Page 10 of Capuleto

"You can't have forgotten how I intervened so that Dad would let you join me instead of sidelining you like he did his other daughters. I always considered you my equal."

That statement burned me.

"Until you decided to exclude me from what mattered."

"What mattered?" he roared, offended. "Are you joking? You were in the plan from the beginning, just like humanity is in God's plan, and I don't see Catholics complaining."

"You don't watch the news much; the church is crumbling." He snorted.

"You've been the Holy Grail of this whole operation, the damn Trojan Horse. You are Hercules' Megara."

"And does that make you Hades?" I inquired, continuing the comparison in which my brother cast me as the traitor to my husband.

"We could say that, yes."

"Well, as far as I know, Megara was aware of everything, she agreed to screw over Hercules in exchange for a deal with the god of the Underworld."

"You and I have one, too."

"Oh, really? That's news to me."

"That's because you don't listen and your temper gets in the way. Pay attention to what I'm saying. Once we finish with the Italians, I'll return to St. Petersburg and you, my dear sister, will be the V Vor Zakone of the Costa del Sol, only answering to me, and no one else will dare challenge you." «Oh, look how nice, I'll be your damn subordinate, thanks for the crumbs, my king," I felt like telling him». "You won't lose an ounce of your power, on the contrary, I want to give you everything you deserve. You will be the queen of my empire in Spain." «His mouth pressed the back of my hand». "You will be remembered as the most beautiful, dangerous, and lethal mafiosa in history. The only one capable of taking down the ‘Ndrangheta with my help."

At another time, such a reflection would have filled me with joy, now, I felt a void that was impossible to fill. He wanted to take away what had cost me so much to achieve. Sure, before he 'died' it was his, but now it was mine. He had died, damn it. My head was about to explode.

I drank and emptied the glass trying to fill that well of resentment.

I had to accept that my brother had returned. I knew that, but giving up what I believed was mine by right was going to be hard. I didn't want to think about what his return implied. Not just yet.

"What about the Chinese?"

"Well, let's just say we're using them. The plan was to bridge them until now. We want a war between Cheng's men and the Capulets; we've already planted several seeds to make that happen."

"You want?"

"Our president, you know..." It was always a matter of politics.

"Those Asian bastards almost finished me off." I took a risk. If the Capulets weren't behind anything, they couldn't have been the ones intending to kill me.

"That was a miscalculation." I looked at him incredulously. "I thought it was Romeo in the car; I was the one who shot at you. I'm sorry, Kalinka."

"You wanted to kill him?" I skipped over the part about my nearly dying.

"Yes, I thought it was a good idea to get him off your back as soon as possible. I couldn't stand the thought of that bastard touching you, looking at you, or fucking you. I imagine how revolting and sacrificial it must have been for you."

"You have no fucking idea," I murmured.

"I know, and it bothers me a lot to have to ask you to keep it that way for now. We need the focus to be on the Chinese, to stretch the tension to the limit. I know I'm asking a lot, but you'll have to endure it a little longer. I promise I'll honor you by giving you the pleasure of killing him."

I said nothing, it was better not to. I submerged myself in the relief of knowing that Romeo was safe, for now.

I felt the need to get up to go to the bar cabinet for another bottle; we had emptied the first and my head still couldn't understand where I stood.

Emotions were taking their toll. I had a battle to fight and felt like I was on the wrong side. My confusion was such that I didn't know what the fuck to do.

"Were the Chinese also the ones who wanted to kidnap Sarka?"

"Sarka?" He seemed surprised. "No! When did that happen?"

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