Chapter 7

• C
• Dmitri's POV.
• "Damn it!"
• My fist hit the table so hard that the walls shook. The whiskey glass fell over. The brown liquid spread like spilled blood across the wood.
• It dripped over the edge and stained the floor, just like the betrayal that was hurting my soul.
• My chest went up and down fast. Not because I was scared. Never scared. But because I was angry. Anger that twisted inside me like smoke. Anger that whispered "kill."
• I grabbed my gun and put it flat on the table. Heavy. Cold. It made me feel better. Just like the power I had.
• With one hand, I lit a cigar. The flame moved and danced. Just like their lives would soon dance at the edge of death.
• I breathed in the smoke deep into my lungs, held it, then let it out slow. The smoke moved through the air like a demon finally set free.
• I looked at the phone screen. Ten missed calls to Amara. No answer. That snake, Lorenzo, had gotten into her head. He thought he could hide her from me. Fool.
• "Bring me Rosa," I said into the quiet room. "And her son. If Amara won't answer, maybe her mother will."
• Minutes later, the door burst open. Two people stumbled in with bags over their heads.
• Hands tied.
• They looked like people being brought to be hurt.
• I leaned back, breathed out a slow puff of smoke, and nodded once. Rondo stepped forward and pulled off the bags.
• Rosa's face was pale as death and wet with sweat. Her eyes were wide and tears were already falling. Her son, Mateo, looked ready to fight the devil himself. His eyes looked around, searching for a way out. There was none.
• "Dmitri, please..." Rosa dropped to her knees and grabbed my leg. "Please let my son go. Let us go. I beg you."
• Laughter filled the room like a pack of wild animals.
• I laughed too. Cold and mean.
• "Let you go?" I said, making the words long and sharp like a knife. "And how do you plan to pay me back? Hmm? With what?"
• "I'll find a way. I'll do anything," she begged.
• "Anything?" I laughed. "Your dead husband owes me eighty million dollars. And your son here, another chunk."
• Rondo chuckled. "Eight hundred million, boss."
• "Right," I nodded. "Eight. Hundred. Million."
• Rosa's mouth opened, but no sound came out. Her body went limp. She held Mateo tighter like she could keep him safe from hell.
• "Even if I sold everything we owned... it wouldn't be enough," she whispered.
• I tilted my head. "Exactly. But I don't want your things. I want your daughter. She'll pay. One way or the other."
• I turned my phone to her. "See these messages? No calls from her? No reply. Nothing. That girl is digging her own grave."
• Rosa dropped lower, crying loudly. Her cries were the cries of a mother losing more than just her child. Losing hope.
• "And your dear Panucci..." I sneered. "I trusted him with my life. And he disappeared. With my fucking money."
• "No," she sobbed. "He never told me... I didn't know…"
• "Of course, he didn't. He wasn't stupid like you."
• Mateo suddenly jumped forward and grabbed my leg. "Please, sir. Don't hurt us…"
• I kicked him off. Hard.
• Gun out. I pointed it at his head.
• Rosa screamed and tried to run, but my boys held her tight.
• I pulled the slide. Click-click. Empty.
• I turned to Rondo, one of my boys." When last have my gun been empty?”
• He quickly replied. "Not in this lifetime, Boss."
• We all bursted into laughter.
• I loaded the bullets slowly, for show, and put the gun in my back pocket.
• "I won't hurt you. Not yet," I said to Rosa. I blew smoke in her face. She coughed and her eyes turned red. "But if Amara doesn't come, I'll make your pain legendary."
• Just then, Tony 'The Shadow' Deluca walked in. His big belly bounced as he moved. A ghost followed him, my former business partner.
• The betrayer.
• A bloody traitor.
• They pushed him to the floor. His knees hit hard. He had something in his mouth to keep him quiet. He was sweating and his face was pale as chalk.
• I nodded. They took a piece of cloth from his mouth.
• "Home sweet, sweet home, friend," I let out with a fake smirk. The kind of smirk I usually put up before pulling a rug on someone's feet, "Long time."
• "Dmitri, please... just listen…”
• "Funny how fate works, eh?" I interrupted. "It always brings lovers back together."
• He coughed and groaned. "You know where we started from, Didi. You and I…”
• "Yes," I quickly cut him off. " Is that the reason you screwed over with the police ?"
• He blinked. "No, it wasn't like that. I swear. I didn't sell you out."
• "Sure," I said calmly. "Sure, you didn't."
• I gave a signal. Three men grabbed him and dragged him to the table. They forced his right arm down.
• "I've got a special gift," I whispered into his ear. "I can hurt people in ways that make death feel like kindness."
• "Please... we're friends."
• I lit another cigar. "Shh. Be quiet."
• Rosa and Mateo were behind me. They laid flat on the floor.
• Shaking. Watching.
• I reached up and grabbed the samurai sword from the wall. I pulled it out slowly.
• Hissssssss...
• "No! No, please wait…"
• Swoosh!
• A scream tore through the air.
• His hand hit the floor. The fingers moved like dying worms.
• Blood gushed out, painting the floor red.
• Cheers erupted. My men were wild. Hungry.
• I turned the bloody blade toward Rosa.
• "This," I said, "is what Amara's future looks like."
• "No!" Rosa screamed. "Please!"
• I didn't respond. Instead, I told the guards to wrap up the traitor's arm stump.
• I looked down at him, curled up in his blood.
• "I'm sending your hand to the cops. A message for your new friends."
• I turned to my men. "Lock Rosa and her son away. Until I lose all patience."
• As they were dragged out, Tony stepped closer. He pulled out his gun.
• "Let me finish this coward," he growled.
• "No." I raised my hand.
• Tony's face twisted in shock. "You're making the same mistake. The same mistake you made with amara. She teamed up with Lorenzo and killed my men."
• I furrowed my brow. "Is that so?"
• He turned to the others, looking for support.
• I smiled.
• Pretended to light another cigar.
• Quick move. Hand in my pocket. Gun out.
• Bang!
• Bang!!
• Tony's screams filled the room as he fell down. Both kneecaps were shattered.
• "Challenge me again," I barked. My voice was like thunder. "Do it. I dare you."
• I stepped over his groaning body.
• " I lost my blood in that duel. Do you know what it means?”
• “I have set my traps for both of them. You dare not teach me my job.”
• I turned to the other members of the gangs, “I have set a trap for both of them, just a matter of time they will fall into it.”
• A boy ran in with a phone in his hand.
• "Boss! Someone's on the line for you."
• I grabbed it. "Speak."
• "Good news," came the voice.
• I smiled.
• " What do you have for me this time Doc?” I answered.
• “Can you find a way to get to the hospital in a few hours? This is very important.”