Hearts Divided: A Mafia-Superhero Love Triangle, Volume 1

Chapter 10 - Cain

"What does she look like?", I faintly heard Liz ask, as I drifted off into my own thoughts. I didn't want to discuss Scarlett. All I wanted was to get my burn taken care of and leave. Last night's argument had drained me more than I anticipated.

"Don't get your hopes up, Liz", I finally replied, anxiously waiting for her to give me some antibiotics. "You know they never stay".

I wasn't ready to tell her the truth just yet. We had been friends since childhood, but I knew she would be upset if she found out I had nearly revealed a personal secret to a former journalist. It wasn't that I had anything against people in this profession, but my past experiences with them had left me unable to trust them completely.

"Then why did you fight with Blaze?", Liz continued.

Avoiding eye contact, I made sure not to give anything away. Liz could always tell when I was lying, and it bothered me how well she knew me. I saw it as a weakness on my part. We had almost lost touch when I moved to a different town, but Liz was determined enough to leave her parents' home and find me. At first, I thought she did it because she liked me, but I soon realized that wasn't the reason—she just didn't want to live the same restrictive lifestyle as her parents.

Based on what she shared, Liz grew up in a household with devoutly religious parents who planned to enroll her in an all-girls Catholic school. However, she desired the freedom to make her own choices, so she left her childhood home.

At first, I refused her request and urged her to come back later because I could barely afford to take care of myself. However, she didn't listen and decided to leave home. She took some money from her parents before leaving, which allowed us to have a roof over our heads and food on the table for a little while in a small, moderately decent apartment.

With the knowledge that our funds would soon deplete, I brainstormed ways to generate more income. Finding employment elsewhere crossed my mind, but it was not a feasible option. The authorities were on the lookout for me, and involving Liz in any form of labor was not an alternative either.

Stealing had become a common occurrence for me, but it wasn't bringing in enough money. So, I resorted to participating in illegal street fights as well. This lifestyle sustained us for a while, until even that wasn't enough. I made the mistake of taking too much from the wrong people, and it all came crashing down.

Feeling drained, I let out a heavy breath and turned my attention to the scenery outside the window.

"She's the kind of woman you'd steal from me", I finally told her.

"Will I meet her?", Liz asked, handing me the pills I needed.

Blaze's power was strong, but luckily he had only burned a small portion of my hand. It would definitely leave a mark, but I didn't mind. Actually, a part of me almost enjoyed the pain he inflicted on me, which was something I tried to ignore. To distract myself, I focused on Liz instead.

"We'll see", I smiled back. "But enough about Scarlett. Are the drugs ready? We need to deliver them soon".

"No, not yet, Liz replied.

Her carefree attitude grated on my nerves, provoking a slow-burning anger that made my eyes narrow and my fists clench. I was torn between feeling let down and resentful as I fought to keep my emotions in check. The thought of Liz's neglect potentially affecting the success of our business only added fuel to the fire. I knew this initial irritation was just the beginning of a brewing storm.

"Finish them tonight", I said through my teeth, trying not to get angry.

"You're overthinking things, Cain," she said soothingly as she moved behind me and began to knead my tense shoulders. "I can assure you that everything will turn out just fine. I promise."