Love thy Enemies

Four Three Four

It was moments like this, when his Italian accent was at its strongest.

"What kind of sick joke is this?" Jack scoffed and gritted his teeth as he pulled on the chains trying to get free.

"It not a joke. It's the real deal!" I say getting up from Valentino's lap and slowly walking over to Jack. He looked like a rabid dog, chained to the ground. I jerked back slightly only to return and pat his cheek softly before delivering the hardest slap I've ever dished out in my entire life. The power of anger fueled me. The great power of vengeance was upon me, that I was ready to commit treason. To commit something I knew that no matter how many sacrifices I could make, I would never be able to take it back.

"I want you to grovel before me Jack Nathaniel Atlas." I said as I kicked him in the ribs. He coughed from the impact and Valentino took over from me. He threw punch after punch at his face and his body. Knee-ing him in the abdomen. Then he cleaned his bloodied hands in a silver bowl with alcohol and wiped them dry with a white cloth. He then holds his right hand out for me to place my left in it. He spun me around for a second and held me by my waist as he stood behind me. He took my left hand and flashed it to Jack.

"This is how you're supposed to do it." he spat at the man who's face began to turn purple from the bruises. When he saw Jack wasn't looking he grabbed him by his thick hair and held his face upward. The twenty four karat ring shone in the ominous lighting of the room just enough to make its presence known.

"You dare defy a king?" he boomed at the insolent man. I grabbed the gun from one of the guards and put it on Jack's forehead after I shoved Valentino out of the way.

"I should've ending things with you ages ago!" I said as I shot into the ceiling, startling everyone and myself. I hadn't realized I was crying until I tasted salt on my lips. Jack was facing the floor now. Silent, still and stiff.

"Do it!" Valentino yelled. The fear was obvious in my eyes. I was trembling as I was holding onto the gun in my hands.

Vengeance.

That's what it was. A false promised sweet taste of justice that only proves to be detrimental in the long run. The bitter sweet taste of resentment raced through my viens everytime I saw him.

"KYNA DO IT!" He yelled even louder.

"I can't. I said softly. Jack looked up at me. He was sad, bitter, pathetic and empty. He'd always been that. My mother always taught me that you can never pour from an empty heart, so I took all my love and poured it all to him. I did everything I could to fill his cup ignorant of the holes at the bottom. I drained myself trying to fill up a bottomless pit. I'd already died, that night in the basement was just proving it to me. So I questioned why he's here today in my life, and I concluded out of blind faith that Valentino was sent to me by the almighty to undo what has been done.

"Isn't this what you wanted." he shouts. I've never felt so small. The fall from grace was painful.

"I'm sorry." I whisper breathlessly, putting my hands up and letting the gun fall to my feet. The tears streaming over and over again down my face as I trembled, I turned around and ran out of the basement. Val doesn't know we're two weeks pregnant. I've nearly killed a man I once loved.

What have I become?

I ran up the stairs to the main floor. I knew what I had to do. Save my baby and end this line of senseless violence. I ran out of the mansion and threw myself into the pool. A painful way to die but effective enough. I had four minutes to go before I would be gone for good. I heard muffled voices, before a splash in the pool. An arm wraps itself around me and pulls me out of the water. He places me on the edge of the pool before climbing out of it. He looks at me, worries and furious at the same time. He carries me back into the house via piggyback. He runs a shower and we stand underneath the large shower head with our clothes on.