Potere | Book II ✓

xxxi | unload the clip

xxxi | unload the clip

a/n: I have finished writing Potere and will be uploading the remaining chapters every Thursday (around the same time) until the book is complete. Thank you for being patient!!

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"Zoooom!" Rosalie's laugh is contagious as she outstretches her arms, the wind rushing past her face and through her hair. Her small legs are wrapped around Michael Luciano's neck, his large hands attached to her ankles, securing her to a first-class seat on-top of his shoulders.

Rosie has been on a real airplane before, but this one is her favorite.

She screeches as their journey takes them down the massive stairwell. In fright, she slaps both hands over Michael's eyes and shuts her own. The momentum of the airplane stopping midflight nearly throws her over his shoulder. His screeching surpasses the volume of her own.

"The plane can't see!"

She removes her hands and places them over her own eyes. "Sorry!"

They reach the bottom floor and swiftly, Michael kneels just long enough for Rosalie to stand on her own two feet. He rises to his own, slower than Rosie has ever seen him. That's been happening a lot lately. He doesn't think she notices. The grimaces after she accidentally runs into him. The way he uses both hands to rise from his seat. The hand on his knee as he pulls himself to his full height from the floor. He stays in bed longer. His bedtime stories are getting shorter.

Their time together, slowly transitioning from playful teasing and meaningless activity to talks about the future.

She latches onto his hand. "Don't leave me." It sounds like a random statement, but a thought Rosalie has every time she's with somebody she loves—abandonment is all she knows. Everyone always leaves.

But as quickly as she states it, she wishes she could take it back. She has asked Michael not to leave her time and time again, probably to the point of annoyance. He never sounds annoyed and prior to the gentle shift in his behavior, his response would be comforting. But recently, his response has been calculated, dry, and always the same.

"You are all you need."

He never looks at her when he says it. He never offers her any other explanation other than that. He once added that there would be a day when she understood, a day when she was older. She doesn't believe that day will ever come.

"Where are we going?"

"I want to teach you something," He says softly.

Their journey is short but leads them to the lowest level of the Luciano mansion, and into the gun range. It doesn't take long to set up the simulation. A low hum draws Rosalie's outlined target into position while Michael positions their protective ear equipment around their neck. He fights a laugh at the way her body tilts while holding the weapon.

Her form is what takes the longest, but Michael has never been worried that Rosalie could not grasp a topic he was instructing her on. She was one of the fastest learners he has ever met, and he's trained some of his best soldiers. He kneels at her side, gently repositioning her arms and her stance. He rests the side of his face against hers and he can hear a faint giggle escape her lips. The sound makes him smile.

He raises his hand and points to her target.

"Put a bullet through his head," Michael commands.