Heartbeats & Bullet Shells: De Ville #1

CHAPTER 05: Lure

"Lure"

"That was an absolutely outrageous move, Maximillian! Even I was shocked by what you did. You could've just used the money for our members!" The old man in the grey suit ranted, pointing a finger at his boss from across the table.

"Ten billion—wasted," he muttered, shaking his head. "And you made it rain over the Morriatis' den, while it was still on fire from the blast... like it was some kind of party." 

"nebesá.." [Heavens] the old man remarked.

Frustration laced his words, but there was no surprise. He clicked his tongue and rubbed his temples, already resigned to his boss's reckless nature.

It wasn't disbelief, he knew exactly what kind of man Maximillian was. Blowing up an enemy stronghold and scattering the settlement money across the wreckage was just another audacious display of power.

"I wasn't displaying my power," Maximillian said calmly, leaning back in the leather chair.

The old man blinked, tilting his head in surprise. His lips parted in a quiet "oh" before he snapped his mouth shut, quickly looking away. He realized that Maximillian had caught onto his thoughts without a single word being said.

The man is really something else.

Embarrassment flushed his face, and he cleared his throat, hoping to hide it.

"You punk! H-How dare y-you read my mind!" The old man stuttered, his voice a mix of frustration and embarrassment as he pointed a shaky finger at Maximillian.

Maximillian's lips curled into a smile as a soft laugh escaped him, the old man's frenzied reaction proving too ridiculous to keep his composure.

Maximillian

"I'm just playing with you, Mr. Lombardi," I said, shaking my head.

Salvatore Lombardi—or Mr. Lombardi, as we call him—is the obshchak of La Btrava Suprema. He handles all the finances, overseeing the organization's entire funding. Every cent flow through his hands. Money is his life, which explains why he reacted the way he did over the ten billion I blew. He's been part of this organization long before I was even born, making him an expert in his field—and a very trusted one at that. Decades of work have earned him immense respect. He could probably do his job with his eyes closed. 

That's how obsessed he is with the numbers, money, to be precise.

"Max, you'd better learn from this! You know how crazy I can get when I'm losing money," Mr. Lombardi said, his warning laced with a hint of playful reprimand.

"I get it, Mr. Lombardi. It won't happen again," I replied, forcing a smile that felt more like a grimace. 

I took a deep breath before continuing.

"It's just that I can't accept money from those animals who butchered our brothers. It just doesn't feel right,"

"It feels like betraying them."

I said, staring at my hands. My voice was a mix of sadness and a muted, lingering anger, wiping away the forced smile that I had barely held moments before.

I heard a deep sigh from the old man, and his concerned eyes seemed to pierce through me.

"Just—" 

I braced for a lecture, but instead, his voice came out softly, making me look up sharply. Mr. Lombardi's gaze met mine, filled with an unexpected warmth.