Page 10 of Until It Ends

I don't waste anytime getting out of the bathroom where chaos had just ensued. The dead mute guard is staring at me through lifeless eyes and it's really creeping me out.

I step into the bedroom and pull on the clothes, my mind filled with a mix of trepidation and utter confusion.

The journey to uncover the truth about what happened to my family has only just begun, and I won't rest until I find the answers that have eluded me for far too long.

Nine

Valeria

The limo glides through the city streets, the silence between Enzo and me becoming increasingly unsettling. I steal glances at him, observing his composed demeanor and the air of authority that surrounds him. But then I remember he's probably the one who shot at Dante and I.

And like Dante, Enzo is undeniably entrenched in the world of mob life.

I never got the opportunity to become family with my father's side of the family. He forbade it. It seems that my father and his brother have been at odds for a very long time, possibly even before I was born.

If there's still beef with my dead father and uncle, I want nothing to do with it. Although...it might be too late. The truth feels like a shifting ground beneath my feet, leaving me unsteady and uncertain.

Unable to bear the heavy silence any longer, I gather the courage to break it. "Where are you taking me?" I ask, my voice tinged with anxiety.

Enzo's gaze meets mine briefly before he looks away. "The airport," he responds curtly, his voice laced with an enigmatic tone.

My heart skips a beat, panic coursing through my veins. "I'm not going back to Italy with you," I protest, my voice tinged with desperation.

He chuckles softly, his eyes still fixed ahead. "Who says you're going to Italy?" he retorts. The cryptic response only deepens my confusion.

I press further, my voice trembling. "Then where are you taking me?"

Enzo's lips curve into a small smile as he finally turns to face me. "We have a private plane waiting at a private airport. A home in New Jersey. A place where those who kept you prisoner won't dare to come because they are not welcome."

His words hang heavy in the air, and I'm overcome with conflicting emotions. "I wasn't Dante's prisoner," I utter, my voice barely above a whisper. "But now...I think I'm your prisoner."

"That's where you're wrong," he says gently. "You're a Cipriano by blood. You should be given the same lifestyle as me, no?"

"I've realized that when things seem to good to be true, they probably are. You're not doing all of this unless you expect something in return."

"You might be right."

"Are you a boss?" I ask.

He laughs.

"That's not funny."

"My father, Polo Cipriano, is a Regent," he responds. "He reports directly to his own boss over in Italy."

"Then what does that make you?"

"The man who's going to bring him to you," he taunts.

I roll my eyes. "Whatever. If your father orchestrated all of this, where is he?"

"He's a busy man. I'm sure he'll make up for all the time lost...and much more."

"Isn't there another brother?" I ask.

He nodded. "Yes. And he's your brother too. You'll meet him soon enough."

"Do you know who killed my family?" I blurt out.

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