Mafia's Second Chance Love

Chapter 16: Dead People Don't Talk

Panic surged through me like a wild storm. The words reverberated in my head, each one a thunderclap of realization that threatened to consume my thoughts. Kira knows. She knows about my life, my darkest secrets, my involvement in the mafia. Every inch of my being trembled, and the room spun around me. The very thought of her entangled in the dangerous web of my existence was suffocating.

With a swift movement of my hand, every loaded gun in the room was directed towards Ethan. Every single man in this room was ready to pull the trigger with one nod. My heart was aching at the revelation. I tried so hard to keep Kira away from my world. Away from what was eating me alive. I did not want her near the danger I posed. Ethan glued his back on the chair with his eyes in the air, while his cup hit the floor, spilling tea everywhere. Fear was back in his eyes. Just because I empathized with his story does not mean I won't hesitate to kill him. One wrong move. One.

''Did you.'' My jaw clenched. ''tell her?'' Ethan started furiously shaking his head in disagreement.

''NO! No I did not!''

''THEN WHO?'' I couldn't contain my anger anymore. I took the closest gun to me and touched the edge of it on Ethan's forehead.

''TELL ME.''

''I DON'T KNOW!'' he shouted, terrified of the outcome his words would have. I pushed the edge of the gun at his forehead.

''SOMEONE FROM YOUR TOWN! Sh-She found them downtown! I swear I don't know more!!''

''I swear I'm seconds away from pulling the trigger. If you're lying...''

''I'M NOT! I SWEAR I'M NOT!'' he shouted.

''Ace.'' Sebastian's voice sounded in my ears. ''You're scaring him.''

I slowly retreated close to Sebastian, with my back turned to Ethan. My hair was disheveld. I ran my fingers and placed the disheveled strands back to the side.

''This is how it's going to go from now on.'' I started. I turned to look at Ethan, nodding. ''I know you have information on all these people in case of an emergency. Information that could prove harmful to them.''

Anyone that works for the mafia knows information is your best way of getting around. Ethan worked for major mafia families, providing aid with what they needed. I'm sure he has enough information to blackmail them.

''From now on you'll work for me.'' I turned to face a panicked Ethan.

''I can't. I won't. Kira is my best friend. I wo-''

''Your best chance at surviving is offered to you right now.'' I interrupted him. ''Find out who told her about me. I am planning on getting back into her life. If anyone searches for any connection between me and Kira, I want to know. I want to protect her.''

''You? Protecting her? Haven't you already done enough?!'' Ethan's voice was... Interesting. If it was about Kira he showed no fear. A testament to his loyalty. I struggled to understand what he meant.

''You lied to her about your family's involvement with the mafia, putting her in danger.'' He was becoming fearless. ''You hurt her and betrayed her.''

Weird. As far as I can remember, she was the one who betrayed me. She went to London and then disappeared without a trace, without an explanation.

''Do not talk about things you don't know.'' First warning.

''Oh I know a lot of things, Ace. She knows what your father did to those missing young girls!'' My eyes widened. ''Did you meet Kira in order to persuade her too?''

''Stop this.'' Second warning.

''And how do you think she felt when that blonde woman came and interrupted you at the restaurant?''

''I did not know who that was!'' I admitted, but it was futile. Ethan continued spitting venom.

''I'm sure she had painful memories resurfacing. Or did you think Kira did not see you back then with that blonde woman on your lap?''

My eyes widened. There was no third warning. I pulled the trigger. For a moment, I really thought I had planted that bullet in Ethan's head. Only when I stepped back, I realized I had shot the wall.

The blonde woman...

''That's right. She knows. You betrayed her and she had to run away only for you to come back to her life.''

How could Kira know about that woman? That god forsaken woman of my past. That was the darkest place I've ever been in my life. The months I've hit rock bottom.

''She is terrified of you, Ace. She struggled to break free from your hands, only for you to come back so suddenly. Why?!'' Ethan's voice was ringing in my ears.

''I-I m-miss her.'' My voice came out as a whisper.

