She

20| The Ball

M A L A C H A I   D E A V Y

"So how did you two meet?" I ask Val as we get ready for the ball, slipping on a white shirt and folding the sleeves up half way.

"We actually met through our fathers." He replied, putting his black, formal trousers on. "So you two basically grew up with each other then?" I questioned, buttoning my shirt up, leaving a few buttons unbuttoned at the top.

"Yeah man, but it was mostly training we did; strict parents and all." He replied, slipping his gun in at the back of his trousers and covering it with a black blazer.

"I know something about that." I mutter, zipping my black trousers up. "Nah man, Lili's father was a different level." He shook his head. "Tell me about him." I furrow my brows. "Can't man, she trusts me to keep her secrets to myself." He shrugged.

Lilith doesn't strike the type to have daddy issues.
But then again, the woman is full of surprises.

"Tell me, did she ever talk about a guy named... Abel?" I decide to dig deeper into her so called, 'first kiss'.

"Man he was great. We all used to sneak out, the three of us. He showed us his life, which was outside the mafia." He smiled at the memory.

She was intrigued by the man that hadn't even known of the mafia; a normal guy.

"What was he like?" I asked, curious as to what this man had in him that drew Lilith in.

"Abel was someone who was unafraid of anything. He was exciting. He always had something to show us. From what Lilith told me, he showed her a different perspective of life. He changed her; he made her happy. He was someone who made her smile in the darkest of days, and trust me, there were lots of those." He explained as he tied his shoe laces.

"Why isn't he in the picture anymore?" I question, curious as to why Lilith would leave someone so special to her.

He sighs, hesitant of speaking, "We were out one day during the night, walking down the streets of Madrid, drunk." He began to tell the story as we both picked out chains and watches we wanted to wear; the watches containing mics to record anything said around us.

"When a group of men approached us, and well, he didn't make it." He mumbled, as if he was trying to push away the feelings attached to the memory.

"What was Lilith's reaction?" I question, "Listen man, i'm not her, I don't know what she felt but all I know was that if I lost the fucking love of my life, i'd be devastated. She killed the men bare handed. It was when her switch flipped, they were her first kills." He explained sounding rather frustrated with me, rightfully so.

"I'm sorry." I try to show him some sympathy.
"I don't need your pity, really. It happened a long time ago and we're at peace with it." He explained although it didn't seem all that truthful.

He pats my back and leaves the room. Leaving me to touch up my hair and spray cologne on. I equipped two guns which I slid into the sides of my trousers and put in my ear piece which would be useful for all of us to communicate.

Leaving the base, I got into my all black Bugatti and drove to the destination where all of us would meet to pair up. We had to have a plus one to be let in.