Ares ; A Mafia Romance ||✓

Chapter 29

Callista Miller

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Breathing fast and heavy, I trembled and stood frozen. Blinking, I felt the strain on my arm muscles and smelled the gunpowder in the air. Ubel sneered ugly, his hands clawing on my own as he tried to snatch the gun out of my hand. I cried out. Thankfully, the shot was misfired in the air as Ubel had caught my hand and directed it upwards before the bullet could pierce him. I struggled against him, "get away!" Ubel backhanded me with a final push. Still, I didn't let go even the my cheek was inflaming with pain. I didn't let it because I couldn't afford for my parents to get hurt. I didn't let go because Ubel had done enough damage. He had destroyed enough lives. I wanted to fight him. For everyone.

Ares, with his knife, jumped on Ubel's back and slashed him. Ubel's painful cry rang out. I fell on my back when he let his hold go. The gun skidded beside me. "I had warned you to not touch her!" Ubel was punching Ares backwards, "fucker, cut your act! You don't give a fuck if she dies!" Ares kicked Ubel on the back making him fall. Ares sat on Ubel's torso, gritting, "I do care." He rained punches on Ubel. Ubel tried to block them and fight back. My heart hurt, I couldn't trust Ares. Maybe him saying that was part of his plan. Maybe he was still trying to fool me. He doesn't need to do that. He doesn't need to cover up for what Ubel said. Nothing could erase my heartbreak. I shook my head and crawled over to my parents. Nothing mattered anymore but them. I had dragged them to near death because of my foolishness.

They were tied. I pulled out the knife and started cutting the ropes around their hands and back. "Calli! My daughter!" Dad cried, leaning his head against my shoulder. I sniffled, swallowing my sobs. Once they were free, I was pulled into their tight embrace, "Oh, Callista, I was so afraid!" Mom cried, holding onto me for dear life. I couldn't hold in the sobs anymore, "I am sorry! I am so sorry! It's all my fault! You were right. I should have listened to you." I felt them lean into me. They said nothing. They know this is not the time to agree. They shared my pain and took the hurt of my share. I pulled back, wiping their tears, "Let's go out of here. I don't want anything but you two." They nodded and stood up on wobbly legs. I assisted them.

My eyes fell on Isaac as I was leading my parents. He looked utterly ashamed and apologetic. I looked away and led my parents out of the room, avoiding the sickening sounds of the fight between Ares and Ubel. Asrael and Evangeline were in the corner, holding each other, watching Ares fight. Once outside, I told my parents, "You go downstairs and call the cab. I will be back in just a minute." I handed them my phone and gun. Mom and Dad panicked, desperately holding me, "No! Calli! Don't go. It's very dangerous! Let's all go together!" I smiled in pain, "Mom, Dad, this is the last thing I am doing before completely letting go. Let me go." Mom cried, shaking her head, "No!" "Please."

I pushed them softly and went back inside the room. Ares and Ubel were fighting hand-to-hand combat. Ubel looked beaten up. Ares was taking up all his hatred out on him. I quickly ran to Isaac's side as his eyes widened and he stuttered, "C-Calli?" I avoided him and simply cut open his ropes. "Calli, why did you come back? Just go!" I still didn't answer him and was now opening the ropes around his feet. Isaac tightly held the hands of the chair as he desperately said, sounding panicked and agitated, "Just go, Calli! Please! You were never supposed to be here!"

At that, I paused, and glared at him, my heart aching, "I know. I am well aware of what you two brothers planned." Isaac got on his knees before me, begging, "I am sorry, Calli. I know I don't even deserve to apologise. But please, I never wanted to hurt you. If you would just listen --" "Shut up!" I stood up, shaking with rage, betrayal, and pain, "shut up! Nothing that you say can change the fact that you used me! Played with my emotions and feelings! Toyed with me!" Isaac looked down and bowed his head, defeated, "I know. There's no excuse for that. I can only beg. Calli, you owe me anything I ask of you." I shook my head, disgusted. He was bringing that promise up now?! Isaac continued irrespective of my reaction, his eyes teary, "Go away from here. And never come back." "I owe you nothing!" I announced, having enough of his act, as I went to Noah and Avery who were looking at me with sympathy and pity. I gritted while opening their ropes, "Did you know about this?" Noah sighed in defeat, "Unfortunately, no. We learnt about this fact just minutes ago. Ares lied to us too." Carter was wide-eyed when I was opening his and Cameron's ropes, "Callista, Ares is, uh, he is a bastard for lying to us and playing you. I am sorry." I nodded at his apology and stood up, "even though he didn't tell you everything, you were part of his plan." They didn't deny and I sighed, feeling my heart break further.