Page 9 of Kadra: The Unfeeling

DEAL WITH THE DEVIL

“People come and go. They never stay for long.” - K

I throw the phone on the black wooden table and immediately focus my attention on the man sitting in front of me. He is wearing a black dress shirt with the three top buttons undone revealing his inked chest. His indigo-blue eyes are staring back at me as if searching for all my weaknesses, but I give none away like I always do. Nothing but boredom crosses my expression when I say, “Do we have a deal?”

He takes a sip from his bourbon glass, the ice cubes clinking against each other while he ponders over my request. One might think that the black-haired man currently sitting back on his leather chair has my best interest at heart and while in some minuscule way that might be true, I am fully aware that there’s always something else he seeks, he proves it when he opens his mouth next. “Why should I do this for you? What’s in it for me?” He twists the glass and then takes another sip, his eyes still on me. My pose stays completely relaxed though, as I rest my gloved hands on my lap.

I would rather sew my mouth shut than ever ask for any help from him but I have no other choice.

You do have choices. You’re just stubborn… the obnoxious voice in my subconscious says.

“Of course, you would make this difficult,” I tell him dryly. Nothing with the capo of our city is ever easy. The man knows what buttons to push but unlucky for him, I don’t make shit easy either but for this one time I might have to. “What do you want?” I ask through gritted teeth. He chuckles, although it barely holds any amusement.

“There’s rumors about you and New York. Care to tell me what business you have in that city?” I fetch my knife and run my gloves index finger over the tip, daydreaming about shoving it deep into Lorenzo Nicolasi’s skull. How can two men look exactly the same and be worlds apart different? Whereas Valentino is quiet and reserved, his identical twin is anything but. Lorenzo loves the attention and enjoys making waves. His nature is completely different to both his brothers and me. That is why we’ve never seen eye to eye.

“My business is my business. It won’t touch you or Detroit.” I lie through my teeth. The truth is I have no business in that city, not anymore but in my search for him, it led me to New York. It was a dead end anyway. He wasn’t there and so I moved on.

But did you really move on? The clever little voice in the back of my head whispers reminded me of what a great liar I am. Not wanting to dwell on things that don’t matter–at least not anymore, I push any thought of New York to the back of my mind. He doesn’t matter. None of them do.

Only my purpose does.

And I’m so close to achieving it but first I need to make sure all the pieces are in place and for that, I need this idiot. Annoying or not, he’s one of the most ruthless men I’ve ever met and I’ve encountered a lot of those. I know I can count on him. We might not be as close as Valentino and I are but Lorenzo has never proven himself disloyal. That’s one thing I can count on him always being. Loyal.

He drums his finger on the table several times, “Is that so?”

Knowing he will be relentless seeking the truth like a dog with a bone, I sigh. Leaning forward, I tell him what I’ve been carrying with me for years. I tell him what I’ve never told anyone else and I hope to all that’s unholy that he pulls through and while he’s at it I’m counting on him to keep his mouth shut because right now there’s no one else I would trust with this.

After I tell him everything I lean back in my seat and look him straight in the eye. “You can’t utter a word of this to anyone.” As expected, I find only curiosity in his gaze and nothing else. That is what I need right now. Not a savior. Not a friend but someone who will respect my choice. Someone who will keep his word.

“Not even my brother?” He raises a dark brow.

“No one.” I clarified.

Interest flickers in his blue orbs, but his face shows me nothing. “I’ll take care of it. You have my word.”

I keep my facial expression neutral but the second he agrees a heavy weight is lifted off my chest.

“There’s one more thing,” I add.

Enzo plays with the silver band on his ring finger drawing my attention to it. The silver band marks him as hers.

It’s a symbol not only of their union and his devotion to her but of his undying love.

I once thought him to be a heartless bastard and he is to everyone that’s not his. I should’ve known that he wasn’t a complete psychopath. He can’t be when the organ in his chest beats for his woman and for the life they’re creating together.

A strange pang in my chest catches me off guard but I do my best to ignore it. I hate that my chest feels tight when I think of how different Enzo’s life is now in contrast to what it was before he claimed love and happiness. Pushing the thoughts aside, I look away from his wedding ring and look at his face instead, giving him a dull look.

“You’re awfully demanding this evening.”

Ignoring the comment, I tell him. “When the time comes. I don’t want to be saved. Only them. Do you understand?” My voice turns cold, going straight to it. I’ve had enough chit-chat. Lorenzo could do this all day long, but I have no time for it. People to kill, bodies to bury, and an heir to hunt. There’s no time to waste.

He rubs his bearded chin between his inked fingers, and finally speaks up, the smug smile long gone. “I’ll take care of them.” He agreed too easily. Suspiciously so. “One condition.”

Ahh… there it is. No one does anything out of the goodness of their hearts. Not us anyway.

Sighing, I ask. “What do you want?”

Most likely for your first-born son’s soul…

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