Page 105 of Promise to Break

"But they're dangerous. Don't you know—"

A dry laugh erupts from her as if she's been waiting for this moment for years. Almost two years, to be exact. "I knew who Santino was. You think I didn't know you followed him and saw him murder that kid? I told him where he was hiding. I was his spy since we met. I'm not as innocent as you think. I never was."

She paces to the window and back again. "I'll arrange everything," she says. "I'll collect what you planned to take, and I'll give you twenty-five thousand dollars to take care of yourself. You look terrible. No one will accept you like that for any job." My sister, or the woman I thought was my sister, walks out while shouting Pedro's name.

I don't want him to see me like this. Not him. Not the only father figure I took on. But she's already gone, leaving behind the scent of her coconut perfume.

"Maricella, Princesita… What did they do to you?" Pedro enters and lifts me into his arms. I know what he's going to do, and I let him. I let him take me away, despite the pain, even though all I want is to peel my skin where he touches me.

I let him take me to the hospital so they can take care of my body. Because my soul will never be the same again.

Chapter forty

Killian

Gut feelings are something I thrive on. Today, the air reeks of those gut feelings, and they're telling me to go faster, but I know… I just know that whatever awaits me has already happened.

Occasions like this make me question my humanity, but then I remember her voice and her promise. So, fuck that. Fuck, whatever is going to happen, as long as she's with me. My little girl. The sunshine of sass and hard truths is mine.

I won. I'm alive, much to Franco's dismay. Oh, I'm sure he brags to all those who can hear him about how smart and strong I am. But deep down, he's afraid, and it's the kind of fear that will make him do stupid shit. He's salivating for my success and dreading it at the same time.

"We can come with you," Liam offers. "We all passed his stupid games. Now you can fight for the position of capo." He jokes, but for once, he can't hide his monster away. His eyes are savage, and I need him to rein in the animal, or the police will stop us upon entering the country.

"Liam, shake it off. We land in twenty minutes. Conjure the British charmer, now." I rarely raise my voice. It never bodes well with these two.

"Killer, I think you need to look in the mirror, and Kai here too. The pirajok is looking like Koshchey."

Liam and his knowledge of world culture. "I'll bite, who's he?"

"Koshchey, he was one scary mother fucker."

I wait for him to elaborate while watching my Russian friend roll his eyes. Fuck. Liam was right. Kai doesn't look good as well.

"Koshchey was a villain in one of the Soviet Union films. One of those movies for kids back then, similar to Hitchcock's films." I listen to Liam rant about the story of Koshchey and the historical similarities to Gregory Rasputin. Liam is a walking encyclopedia of random facts. In another life, he could be a great historian or even a teacher. It's ludicrous to think about it after what we had to do these past five days, or was it longer.

The time eludes me, and I don't like it. It makes this feeling I try to ignore come back in full force.

You're late. It's too late. Bye Killian.

Like fuck. Little girl, I'm on my way.

"I need to go straight to the Fierro mansion. Something's happened," I say as we exit the airport. I don't even care anymore how we look. What I need is to get home. Fuck the no phone rules. I need a freaking phone.

"Okay, man. Calm down. Is it your mom?"

"I don't know. Fuck!"

Kai doesn't wait as he hails a cab. He has me and Liam sit in the back, probably because he's the better actor of the three of us, Koshchey or not. Fuck, Liam.

We don't speak during the ride home. I missed the end of the school year, and I know that Maricela and my mom will be with the baby. They love her more than anything in this world. I can't understand such love for a little thing that poops and screams its lungs out just for the sake of it. But for the two women in my life, it matters. Maybe someday, Maricela will give me a kid. Maricela, with a kid of mine. It could be a solution to all our problems.

Franco will have to give his approval to Maricela and me because the mafia is still and always will be old-fashioned and strict when it comes to their rules.

"New York is so dirty," the driver says to Kai. "But it's beautiful in its own way. I think you should get a travel guide. He will show you the magic of the city."

As usual, Kai doesn't engage.

I need this guy to drive faster. Liam squeezes my shoulder, probably because he sees another monster from the Italian repertoire this time. I don't ask. I don't care. I need to see that everything is fine, that Maricela is snapping pictures with her camera, capturing each facial expression on Connie's face, and doing the same with me when she thinks I'm not looking.

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