MAYHEM

Chapter 4 | Fight

Just as we were about to walk away, the head of our security, Francis walked in and whispered something to dad which made his jaw clenched and he nodded slowly.

"What is it?" I asked as Francis walked away.

Dad's fists were clenched and his body trembled with anger. Something's not right.

And then a minute later, two of the guards came inside carrying a body covered in blood and they lay it at dad's feet.

The cold, lifeless body, blood staining the white shirt, it had been shot in the heart.

"We tried rushing him to the hospital, but it was too late." One of the guards spoke.

Breath got knocked out of me when I saw the pale face of the body. Nikolas. And a sob teared through me.

NO. No, no. This can't be possible. He can't be dead. He--

I took a few steps closer to his body. He had been shot thrice on his chest, twice directly on his heart. My knees buckled and I fell down on my knees near him and fisted his blood stained shirt.

"Nikolas." I sobbed. He was just here with me, he told me he loved me and I couldn't even say it back.

Sobbing, I placed my head down on his chest and I heard a paper crinkle in his breast pocket. With trembling fingers, I took it out.

A warning.

That's all it said. He did this. He warned me he would hurt us. And he did. He killed Nikolas just for what? A territory?

I lifted my head and glanced at dad and Dane standing around me, their jaws clenched, a tear rolling down dad's eye.

And Dane...he cocked his gun. "This motherfucker is getting killed by me tonight. It's fucking war now!"

Just one gesture from dad and Francis held Dane's shoulders tightly, stopping him from doing something stupid.

"Let me go!" Dane shouted.

"CALM DOWN, DANE!" Dad bellowed and I flinched at his tone.

A defining silence followed. Dad was still staring down at Nikolas's corpse, his eyes distant, he was ruminating.

It was a war now. But we were not going to act on our emotions. This is what he wanted. For us to lose control.

And no, we are not going to give up Alaska. We are not cowards.

"Prepare for his funeral. Tomorrow." Dad spoke up after a minute to Francis who nodded. "Yes, sir."

Next dad walked over to me and knelt down beside me and gently cupped my face. "I'm sorry, Jezebel. I'm so sorry." His voice cracked and he pressed my face to his shoulder and I broke down once again.

He held me tightly, letting me cry and a moment later, Dane knelt beside me too and hugged me from behind making me cry harder.

It all reminded me of when mom died, how dad rushed into the house to find me, his shirt stained with blood. Her blood. He always told her to take her guards with her wherever she went but she was stubborn and it cost her her life one day. One of our other rivals, they killed her and dad didn't show them mercy causing their whole mafia to become extinct.