave her everything.She gave me nothing.
Sometimes I still wonder what life would be like if she hadn’t walked out that day — if she hadn’t made me believe she was dead.That kind of betrayal?That’s a wound that never heals.And I hated her for it.
As for D’Angelo...he wasn’t even worth the thought anymore.For years I blamed him for what happened, for taking her from me, for breaking what was mine.But it wasn’t him.It was her.All of it.
It was all her fucking fault.
And when I saw her again — because I would — I’d make damn sure she regretted every breath.
“Alessandro—”
“I called you boys up for another reason,” I cut him off, steadying my tone.“New recruit.Name’s Andrés.He starts tomorrow morning.Be ready to meet him.He’s good.”
They both nodded.I gave them a short nod back — dismissal.They turned to leave, but Salvatore paused, then shut the door again and faced me with that look — the one that said he wasn’t done.
“Help me.”
“With what?”
“Come on, Alessandro,” he growled.“Don’t play dumb with me.I’ve known you too long for that shit.I’m asking for the last damn time — what do you want me to do with those files and tabs?”
My jaw flexed.I’d buried that thought deep, but his words dragged it back up.The files.The tabs.Ariana.Her family.All the ghosts I didn’t want to deal with.They were useless now — dead weight.
“Bin it.”
“What?Are you sure?”
“Yes, I’m fucking sure, Salvatore!Throw them out!Are you dense or did you miss it the first time?”
He hesitated, eyes narrowing.“You really don’t want to know where she is?What she’s up to?”
I bit my tongue hard, forcing myself not to answer.We’d been tracking her and that twisted family of hers ever since we found out she was alive — three years of silence, three years of me pretending I didn’t care.And maybe I didn’t anymore.Maybe I just didn’t have the strength to look.
