Page 36 of Arranged Mafia Marriage

“Any last words, brother?” asks Viktor, his voice devoid of emotion.

Alexei spits in his face. “Go to Hell.”

Viktor pulls the trigger.

I flinch at the sound, my ears ringing. Viktor stands a moment later, holstering his weapon. “Take him out,” he orders two of the guards. He looks utterly composed, though there’s a telltale tremor in his gun hand for just a second.

They drag Alexei’s body from the room, leaving a trail of blood on the polished floor. I stare at it, my mind reeling. This is real. This is the world I’ve entered.

Kiril’s voice cuts through the fog in my mind. “Let this be a lesson to all of you. Betrayal will not be tolerated.”

The meeting concludes shortly after, the captains filing out in stunned silence. I remain seated, unable to move.

Kiril kneels beside me, his hand on my knee. “Felicity? Are you okay?”

I blink, focusing on his face. “I... I don’t know.”

He squeezes my shoulder. “I know this is hard for you to see, but this is our world. Betrayal has consequences.”

I nod mechanically. “I understand.” But do I? Can I ever truly understand this level of violence, this disregard for human life? Yet how many lives did Alexei endanger with his betrayal? My mind is a whirlwind of conflicting thoughts.

Kiril helps me to my feet. “Come on. Let’s get you some air.”

As we walk to the balcony, I catch sight of my reflection in a mirror. I look pale and shaken, but there’s something else now too, a hardness that wasn’t there before. I turn away quickly, not wanting to see the change in myself.

On the balcony, the cool air helps clear my head. I take deep breaths, trying to process what I’ve just witnessed.

“Talk to me,” Kiril says softly.

I turn to him, struggling to find the words. “It’s just so final. One moment he was alive, and the next, he’s gone.”

Kiril nods. “That’s the reality of our world. We can’t afford to show weakness or mercy to traitors.”

“I know that logically,” I say. “But emotionally, it’s a lot to take in.” I wonder if Viktor is secretly falling apart right now. He must be, even if he had some warning. “Did you suspect it was him?”

“I knew, and Misha has been subverting his communications with Damiano for weeks, but we needed absolute proof and a demonstration before any triggers were pulled.”

“So, he didn’t warn Damiano about our DEA plan?” The question feels distant as I ask it, like it doesn’t come from me. I’m still floating somewhere beyond all this.

“He thought he did, but Misha intercepted it and responded as Damiano.”

My stomach churns as I nod. “Viktor knew ahead of time?”

“I offered to excuse him from the meeting, but he’s loyal.” He takes my hand. “This life inspires loyalty like that, but also fear and hostility. Jealousy, as in Alexei’s case.” He pulls me closer, wrapping his arms around me. “I wish I could shield you from this, but you need to understand what you’re part of now.”

I lean into him, drawing comfort from his warmth. “I do understand. It’s just going to take some time to adjust.”

As I stand there in Kiril’s embrace, looking out over the city, I wonder if I’ll ever truly fit into this world? Or will I always be on the outside, struggling to reconcile the violence with my own moral compass? I push down the doubts, forcing a smile as I look up at Kiril. “I’ll be okay. I’m tougher than I look.”

He kisses my forehead. “I know you are. That’s one of the things I love about you.”

Love. The word hangs between us, unexpected but not unwelcome. I open my mouth to respond, to ask if he meanslovelove, or if it’s just a casual saying, but his phone buzzes, breaking the moment.

He checks it, his expression hardening. “I have to take care of something. Will you be all right here?”

I nod. “Go. I’ll be fine.”

As he leaves, I turn back to the city view, mind still reeling from everything that’s happened. I’m part of this world now, for better or worse. I just hope I’m strong enough to handle whatever comes next.

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