Page 3 of Luna: HERmerta

“No shit. Seems she has no issue slaying her own blood if she feels betrayed.”

“I wonder if the daughter will be in attendance?”

“The leader just landed so I would assume so.” Okay this situation just went from tenuous to dangerous.

“Well I guess we better come prepared.”

“I was thinking the same thing.” my brother says, agreeing with me.

“Let’s get this shit over with.” Bartek is as good as dead. Well, looks like it’s time to play the game.

CHAPTER

THREE

LUNA

THE NEXT DAY

I have been goneall day dealing with the clubs and checking on the docks and shit. Honestly, I have been avoiding going home, not ready to talk about my father but I can't shy away from it any longer.

Pulling up to my house I can feel that the air has changed. It’s always thicker and more daunting when Giulia is in town. There’s this aura of danger and expectation. Quite frankly it has always unnerved me. “Hello all.” I say walking into the room. My girls, me and Giulia’s cousin Serena and my girl Patrizia. Together we run Illinois, trying to bring order to the streets of Chicago. I am trying not to act as fucked up as I am right about all of this.

“I can see you are as fucked in the head as me right now, huh Luna.” I should have known nothing could get past her.

“Yeah. This is…”

“Expected but inevitable?” she asks. To be honest she described it just right.

“So what do we know?” I am not going to bother agreeing with her. She already knows. “Anything more than Dalianshared?” For the first time I noticed the room is quiet and no one else has spoken to me. It is kind of eerie. I look at the girls who are standing at my side and I can see they are both tense as well.

I keep looking around, but everyone is stoic and staring straight ahead. My alarm bells are going off and it is making me a bit twitchy, but I am trying not to show weakness. Giulia is looking at me intensely, her gaze searing. It’s almost like she is trying to decide something. “Yes. We know someone is helping him, with money and resources. Someone is harboring him.” Mind is whirring with possibilities when someone I don't recognize comes downstairs and shakes his head.

“Everything is all clear, boss.” I am momentarily confused and then it hits me.

“Oh my God. You think it is me? You think I would help a traitor who destroyed our family and killed nonno?” wow it never occurred to me just how much she didn’t trust and how little she thinks of me.

“I have to be sure Luna. he is your father at the end of the day.”

“True but he didn’t think of my siblings and I when he made us the children of a traitor to Omerta and famiglia.” she seems to believe me but with her you never know, and I know she would not hesitate to slay her own blood in vengeance.

“That is not a denial, Luna.” she is twirling her sword around, spinning it like a top, looking at me like I am on the chopping block it fucking hurts. I look at Serena and see the empathy on her face. My heart is breaking that she could even ask me that. I want to cry, and I know I will when I am alone, but right now I cannot show weakness in front of my men or her and hers. So, instead I look her in her eyes and tell her the truth.

“I am not helping him cugina. I have not heard from the maiale since he fled.” I spit on the ground after calling my father a pig, which in our organization means he is dead to me.

“So then you will not hesitate to take his life when he shows his face, because we both know he will. He is amassing a network of allies made up of swine just like him for force. He thinks he can take me. Let him come. Let them all come.” she growls into the room. Everyone is nodding their heads ready for a fight. “So I ask you again, cugina, will you not hesitate to take his life?” I don’t have to think about that.

“It would be my pleasure.” It would bring honor back to my siblings and I for his blood to be spilled.

“Then that will be your job. When he is found and captured you will end his life while he is looking at you. Let him see how it feels for his own progeny to snuff out his life.” My heart is beating out of my chest like a fucking Samoan drum. My mouth is dry with the weight of this task, not because I don’t want to do it, but the anticipation of ending this…burden.

“No problem. I look forward to it.” I tell her being honest. She inclines her head.

“Very well. Now with that unpleasantness out of the way, let’s go and sit around the table and listen to the other vermin beg for territory.” I don’t realize I have been holding my breath since I saw the guy coming downstairs. One obstacle down. One major one to go.

CHAPTER

FOUR

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