The Storm Before the Calm

Chapter 10

Aurora Salvatore

I made a mental note to run backgrounds on all 4 Russo's I'd spied with my little eye the second I got home, as well as Mr. Vitale. I did not appreciate his attitude towards me or my sister, but I was happy to be able to shut him up about how I knew something personal about him, when he didn't even know my name.

I'd spotted the first Russo due to the boxed blonde grinding on his dick while he looked utterly bored with her. I'd recognized her from-

Enzo Russo...

And, make that 5.

"It's time to go." I said to Antonio, leaning to my left to him so I could speak softly to him but still get my message across. He shot his head over to me as I stared down at Enzo. On the outside, I was still as cold as I usually carried myself, completely devoid of any emotion or beating heart. But on the inside, I could feel the racing heart starting, I could feel myself start to panic over just seeing his fucking face, and I could feel the impending flashbacks starting.

And my brother knew that despite my icy exterior, what was going on behind my eyes by taking one look at them.

He simply took charge of gathering everyone, trusting me wholly even though he didn't see whom I had. Otherwise, he would've been down in that crowd with his gun drawn. It took every muscle in my body as I simply walked over to our jackets, and lifted Ariana's as Antonio urged her over to put it on, to not withdraw my gun and silencer from my own bag.

I held her jacket up as she looked at me confused. "Aura?" She asked tenderly, but I could feel my patience slipping along with my sanity. She knew I wasn't meaning to be harsh with her, as hard as I tried not to be when I felt my body going into fight or flight mode.

"Let's go, Ari. Put the damn jacket on." I said, and she silently did as she was told, sliding her arms in the holes as I held it up for her. I then grabbed my own, throwing it on over my shoulders, and flipping my long hair out from under it while I noticed Mr. Vitale studying all of us getting ready to leave, and I wasn't sure what the look on his face was for, but I knew that poker face was fake and I wanted to shoot it off.

I knew he was trying to figure me out. Just like everyone else always did. I didn't like it one bit.

"Let's go, Vitale." I said as we all made our way over to the stairs. Lorenzo already had Ariana and Angelina down the stairs with him and 2 other guys that'd come later, with Romeo behind them, then Renata with 2 other guys, followed me, Antonio, and Mr. Vitale behind me.

I kept my eyes glued between my sisters, Enzo, and the other 4 guys as we descended the stairs, but my eyes met a familiar brown set. Pablo. He simply nodded at me, and I returned one. I knew he was telling me he also saw Enzo. He had some fucking balls showing up to Frankie's club tonight. I knew he must have some angle of showing his face, but I wasn't sure what it was.

But as soon as I returned my eyes to my sisters, I saw one of the Russo guys take a step backwards to let someone pass and Ariana bumped into him. They exchanged some words that would've looked friendly to any outsiders, but I knew he knew who she was. I didn't trust that interaction for one fucking second.

My skin burned even hotter as my heels hit the floor and I made sure to bump into the same guy, hard. "Hey, watch where-," he began to shit talk me until we made eye contact and then he grinned like the fucking Grinch. Fucking men. Pigs, all of them.

"Sorry! Someone pushed me." I turned the charm on, batting my eyelashes as I smiled at him to distract his disgusting ass. His eyes immediately fell from mine to my chest, and I knew he was too stupid to realize what a dumb move that was. As soon as I found out his name, his death certificate would be signed.