The Don’s Venom

Chapter6

(Kieran)

The nightmare was as vivid as if it had happened just yesterday.

I was young again and back at the scene where my life had changed. I could smell the wet earth and hear my father’s labored breathing. I felt sad for him.

My father was the strongest man I knew and I’d never thought that an illness could get him so weak. I placed my hand on his and squeezed gently, wishing I’d returned home earlier.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered.

“It’s fine. You’re here now. And tonight, you finally become a man.”

One of our men rasped lightly on the window as a black Sedan arrived and a burly man with a thick scar across his face stepped out and gestured towards our car. My father stepped out of the car, and inhaling deeply, I followed suit.

Suddenly, chaos erupted. My father’s voice, low and commanding barked orders as our men opened fire at the direction the shooting came from.

“Kieran, to the car.”

Then that moment. A sound that haunted me for years after- the heavy thud of my father’s body as it hit the ground. I watched in slow motion as his blood splattered on the dirt floor. I wanted to scream or move, anything.

But my body refused to move. I was frozen in place, panic gnawing at my chest as my father, the protector and leader of Il Cerchio laid dying in front of me.

I jolted awake with a gasp, the bed sheets soaked in sweat. My body ached like I’d just relived that moment all over again, my soul weak under the weight. The room felt hot, the air thick as I sat up and ran my hand through my hair.

I closed my eyes, trying to force the images away but they lingered at the back of my mind. The sound of my father’s breathing as he choked on his own blood, his lifeless eyes staring back at me, his men turning against him. I could never forget it.

With a deep sigh, I swung my leg over the side of the bed, pushing myself up with an effort that made my joints ache. I made my way to the bathroom and splashed cool water on my face. My reflection stared back from the mirror, the look of a man hardened by the hand he’d been dealt.

I didn’t need this right now but the past always had a way of coming back. The images lingered in my mind as I did my routine and remained even while I dressed for the day’s work. I had a couple of meetings to attend to.

Heading downstairs, the faint smell of coffee hit me first, followed by the soft murmur of voices- Giana’s and someone else’s. The sight I saw on getting to the living room warmed me.

Giana sitting at the table, a bowl of oatmeal in front of her as she smiled at something that Lily whispered. Just looking at my daughter filled me with a sense of calm. She looked up and smiled when she saw me, but it was Lily who held my attention.

Lily was sitting across from Giana, her eyes locked on my daughter. She was leaning forward, elbows on the table, a smile playing at the corners of her lips. The sight of the two most important women in my life, bonding, tugged at something deep inside me. It stirred feelings that were better left dormant.

“Why aren’t you having breakfast?” I directed to Lily whose smile faded immediately she saw me and without waiting for her response, I turned to gesture to the chef. “Fix her something.”

“I don’t—”

“I don’t care. You’ll do as I say. You need to be in good health to be able to protect my daughter.”

“Have a nice day, daddy,” Giana called out after me as I walked out, totally ignoring Lily’s protests.

I made my way out of the house and into my car, the cool morning air biting into my skin as we drove through the city to the Opera, one of my clubs. The streets were quiet, but the pulse of the city still ran through me.

The opera was a sleek, upscale place with dim lighting and smooth jazz in the background. It was a place where corporate shacks and local thugs rubbed shoulders and I liked to conduct my meetings there.

The CEO I was meeting was already waiting when I arrived. My brother, Luca, met me by the entrance with his usual hard expression.

“He’s relentless,” Luca warned.

The man stood by the bar, swirling a glass of whiskey in his hand. I could tell that he thought this was just another business negotiation. There were two categories of people- the first knew me and were wise enough to avoid crossing me and there were those like Mr. Maroni who didn’t know me and end up learning about me the hard way.

“Mr. Gigante, you’re late.” When I didn’t reply, he continued, “I’m sure you’ve heard of my plans to build a hotel in Hyde Park. I’ve been negotiating with the city for months, but I need your approval to—”

“Demolish an entire neighborhood?” I finished for him in an icy tone.

“But this will bring in Millions and I’m sure you see the potential.”

Taking a seat, I said, “I don’t give a f**k about your millions. What I do give a f**k about is the neighborhood you’re trying to tear down.”

“But—”

“Listen, you’ll take your business elsewhere. And if I hear that you laid even a single brick in that neighborhood, there will be consequences,” I said on a note of finality, standing up and making to leave.

A man on his security team suddenly whipped out his gun and pointed it at me, causing my men who were stationed around the club to move with precision and draw their weapons as well.

A soft chuckle tore out of me. “Oh oh. You shouldn’t have done that.”

Before Maroni could respond, two of his guards dropped to the ground, bullets to their chests. Maroni’s eyes went wide, his face pale. Trembling, he looked at his other men who were shaking as well.

I looked down at the lifeless bodies and then at him. “I think we’re done here. Clean this up.”