Omerta ||ʙᴏᴏᴋ 1||

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ᴛʜɪʀᴛʏ-sɪx

Children aren't born corrupted by the outside world, it's what they see and hear that corrupts them. As a parent or guardian you're supposed to keep them from harm but how can you when you've lost yourself: torn between family or love.

My little brother was my responsibility and I knew I should've left the mafia long ago. Jack looks at all of us in utter fear; his innocence corrupted, how do explain to a little kid the shadows that lurk within our family and friends.

"Jack I love you with all my heart and I would never hurt you." I softly squeaked out as I slowly squatted done to where we were at eye level. He sniffles over and over again rubbing his tears away.

I dropped to my knees and quickly pull him into an embrace that he doesn't care to have. He kicks me and hits me begging to let him go but I don't.

I ran my hand over his head trying to calm him down. "We're not monsters," I said repeatedly not knowing if I'm trying to convince him or myself.

"Sky come here!" Coles's voice angrily demanded behind me.

Jack wiggled out of my arms and leached onto hunter who just held Jessica in his arms.

Hunter looked at me with his tearful eyes. I look away and glare at Cole. I walk towards Cole grabbing the collar of his shirt dragging him like a child in trouble to the office. I shut the door behind us and cross my arms.

"What did you want me to do Skylar, I saved your ass yet again and you seem to be pissed at me." He said crossing his arms lingering inches in front of me. I push him back and move passed him.

"Oh TRUST me, Cole, I'm more than pissed in fact I'm fuming. How could you kill a pregnant woman?" I snapped at him.

"Watch that attitude, Skylar. I would choose you over and over again. Who cares that I shot her? She was going to kill you." He said trying to justify what he had done.

I rolled my eyes and faced my back towards him trying to stop the rest of the waterworks that were preparing to release.

"Stop bitching and moaning Skylar you have killed people too and that was your choice, not mine, so don't get all pissy just because I killed the girl that your arrogant brother knocked up." Cole hissed out grabbing my wrist spinning me around quickly leaving a burning sensation. I winced cradling my wrist at my chest.

This is it I had reached the point where I had truly had enough.

"I DIDN'T DO IT BECAUSE I WANTED TO, I WAS FORCED INTO THIS WHOLE POSITION AND I WOULD RATHER LOOK OUT FOR MY FAMILY THEN YOU. I WOULD'VE NEVER CHOSEN THIS LIFE AND FRANKLY IM TIRED OF IT! MY BROTHER SEES ME AS A MONSTER." I screamed at him. The waterworks had been released after building up for a while.

"How many people have to die for you to see that this mafia is only creating broken families. I'm choosing my family over this mafia and I could care less if you let me or not, I'm getting out of this pit of misery and going to do something useful with my life." I slowed down, my voice cracked with each sentence as tears slowly trickled down my face.

His jaw clenched and my eyes followed down his muscular arms when I saw that his fist was clenched.

"Go ahead Cole hurt me if you want...it would be nothing new, but I'm still going and nothing will stop me." I softly mumble out under my breath as his angry gaze rips me apart.

"Skylar Ann Hayes, the mafia is your family, so many people have lost their lives just to protect you because you're important to this whole business. You may make mistakes but they'll always follow you" He huffed out releasing the clench on his fist. He ran his fingers through his hair pushing it back in frustration. I stood there looking at him wiping away my tears that weren't worthy of him.

"You've done so many things that have made me question if I should just end your stupidity but then I realize that I can't because you have a grip on my heart, I can't lose you." He sighed out leaning against the wall. 

"You've already lost me, Cole. I'm out of the mafia for good." I said sternly as I pushed past him, racing out the office like a teenager who's just had her first heartbreak. My frail heart, yet again, had been broken and it would never be the same.

I went over to the doctor. "Kane is going to be fine. He's going to be extremely sore but I'll prescribe medicine for that. Take him home if you want but he needs to rest." The doctor assured. Kane had his arm slung around the doctor using him as support as the other held onto his side in agony.

"This hurts like a bitch. It's going to leave a nasty scar though." He said faking a smile that was soon followed by a wince.

Hunter walked over to me with Jack holding onto him like a baby monkey. From the corner of my eye, I saw Cole walking towards us but yelled for the doctor to bring Kane to the van. Hunter followed behind them looking at Jessica's body as he walked past the entrance.

I pointed over at Jessica "You don't throw her away like trash. Make arrangements for a funereal just make it quick." I said to what was left of the men and woman who worked at this warehouse. They looked at me and nodded and continued cleaning up the mess around.

I turned around to see Cole standing in front of me. I looked into his emerald green eyes for the last time...

                                                    ----------------------

I opened the front doors and took a deep breath inhaling the sweet air. The sun was starting to rise at this point. A few bodies scattered around but they were being taken care of. I sighed and opened the driver's side of the white van as Kane lay in the back with Jack sitting next to him.

I looked down at my blood-covered shirt and quickly took it off and threw it out the window. I laughed as it landed on the window of Cole's Maserati. I leaned back and looked at Hunter who just rolled his now red mixed with a shade of purple eyes due to his black eye.

"Put a shirt on Skylar." Hunter huffed out looking at me up and down than attempting to scold me with his swollen eyes.

"Does it look like I have a wardrobe in here? No, so let me just drive I want to get out of here." I said slightly annoyed.

"Hurry up and drive I'm in agony," Kane said groaning as he held onto his freshly stitched wound.

I drove but I wasn't all there, I was lost in my thoughts as if they were a labyrinth that I couldn't escape.

In my attempts to bring a form of the piece to my chaotic world I only created more chaos. I made stupid choices that got people killed.

The Guilt drags me downs as if I was carrying a million blocks of cement.

I hear my name echo over and over until I'm snapped out of the trance.

"Skylar?" hunter softly spoke up trying not to wake up Jack.

I looked over at him. "Hunter lets pack up and get out of here. Start somewhere new."

"I hope you don't expect me to go along with you Skylar because the mafia is a good way to make coin no way I'm going to miss that opportunity." Kane said. I just looked back at him and sighed.

"It won't be easy Kane trust me.your whole life will change but if thats what you truly want I understand but I won't help you because I'm out." I said sympathetically smiling at him.

So to my brother who dares to take on the job as second in command of the largest mafia... 

Good luck and always remember to honor the omertà no matter how hard things get or what happens.

  -----------------------------

Authors note

All right the last few chapters are just going to tie the loose ends up but it's almost time to say goodbye to Skylar, Cole, Jack, and Hunter..... well for now ;)

Skole has come to an abrupt end! How do you feel?

Don't forget to vote and show me some love and see your lovely readers next chapter.

~Liz