The Devil's Inferno

14| My Confindate.

ALMA

Lazzaro pulled out his gun, shooting the one who had just finished talking in the head, and he dropped dead immediately.

Screams erupted through the church as everyone scrambled to escape.

I quickly ducked and took cover behind the wooden benches as deafening gunshots and bullets started firing everywhere. My heart was pounding really hard against my chest as everything unfolded. Zita was killed on her wedding, and she couldn’t have a f*****g peaceful burial now. I hated this so much. I wished I could run away from here forever.

Stanley was Zita’s ex. She had been secretly seeing him for years until she ended things with him when she was sold off as a pawn in a deal. He had a hard time coming to terms with it, but she made him understand that going against her father was only going to result in both of them dead.

He stopped contacting her, enraged about her betraying him to marry another man—only for him to show up now and get killed.

If I knew. If only I knew he was going to come here. I would’ve screamed the dangers at him and prevented an innocent man from getting murdered.

As the battle continued, someone suddenly grabbed my arm, and I lifted my head to see my cousin, Fabio.

“Come with me,” he groaned.

I didn’t hesitate as I quickly followed him. We navigated our way through the benches, taking cover from the live rounds flying through the church. He led me to a small door in the corner, and we promptly exited the church through it.

“That car would take you home. Hurry up,” he quickly told me, pointing towards a ford mustang in front of the place we had just come out from.

“What about you, Papa, and Mama?” I asked, worried as I searched his face for answers.

“Alma, hurry!” Mama’s voice rang out, and I turned to see her lowering the glass window from inside the car.

“Go. We’ll meet you at home,” he said with urgency.

“Be safe, Fabio,” I told him, looking into his eyes as I held his hands.

He gave me a tight nod. “Go, Alma.”

With that, I turned around and raced towards the car, hopping inside.

The car revved to a start, and as we zoomed out of the church premises, gunshots and bullets followed us. Mama and I ducked while the driver swerved the car left and right to dodge the bullets until we were finally out of range.

Worries and fear consumed my entire being. Papa and Fabio were in there battling those men, and I was really scared of losing them. I also found myself worrying about Lazzaro, and I hated that. I should want him dead so that I could finally escape his shackles.

Even though I was being taken home now, I knew it was only temporary. Once the fight was over, he would come looking for me.

“Everything is going to be okay,” Mama said, wrapping her arms around me. Now, I couldn’t stop the tears that came spilling out of my eyes.

I wrapped my arms around her, crying onto her shoulders. “Why do we always have to live like this, Mama? We live every day not knowing when it will be our turn for bullets to dive right into our heads or hearts. This is no way to live life.”

“I know, baby.” That was all she said as she patted my back to comfort me. She sobbed, and I felt guilty immediately.

I was making this all about myself when she had also lost a daughter and was grieving her death.

“Everything is going to be okay,” she continued, sobbing.

We remained like that until the driver finally pulled into the manor. We got out of the car and went straight into the building.

“Should I get you anything?” the head maid, Grace, approached us as we walked inside.

“Get her a coffee,” Mama told her.

I shook my head. “No, I am good.”

Grace inched closer to me, concern in her face as she muttered, “Are you sure?”

I nodded in response.

“Okay, I’ll clean up your room, and—”

“No,” I interjected, “that won’t be necessary.”

Lazzaro was going to come and fetch me soon anyway.

She didn’t question me and just nodded. “Okay. Please let me know if you need anything.”

With that, she walked away from us.

I turned to look at Mama, who was still standing there. “Go ahead and freshen up. I’ll be in Zita’s room.”

She stared at me for a moment before nodding and promptly walking away.

My heart beating rapidly against my chest, I wended my way to Zita’s room. Stopping in front of the door, I took a deep breath before turning the knob and walking in.

Everything was still as we had left it. No one had touched anything. The garment bag, half-unzipped makeup pouches, and veils that had been tried and tossed still sat on the bed.

The scent of her perfume and hairspray still lingered in the air. The navy blue silk scarf I had forgotten in here still laid on the arm of the chair.

My eyes caught the picture frame of me and her sitting on her dresser, and I walked straight to it. The moment I picked it up, another wave of tears came rushing down my cheeks.

I missed her. I missed my older sister so much. My best friend. My confidante. She was always the one I ran to for everything, but now I could never see or talk to her anymore.

Something knotted in my heart, and I could barely breathe as I sunk to the floor and cried my eyes out.

I missed her so much. Wherever she was, I hoped she was in a better place. I hoped it was better than this cruel and dangerous life we were living in.

I didn’t know how long I had cried for when I suddenly started hearing commotions outside the building. Fear gripped me as I quickly picked myself up and rushed to the window to see Lazzaro and Papa having a standoff. Their guns were pointed at each other, with both parties’ men surrounding them. Their clothes and skin were soaked in blood from the fight they had just finished, and none of them seemed to care about being soaked in blood.

“Bring her out, or I swear I am going to pull this trigger!” Lazzaro growled, veins popping on his forehead.

“She remains here!” Papa fired back with rage.

They were going to kill each other.