Page 21 of Cassio (Belles & Mobsters 3)

“Everything has been set up,” I told him. Things were finally in motion. I had been patient for a long time, but now that I was close to the finish line, I was eager to cross it. I just couldn’t afford to make a mistake.

The door to the office swung open and Lorenzo, Nico’s right hand man, burst in.

“Benito fucking King is here.”

Nico and I shared a glance. There was no surprise in his expression, he must have anticipated the visit. Unbuttoning his jacket so he could have easy access to his gun, we headed for the door.

Hopefully, this wouldn’t turn into a bloody wedding.

ChapterFive

CASSIO

Five months later

Clusterfuck.

And to think I’d worried about Margaret Callahan’s clusterfuck. I had more than plenty of my own to clean up. The entire underworld was in havoc after Benito’s death. It had been five months since he had kidnapped Bianca. March was right around the corner and with it a hope for new beginnings. Luciano had a new baby on the way. I wouldn’t be surprised if Nico and my sister announced a surprise soon. Though as far as those two were concerned, the stork was bringing that little bundle of joy.

But unless we handle Marco and bury him six feet under, the threat would always be there. That little weasel of my half-brother was no better than our father. He was drunk on power, and without Benito to control him, he was all over the place. Marco had suddenly gone wild. He thought of himself better than everyone else and ready to conquer the world. He was too dumb to see that the power was slipping through his hands and other mafia families already started sideline wars, unconcerned with innocent casualties.

Bianca, my sister, killed our father. Half-sister who I never knew existed. I was so damn proud of her, and to think I had thought her meek when I first met her. Not by a long shot. She was strong in her own way, protecting the ones she held dear.

Of course, that wasn’t the official story. My sister killed our father, but it was Luca that claimed it. For her protection. Nico was willing to take the blame. After all, he had reasons of his own to want him dead, but we all agreed. We didn’t want it touching Bianca, and for her and the twin’s protection, we’d keep it away from her and her family. She shouldn’t be pulled into all this shit. Luca insisted he should claim the responsibility. His reasons made sense, but it didn’t sit well with me. My brother was the man I grew up protecting, not offering him as a sacrificial lamb.

Yet, I begrudgingly agreed. For Bianca. She was a mess when all the events of the day finally sunk in. It was gut wrenching to watch our sister break apart at her mother’s funeral. She just got her mother back, only to lose her all over again.

Luca and I had fallen for our sister’s charms, the need to protect her from this cruel world we grew up in driving us forward. It was what drove all of us - Luciano, Nico, Luca, Vasili, and myself… we wanted a chance to have a family. In order to protect them though, we had to eliminate Marco and destroy the King's legacy of trafficking.

That legacy destroyed so many families, including my own mother.

Father’s laugh traveled through the house - loud, obnoxious, and mocking. I was too young to understand everything, but I already knew he was cruel. Evil. Mamma liked to watch Disney movies, and I’d sit through it with her. I was too old for them, but she loved them, so I’d keep her happy.

But in those movies, I always saw my father in the villains. The evil queen inSnow White. The evil stepmother inCinderella. The evil witch inThe Little Mermaid. Of course, Benito was evil on a whole new level, but it would take me a few more years to learn that.

An eight year old’s heart certainly didn’t know any better.

The sounds of glassware crashing and a gunshot echoed through the large mansion. It sounded like it came from the inside. Benito hated anyone firing off inside. He preferred all the mess outside. He always bellowed, “Inside is for fucking, and outside for shooting.”

But the gunshot came from the direction of Mamma’s room. So I ran fast and hard, taking two steps at a time up the marble foyer to get to the second floor and then down the hallway, towards Mamma’s room.

Each step closer to her room had my heart beating harder and faster. It felt like my chest would explode. Her bedroom door was closed. She always told me never to go into her room when the door was closed. Yet, an invisible force was pushing me. Ignoring the hard rule, the only hard rule she imposed on me, I swung the door open to find her room empty.

Yet, I sensed that it wasn’t.

Holding my breath, my eyes frantically searched each corner, then my eyes locked on the door to the bathroom. It was slightly ajar. The light was on and a faint noise.

Drip. Drip. Drip.

It sounded like droplets of water. I made my way to it and pushed the door open. So much blood was the first thought that hit me. My mother’s lifeless body lay slumped over in the bathtub. Her dark eyes were open, a void and empty look in them. At that time, I thought the entire bathtub was full of blood but it was blood that stained the water red.

Standing still, scared that maybe I would make it worse if I moved, I watched. Watched and waited, hoping she’d blink her eyes and we’d just clean her up. I would help her. My eyes roamed over her, worried that clothes she wore and were drenched by now would make her uncomfortable.

I could still remember that empty feeling. Helpless feeling. Her dark hair soaked wet. Red blood from her temple mixing with her hair, barely visible but still there. You couldn’t miss it.

Heartbeats passed.

One.

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