''Since you came back she gets lost in her thoughts. She gets distracted reminiscing about the past. I can see the fear in her eyes every time she says your name. Why can't you stay away?!''

''You have no idea what I've been through in order to be standing here today.'' I lowered the gun. ''If you don't work for me, Kira will be in danger. It's either with me or against me. Choose wisely.''

''I don't really have a choice.'' Ethan's voice was low. ''Just... Keep it between us. And keep. her. safe.''

As I left Ethan's apartment, my mind was a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. The echo of his last words hung heavily in the air, keeping me safe. It was a stark reminder of the fine line I walked, trying to shield Kira from the dangerous world I inhabited. The car ride back to my own apartment was silent, except for the low hum of the engine and the relentless questions that tormented my thoughts.

Panic surged through me like a sudden storm. Why hadn't Kira told me about what she knew? Doubt gnawed at me, whispering in my ear as I drove. Was she hiding something, protecting her own secrets? My grip tightened on the steering wheel, the feeling of betrayal stinging like a fresh wound. I had thought that I was the one who had been hurt and betrayed, but now, the tables had turned.

I thought back to when Kira left me, seemingly without a word, to pursue her studies at London University. At the time, it felt like a betrayal, like she had chosen her academic dreams over our relationship. My world had crumbled, and I'd been left to pick up the shattered pieces. I believed I was the one who had been hurt and betrayed.

But Ethan's words had unveiled a different reality, one I had never considered. Kira knew. She knew about my involvement with the mafia, the dangerous secrets that lurked in the shadows of my life. She was not the one who had betrayed me... Was I the betrayer? It was a realization that sliced through my chest like a blade, and I felt an ache deep in my soul. Guilt clawed at me, and I wondered why she hadn't shared the truth with me, why she had kept my darkest secrets.

The enigmatic blonde woman from my past, a dark chapter of my life I'd hoped to keep buried forever, had resurfaced. The months I had spent in that abyss, hitting rock bottom, were never meant to see the light of day again. But Kira had glimpsed that part of my history, a part I never wanted her to know.

My mind was a tumultuous sea of emotions. Guilt, regret, and a profound sense of loss washed over me. Kira's absence had left a void in my life, one I had tried to fill with anger and resentment. But now, it was clear that I was the one who had pushed her away, unable to share the darkest parts of my existence.

The car came to a halt in front of my apartment building, and I sat there for a moment, lost in thought.

''I fuc ked up, didn't I?'' The words were heavy, dripping with regret and self-blame. I couldn't shake the feeling that I had pushed Kira away, created an insurmountable distance between us, all because of my secrets. But could she really know all of them? I know Ethan is a good hacker. He could just be bluffing. He cares for her like family. He is afraid I might cause her harm. He doesn't want me near her.

''Mr. Ace, it's better to focus on how to fix this.'' Sebastian's voice offered a semblance of reason, but my mind was a mess. I thought it was the right time to finally get close to Kira. But why does it feel like I made the worst mistake possible? How could I mend what was now broken? How could I make things right again?

''And to think that I've left everything behind.'' The anger started to boil inside me again, not at Kira, but at myself. The only thing I could do was punch the seat next to me, a futile attempt to release the pent-up frustration that was tearing me apart.

''How could she know, Sebastian?'' My voice quivered with a mix of confusion and despair. I couldn't comprehend how Kira had uncovered my darkest secrets. She was supposed to be out of harm's way, oblivious to the dangerous world I inhabited. Sebastian's silence spoke volumes. He didn't know either. It was a shared, silent acknowledgment of our collective ignorance about the extent of Kira's knowledge.

''That woman.'' I continued, the name a sour taste in my mouth. ''Maria.''The mere utterance of her name stirred up painful memories. "She's dead, isn't she? There's no mistake."

'"As dead as your father, Mr. Ace," Sebastian's voice was as cold as steel, a reminder that the past held its own dark secrets, secrets that continued to haunt me and threaten everything I held dear.

He and I both know dead people don't talk. So how does Kira know about her?

About the woman that tormented me for months.

The woman that wanted me dead.