Diego’s POV
I stood at the port, my arms folded across my chest as I leaned against the container begin me. Fernando was standing there with my men and some of the Mancini brothers’ men standing on the other side, waiting for whoever it was to come to meet us. We had to settle this amicably first before heading towards the war part, but I didn’t care.
Since Fernando had made his promise, I had no choice but to stay back and just watch him carry out his promise.
After what felt like hours, a helicopter finally landed not far from where we stood, and some of the men rushed over to open the door. And there he was, Drano Mancini. The brother was in charge of seeing everything, while the other brother was just a sex-crazed bastard with a hint of killing maniac disease.
He was dressed in a white suit, a smug smile on his face, with the resemblance between him and his brother not going unnoticed. It used to irk me to the core how similar they both were and how cunning they were, but what else do I expect in this business?
“I never thought we would be meeting this way, Don Diego,” Drano said as he approached where I was standing, but Fernando stood in his way.
“I’m sorry, but you’ll be having every negotiation with me before heading towards Don,” Fernando said, the men behind Drano reacted by pulling out their guns, and my men did the same, but Fernando raised his hands to stop them, and they did so instantly.
“Now, now, men. There’s no fun in raining the guns before the fun begins.” Drano said to his men, and they put their guns away. To my surprise, I was calm and didn’t bother moving an inch. Was it what Kamara said that stuck with me?
It was the first time I’ve ever bothered listening to her, and the words stuck to me really. Seeing her next to Nana, I didn’t know why, but it made me feel like she had been there for Nana when all I’d done was be busy and barely made time for my grandmother despite her always being there for me.
“I’m sure I don’t have to dig deep into this before you know what’s going on, Don Drano. You have broken the little truce we had, and Vando showed up at the port. Not only that, he went ahead to attack some of ours before abducting our Don’s woman and attempting to sleep with her.” Fernando spelled out, and Drano casually sat on the seat his men had prepared for him in advance. “And I’m sure your brother wouldn’t do a thing without your approval.”
“Now, now. Your Don arrived here before my men, and I’m sure we had an agreement that he shouldn’t be there. That makes us even. Not only that, he set up explosives, and some of our men got killed in the explosion”
“And why exactly would he do that?” Fernando cut him off with a raised brow, agitating Drano’s right-hand man, who got waved into place.
“So are you trying to imply that I set it all up and killed my own men?” Drano asked with a smug smile on his face, not disappearing.
“Who knows? You just perfectly read my mind, so I can also suspect you did that to drive our Don to the edge.” Fernando replied calmly while shrugging.
Drano looked back at me, but I remained unbothered as I lit myself a cigarette, watching the drama unfold before me. “Oh, come on, Fernando. I am very loyal to the men I rule over just as they are loyal to me.” Drano shrugged. “Whatever Vando did, it was just payback for the attack and the death of my men.”
“So first murder attempt, secondly, then the kidnapping, and thirdly, he laid a hand on our Don’s woman. Should I count that as we have two more favors to repay?” Fernando asked.
“You can pick any man my guys select and have him killed in return if you want a cover-up. That should be enough, shouldn’t it, since he never had anything with her.” Drano said.
“So”
“That’s enough, Fernando,” I said, casually loading my gun as I walked to the front towards them. I tucked my gun back in the holster, my gaze glued to Drano as I stepped before Fernando.
“I’ve got no shit with you. I want Vando here and now, and you’ll watch as I blow his fucking brains out just like his men threatened to do.” I said calmly, flicking my cigarette casually. “The only way I would let it go is if I shoot a bullet through your skull instead, Don Drano.”
“How dare you”
“A word from you, and you’re dead,” Fernando said to Drano’s right-hand man, already standing behind him with a knife to his throat, shocking every one of Drano’s men except Drano.
“I’d expect nothing less from your men, Don Diego. So swift and unnoticeable.” He said, standing up to match my sight. “I’m sorry, Don Diego, but I can’t give Vando to you. Neither can you have the privilege of ending my life.”
I spat out the cigarette in my mouth, glaring down at him without saying a word. “I take this as a fresh declaration of war. Just handing over your brother would prevent it, and I can let you go freely.” I reminded him of his option, but he just smiled. “Great then.”
I turned to leave, and suddenly, a sharp ring echoed in the air. I felt a sharp sting by my side. I paused, looking back at Drano, who was already heading towards his helicopter while spinning the gun in his hands with his finger. “Oh, my hand slipped. I know you wouldn’t die from that, Don Diego.”
“But see that as my response to your declaration.” He yelled from his helicopter as it started taking flight.
My men were about to start firing when I stopped them, touching my side, which was already bleeding from the shot. A soft chuckle came from me as I saw my hand painted red from my blood.
“Just look how soft your words suddenly made me become, Kamara,” I mumbled in a light tone.