Next to Me

Chapter Twenty-Nine: The Last Job

Sergio took a deep breath as he looked at his older brother, he didn’t want to be here and he knew that his wife wanted him home safely; he couldn’t wait for this to be over, he knew that Victor would lash out after what they had done.

“Are you ready?” René asked as he glanced at his brother, he loaded his gun in case they ran into any trouble; he hoped their father would keep his promise when Sergio had completed this last job.

The Sevillian deserved to have a life free of trouble after all he had done for the family and if he had a chance to go clean then René wanted his brother to take it; he hated to think of what would happen if Sergio ever lost his life.

Charlotte and Mateo wouldn’t be protected by anyone in the family and René already struggled to look after his own wife and daughter without worrying about his brother’s potential widow and son.

“I think so,” Sergio said as he tried to calm his nerves, he knew that he had promised to come home unhurt to his wife; he intended to keep that promise after everything that had happened, he wasn’t going to let her down.

René eyed his brother knowing just what he wanted from all of this, he knew that he wanted to walk away without feeling the draw of the action in him; he just hoped that Sergio would be able to walk away.

“Let’s just get this over with,” Sergio said as he checked his own gun, he hated that he had to be here while he had left Charlotte behind; he had asked his brother-in-law to keep an eye on her and Mateo, knowing that he wouldn’t risk their safety any time soon.

René nodded his head before he moved to pull on his mask, they didn’t need Victor finding out it was them that attacked his base; the council’s own attacks hadn’t done anything to deter him and now they were attacking on their own without support.

***

Hurrying down the corridor as he placed the last bomb, Sergio wrinkled his nose at the smell of gas; he knew he had to act quickly and he wasn’t going to get caught out, he glanced around him making sure that everything was in place.

“That’s everything,” René said as he checked everything again, he smirked knowing that they would done here; he couldn’t wait to get out and leave this behind.

René wanted nothing more than to get home to his wife and daughter, he’d had a bad feeling about this job and he didn’t know why their father had sent his only two sons to do this.

“Okay let’s get out of here… I don’t know what it is but this place gives me the creeps,” Sergio muttered making his brother chuckle and nod his head, they both wanted to be home with their wives and once the bases had exploded they would return to their hotel so that they could prepare to head home.

The two brothers quickly made their way out of the room where they had hidden the explosives and started for the exit, they needed to get out without anyone spotting them and they needed to do it quickly; they didn’t want to be in the building when it exploded.

Sergio suddenly found himself being pushed out of the way by René, he fell to the floor wondering what the hell was going on when two shots rang out; the Sevillian turned around in horror as his older brother fell to the ground.

Pulling out his own gun, Sergio peaked around the corner and gritted his teeth at the sight of the security guard that had shot René; he wasn’t going to allow him to get away with it, he quickly rounded the corner and fired shot after shot at the man.

Sergio didn’t stop until the man hit the floor, he breathed heavily as he glared at the man before he turned to his brother who was gasping for breath; the Sevillian cursed as he hurried to his side.

René swallowed as he looked at his younger brother, he knew he wouldn’t make it out alive and he wanted Sergio to leave him; he needed his brother to leave knowing that he’d look after Vania and Daniela for him.

“You’re going to be okay,” Sergio said determinedly as he checked his brother’s wounds, he felt sick as he tried to stop the flow of blood from his brother’s shoulder and stomach; he needed medical attention and quickly.

However that was the problem, they were in Madrid alone and they couldn’t go to the hospital when it would only raise questions; Sergio swallowed knowing that this wasn’t going to end well.

“Promise me you’ll look after Vania and Daniela,” René whispered as he started to feel blood blocking his throat, he wasn’t going to make it and he needed to get his brother to leave; he choked softly making Sergio stare at him realising what he was saying.

Sergio swallowed as he nodded his head, he would look after his sister-in-law and niece just like he expected René to do if anything had happened to him.

“I swear,” Sergio said as his brother struggled with something and pulled it out of his pocket, he pressed it into his younger brother’s hand knowing that with him gone Sergio would become the family heir.

The Sevillian felt tears burning his eyes as he realised what was happening he shook his head wondering if there was some way to save René.

“Don’t allow padre to control your life… live for Charlotte and your son,” René whispered as his strength left him, he smiled one last time at his brother knowing that he was leaving the family business in good hands.

***

Closing his hotel room door behind him, Sergio choked back a sob as he pressed himself up against it as his grief consumed him; he knew he’d have to tell Vania that she’d lost her husband and he hated that their father had forced them to do this.

Sergio thought about his niece, she’d never see her father again and it was all because of her grandfather; he would never forgive either of his parents for what had happened that day and how they had forced them to do this.

Pressing a hand to his mouth as he tried to calm his cried, Sergio shakily reached for his phone; he needed to speak with his wife knowing that it should have been him.

The Sevillian pressed his mobile to his ear wondering how he would ever be able to forget what his big brother had done for him; it killed him to know that René had died saving his life, if only he had been more careful then none of this would have happened.

“Charlie…” Sergio breathed in relief as his wife answered the phone, he moved to sit down on his bed knowing that he would be home tomorrow and he’d have so much to do; he’d have to go and see Vania and tell her that René was never coming home.

Then he’d have to inform his parents that they’d lost their eldest son, everything could have been so different and he knew that there was no way to chance what had happened.

“Hola Sergio… long time no speak,” said a voice that made Sergio’s blood run cold, he had never thought that he would have to do this again and yet this man seemed determined to ruin this for him.

The Sevillian felt sick as he realised that he had been betrayed, he had left his wife in the hands of his brother-in-law and it was clear that he had made a mistake in doing so.

“If you lay a hand on Charlotte or Mateo then I will end you Victor,” Sergio spat as fury flooded his veins, he didn’t know what was going on but he wasn’t going to lose anyone else.

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Author's Note:

Only three chapters left xxx