ARMANDO
The sun had set a little over an hour ago and the night was quiet, save for the occasional rustle of wind against the windows. The quick flick of my lighter had a flare of light reflecting off the cigar in my hand before I brought it to my lips, smoke curling around me and drifting lazily towards the ceiling as I let out a slow exhale.
It didn’t do much to ease the pressure weighing on my chest, but at least it was something.
I stared out into the darkness, watching the faint shimmer of the stars against the black canvas of the sky. Normally, a view like that might’ve been calming, but tonight, it felt like a cruel joke-a serene backdrop to the chaos brewing just beneath the surface. The air in the room was still a bit heavy and thick with suspense as I waited to see when Enzo would finally return my calls.
I had stopped calling his phone after the fifth attempt, each ring ending in silence. Although I didn’t want to admit that I was irritated, I definitely was.
I mean, Enzo knew better than to ignore me, and yet, here I was, waiting and wondering where he currently was with Eleanor-trying to figure out how far they might have gone.
I couldn’t even call Eleanor if I wanted to, due the rules that I had put in place about her not having a phone or any other form of contact outside these walls.
I thought to myself that maybe once the dust settled, I would reconsider that restriction. Just a simple old-fashioned phone with just one number saved on it-mine. That way, I would be able to get to her if I ever needed to. But for now, I was stuck with having to wait it out. Enzo would call me when he got the chance-at least that’s what I kept telling myself as I tried to ignore the faint unease that was creeping in.
I needed to keep my thoughts focused as there were bigger issues at hand.
On one hand, there was Enzo who wasn’t picking up, and on the other, there was Matteo who was taking longer than I expected. All I had asked was for him to deliver a simple order to my men who remained outside, telling them to secure the mansion, fortify every entrance, and be ready for anything. It certainly wasn’t a complicated task and Matteo wasn’t the kind of man to drag his feet as well, which only made his delay more irritating.
I took another drag from the cigarette, letting the smoke linger in my lungs before releasing it in a slow, measured breath. It was one of the few things that kept me grounded at the moment. The tension in the air was suffocating with the kind of pressure that made every second feel like an hour.
The faint creak of the door opening behind me broke my focus. I didn’t need to turn around to know who it was. Of course it had to be Matteo, but something about the way the door clicked open-slow and deliberate-made me uneasy. That wasn’t like him.
I kept my back to him, gazing out into the night as I spoke. “Took you long enough,” I said, my tone sharp but controlled as I took another pull from the cigarette, letting the smoke curl from my lips before continuing. “What the hell kept you Matteo? I asked you to give an order, not start a damn negotiation.”
I waited a beat, and then another, but Matteo still didn’t respond. My patience-already paper-thin-snapped immediately and I turned my head slightly, just enough to speak over my shoulder.
“You heard me didn’t you?” I asked, my voice harder this time.
Still he said nothing and I started to feel my blood boil.
The last thing I needed right now was anyone-especially Matteo-acting out of line. I spun around, fixing him with a glare sharp enough to cut steel.
“Don’t tell me you’ve suddenly gone deaf because I know your ears were just fine when you left here minutes ago.” I snapped, my voice ringing through the room. “What in fuck’s name kept you this long?”
Finally, he spoke, his voice stiff, almost mechanical. “I wanted to be sure,” he said, “to double-check that everything was done properly before reporting back to you.”
I frowned, taking a step closer. “And?”
“And all men are in position,” he said, his words clipped. “The perimeter is secure, every angle covered and well accounted for.”
I stared at him, studying his face. Matteo wasn’t usually this formal with me. There was something off about him from his tone to his posture and even the way he avoided meeting my eyes, none of it was normal.
“Is that so?” I asked, letting my voice drop lower. “Then why didn’t you say that the first time I asked? Why stand there like a damn statue and waste my time?”
He hesitated, just for a second, but it was enough for me to notice.
“I apologize boss, I just-”
“You just what?” I cut him off, stepping closer. “You’ve been with me long enough to know better than to keep me waiting. So why the hell are you acting like this?”
He didn’t answer right away, and I felt my patience slipping again.
“Uhm… boss,” he said finally, his voice quieter. “The men are in position and the mansion is secure. I personally made sure of it myself.”
I stared at him for a long moment, the tension between us thick enough to choke on. Finally, I let out a slow breath, stepping back.
“Fine,” I said, my tone icy. “But don’t ever make me ask you a question twice again. You know better than that Matteo.”
Matteo nodded stiffly. “Yes boss, I apologize.”
I turned back toward the window, bringing the cigar to my lips again. The stars outside seemed dimmer now, their light swallowed by the darkness pressing in from all sides.
The room was quiet, save for the soft crackle of the cigar in my hand as I took a slow drag, letting the smoke drift up into the heavy air. I kept my back to Matteo, watching the night outside the window.
“You said my men have secured the perimeter,” I said, blowing out a slow stream of smoke. “But I still can’t come to believe that’s what took you so damn long.” My tone was sharp and cutting. “So tell me what you really spent all that extra time on.”
He hesitated a beat, and then, “Something happened boss, right when we were shutting the gates. I thought you should hear about it directly.”
The words sounded heavy in his mouth, enough to make me finally turn and look at him. Matteo, the most level-headed man I knew, was standing there with his head down and his eyes fixed on the floor.
“Something so important that it couldn’t wait? Important enough to keep ME waiting?” I spoke slowly, letting the impatience edge into my tone.
He looked up, his eyes holding a weight I hadn’t seen in a long time. “Boss,” he started, clearing his throat, “there’s… someone here. Someone with some devastating news. I figured you’d have to hear it yourself.”
Slowly, I turned, narrowing my eyes at him. “What are you talking about, Matteo?” My tone was sharp, cutting through the tension. “And who the hell brought this ‘news’?”
Matteo’s gaze flicked up briefly before he looked toward the door, gesturing with a nod. “I figured you’d want to hear it from the source.”
He stepped aside and the chauffeur-the same one I’d sent to take Eleanor and Enzo-stepped in. Recognition flashed in my mind, and something cold settled in my chest.
I held my gaze on him for a moment, before finally speaking.
“Well?” I said, my tone icy. “What is it?”
The chauffeur’s head was down, and he fumbled with his hands before taking a steadying breath. “Boss… we were ambushed.”
The air in the room felt thick, suffocating. I stayed silent, watching him, my fingers tightening around the cigarette.
“W-we were still on our way when all of a sudden, these men… they surrounded us. Strange and heavily armed too. They blocked us off before we even knew what was happening.” he continued, his voice wavering
“Get to the point!” I said loudly, my patience now wearing thin.
His shoulders sagged slightly like the weight of what he was saying was almost too much to bear. “Sir… they… they took the young miss.”
The seconds ticked by as I waited for him to say more, dread twisting inside me like a blade.
“And Enzo, he just let them?” I demanded, the question slipping through clenched teeth.
The chauffeur hesitated, his voice breaking as he spoke. “Mr. Enzo… he tried to fight them off. Tried to protect her. But they… they overpowered him and he didn’t make it.”
“And what the hell does that mean?” I asked, my voice a deadly calm and the cigarette in my hand now burning down to ash.
“What the hell are you saying? What fuck are you trying to tell me!?”
“S-sorry sir,” he stammered in a whisper, barely looking up. ” but Mr Enzo… he’s dead sir.”