RUN

ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝟚𝟘: ℍ𝕠𝕥 𝕕𝕠𝕘

"Son of a bitch." I muttered, taking a few steps back from the bloodied man in front of me.
He coughed blood uncontrollably, and some of it splashed all over my face.

"Take over." I ordered one of my men, and with an obedient nod he stepped forward and delivered a punch straight to his jaw.

I turned around and grabbed a towel from one of the chairs in the room, wiping every drop of blood from my face and knuckles.

I've been here since this morning, trying to get every bit of information I can from our newest captives.

"Any luck?" The door of the room opened. Alessandro stepped in, arriving just now.
The men straightened themselves immediately.
They might be under my command as the under boss, but they know their don must be respected.

I shook my head and threw the towel back on the chair. "He doesn't know shit."

"The Russians tried to invade one of our ships an hour ago, we kept some of his friends alive." He tilted his head towards the beaten man on the ground. "Maybe they'll be more useful."

I clenched my jaw. Viktor's attacks are getting more frequent, bolder.
The Italian-Russian fued is one of the worst in the underground.

We're on top, and their coward of a don is trying desperately to knock us out.
It was only buissnes under my grandfather reign, but they took it a step too far under my father's.

They kidnapped Olive.

They tore our family apart, and my parents gave their lives to make sure the Russians will never recover.
The Italian mafia sought revenge, and we made sure to burn down their empire.

Now they're trying to rise from the ashes? No.
We will make sure our parents' deaths were not in vain.
They will never regain their power.

If not for us, then for Olive.
Viktor can't even start to think about laying his fingers on her again.

My phone interrupted our conversation. I took it out of my pocket with an irritated sigh, but then I saw who it was.

"Riccardo?" I furrowed my eyebrows. He never calls me, or anyone for that matter.

"We need to talk, where are you?" he asked urgently, which only confused me more. Did something happen?

"What's going on, are you okay?" I asked, looking over at Alessandro to see if he knows something.

He seemed alerted. "He was with Olive when I left the house." he took a few steps towards me with wide eyes.

At the mention of her name, I could see every man in the room subtly glancing at us. Everyone knows she's back, but other than that- nothing. She's a complete mystery to them, and honestly? To us too.

We agreed that trust is the most important thing. We won't look into her past, but wait for her to share.

We're trying to get her out of her shell, but for that to happen she needs to believe she's not in danger. So introducing her right now to the most powerful mafia in the world will not be the smartest move.

"Great, the douchebag is there too." Riccardo mumbled after hearing Alessandro's voice. "Olive is fine, don't worry. We got home a few minutes ago."

I sighed in relief and nodded my head to tell Alessandro that everything is alright.

"But I really need to talk to you, it's about Jace Levine."

I furrowed my eyebrows again. Levine? He's one of my main soldiers. What does he have to do with Riccardo?
"I'm at warehouse thirty-two, come over."

"I'll be there in twenty."

°°°

We were waiting in an empty office when Riccardo arrived.
He stumbled into the room with a helmet in one hand and a hot dog in the other.
"Sorry, got hungry on my way here."

Alessandro breathed out angrily and rised from his chair. We've been waiting for the past forty five minutes, and he stopped to buy a hot dog?

I took one last drag on my cigarette, letting the smoke flow out through my nose.

"Oh, boo hoo." Riccardo sneered at him, putting his helmet on the table in the corner of the room. "You weren't even invited to this conversation."

"Why are we here, Riccardo? Why?" he asked, clearly irritated.
I sighed and placed a hand on his shoulder, easing his tension.
"Go ahead, Ricci." I smiled reassuringly.

Putting Riccardo and Alessandro in the same room is not the best idea. They are constantly getting on each other's nerves, no matter the reason.

"Fine." he smiled tightly and took a bite out of his food. "So, two of Olive's friends, I think Theo and Ares." he took another bite. "Are moving in with Theo's brother. His place is like fifteen minutes walk from us."

I looked at him questionably, not sure where he's going with it.
"Wait, I think those are the same ones I bailed out with her." Alessandro scrunched his face in thought.

"Looks like she's gonna get back her partners in crime, literally." Riccardo spoke with his mouth full, and Alessandro rolled his eyes at his words.

"Well?" I pushed. He swallowed the last bite of his hot dog before continuing.
"Yeah, So this brother? That's Jace Levine. We've been at his house today."

"What?" I hissed harshly. "You've been at his house? Did he say something?"

That's a fucking problem. If Olive will find out alone, I can't even imagine what she'll feel like.

"No, he didn't." He grinned, and both Alessandro and I relaxed. "I saved the day, like always."

"What happened?" I asked. Part of my job is to know everything, especially when it comes to our family.

"I followed Alessandro's 'family buissnes' scheme." Riccardo said and shot him a look. "Told her he's working in human resources."

I chuckled, but Alessandro wasn't amused.
"Human resources?" he raised an eyebrow.

Riccardo groaned and threw his head back. "See?" he exclaimed. "This is why I called Amadeo! He appreciates my improvisation skills. What was I supposed to do, tell her he's in charge of killing people?"

"Okay, okay!" I interrupted before they'll get into another fight. "The important thing is that Olive knows nothing. I'll make sure he won't blurt anything out, or else I'll fucking beat him to death." I gritted my teeth.

I don't care that he's one of my best soldiers.
The only way she'll find out is through us, when we'll know it's time.

"Well, that's your department." Riccardo mused, taking his helmet off the table. "But if you'll need someone to shoot him, I'm your man."

That's true. Riccardo is a lot of things, and a sniper is one of them.
He's the best Goddamn shooter I know.

Our grandfather used to practice with him for years, which made him his favorite grandchild out of nine boys.
But now he doesn't stand a chance.

Olive's back, and our grandparents are only waiting for us to tell them she's comfortable enough to meet them.

She doesn't know it, but the entire Italian mafia is waiting to meet her.

Chapter 20!
I feel like I published the first chapter just a minute ago TT

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