The Don And His Flower

24

Valis had been working nonstop.

His wife had slowly descended back into the mindset of staying in bed. Crying herself awake from crying herself to sleep. For almost a month now, he's seen his woman sit under their willow tree. She'd just stare at the sky and mouth words, following it with more unwanted crying.

Making Valis go back into the occasional routine of crushing pills to her drinks, making sure it was enough to keep her asleep. The guilt alone was killing Valis, but Imani would end up with needles in her veins if she didn't get proper rest at least once a week.

After a month of watching her slowly succumb to her depression, Valis had gotten a message from his soldiers. The Maroni Don, Lucas Maroni was outside of Russia's borders.

He didn't want to leave her that early in the morning. Valis watched her. Steaming mug besides her on the grass. Very faint steam rising from the undrunk water. Her eyes were straight as the rise of the sun was in her view. Valis lowered himself into her view. Still, she just remained distant with her eyes staring ahead.

The man placed his knees into the grass, hand touching her thighs before grabbing her wrist. Softly, he planted his lips to the tips of her fingers. "I have someone to meet. I will leave you two for the moment, okay? I'll be back for you."

Imani slowly came to, looking at the man who kissed her fingers.

"Valis." She whispered softly.

He nodded his head, letting her other hand go to the back of his neck. With small control, she was guiding his lips to hers, letting him stand her up. Trailing his thumb across her wet cheek, he gave her another soft kiss. "For now, flower."

Imani nodded, letting his lingering touches remain, the feeling of grass touching her as she was guided back down. "Please come back to me, Valis."

Those last words replayed in his head, over and over as he neared the surrounding forests of Russia. Soon, smooth roads and little to no buildings were in his view.

The massive airport was in their destination as multiple black SUVs already lined up. Only few cops remained, lined up with egos as they stood by for the mafias arriving.

Finally after what felt like forever, Valis Kholodov stepped out the backseat of the last suv. He ignored the gravel that crunches underneath his sneakers, eyes roaming the faces of his armed soldiers present until they landed on Maroni.

Lucas Maroni.

Valis remembered Maroni as once being part of a high ranking underground alliance, Members of the Lodge. As what he managed to pay attention to, Valis remembered Lorenzo Russi explaining how Maroni's son, Trevor, had attempted an attack on the man's underboss, Christian Maith.

It wasn't a surprise to know that the Lodge Members had kicked Lucas to the curb. They tried to give him the benefit of the doubt. But there is only one Maroni that anyone could mentally and physically tolerate.

Maroni must be attempting to make foreign alliance in hopes of taking down some of the members.

"Good morning. Lucas Maroni I presume?"

The elder Don nodded, sneered a fake smile plastered as his awaiting hand was stolen by Valis. "You have been causing quite the ruckus, haven't you?"

Valis looked, gazing his eyes at how little men stood behind Maroni. He was easily outnumbered, it was almost embarrassing. Either his remaining men were killed, or they simply just left.

The Don exhaled a calming breath. Gold fingers though his hair as he crossed his arms together. Valis gestured a hand outwards, inviting a man for a slight walk.

"I came here for business. But I must give you my condolences. Losing a child-"

"I am frankly on low tolerance with anymore condolences. I have a wife waiting for me to come home, Maroni. What exactly is it you are here for?"

The Don lost his will for a kind heart, the comfort of being a bastard obvious as he unraveled his hands. "Your father has been in my territory for the past few months. I have knowledge that you have few soldiers in Sontarc that don't stand with you taking over. They still don't believe that Michael was behind the attacks." He started off. None of the information was a surprise to him.

No groomed soldier trusts such rumors about their Don, not when they practically worship the man. So any sliver they can take of proving the man's innocence, despite him running and leaving Sontarc leaderless, they'll take it.

Valis sighed, looking at the clear grounds that reside behind Maroni.

"You have one guard in particular, who intends on leaving part of your unfinished wall unwatched. Before I give you this information, I ask you to join my alliance. I'm taking down a specific Don soon, and it's your help the most that will help me succeed, Valis."

One guard?

Of all the hundreds and nearly thousands of soldiers that patrol Sontarc, only one is bold enough to make sure his father sneaks in unnoticed?

If the soldier wasn't so damn stupid, Valis would find himself to respect the man. "Is this a specific Don I know about?" Valis asked, ignoring the vibration in his pocket.

His flower needs him.

"We all know about each other, Kholodov. Only such information is anything but limited. What do you say? Partners?"

Valis looked at the extended hand, unbelievably surprised at how ridiculous the brain of Lucas Maroni was. He truly believes that he can form an alliance with mafias without giving them the name of the very Don he intends to take down.

Valis mimicked the false smile that Maroni had prior, grabbing the extended hand and shaking it in agreement. The man was a fool, a fool to believe that he even stood a chance against men like Valis Kholodov. Against men like Lorenzo Russi.

There are certain Dons that the other mafias don't intend on interacting with.

Russi and Kholodov are few of them.

"Michael Kholodov will be coming back tonight."