Royal Sinners (Sinners 1)

Chapter 10: La Morte di Bastardo

Lunchtime. And instead of a meal, I'm looking for Zak. He probably knew what happened or he did it himself. On my way to the cafeteria, Gian called out to me and told the news. If I was the same Hanna, I wouldn't bother.

Well, I am the same Hanna. But spending time with the Fortunellos since I accepted their protection, talking to others was not as uncomfortable as before. So, after an awkward greeting, he dropped the news. Byrone Gotti was murdered. His fingers were cut and his throat was slashed.

'He's missing for two weeks now; his body was found yesterday. But the school won't publish this on the weekly issue. Well, almost everybody knew this.'

But I didn't. Nobody told me. So I excused myself and searched for Zak. Fortunately, he agreed for now that no one will follow me around. Maybe he lied and they were just discreet about it.
I was almost out of breath but still I ran towards the library, third floor of the central building. "Whoa...hold it right there, Precious." Someone pulled my arm for a stop. It was Pete. "Why the rush?"

"Where's Zak?"

His brow raised; the same amused smirk plastered on his face.

"My, my...isn't too early for our love triangle, don't you think?"

I ignored the teasing tone and went straight to the point. "Byrone...did you...did you know what happened to him?"

"Eleven words."

"What?"

"You spoke eleven words."

I recalled what I said and he chuckled. "You counted, didn't you? Just kidding, you spoke ten. That's the longest line I've heard from you." He pats my head for the achievement. "A little more and you won't need a notebook."

I took a step back and asked him again. This time with urgency. "Did you know?!"

He studied me under his smiling eyes. "I know a lot of things, Precious." He messed my hair then shouted as he walked away. "Top floor on the west wing, last door. He's busy though."
I ran to the direction he pointed, the terrified beat on my chest was so painful. Zak couldn't have done it. He couldn't kill him. He shouldn't.

Reaching the door with an Art Club sign, I had no time to compose myself. Without warning, I slammed the door open, and whatever urgency I had, was shoved back to my throat. Vivienne and Zak stood in the middle of the room. Her hands were wrapped around his. They were almost kissing. Almost. If I didn't come, maybe...

"I-I-I... sorry." I stepped back.

He's busy though, Pete said. He should've told me about this!

"Stay," he ordered and then to Vivienne. "Not now."

Maybe next time. Maybe somewhere where I can't see it.

She obeyed, and before she passed by me, she held my cheek and whispered. "You're getting on my nerves, little girl." Her tone may be sweet, but her eyes said otherwise. Hate was evident in the flawless face of hers, like a temptress marking her possession.

And so I was left with Zak and the aftermath of an intimacy. My eyes wandered to a blank canvas in the corner of the room just as not to meet his eyes. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to." It was a lie. Yes, I did not intend to interrupt, but there was no shred of regret. I couldn't find a reason to be truly sorry.

"Why are you here?"

That's when I remembered my purpose. "Byrone, he's dead."

Thinking about it, I found the courage to stare back at him, hoping to find the truth.

"I know."

As expected, nothing. Not a hint.

"He was missing two weeks ago. Why didn't you tell me?"

"Why would I tell you?"

It caught me off guard. Why? It has nothing to do with me. Still, I feel betrayed. Does keeping the truth also his way to protect me? "Did you... did you do it?"

"What if I did?"

What an interesting question. But then, I have an interesting answer. "Run." Yes, I was afraid, not for me, but for him. "You should run. Hide where they couldn't find you." Just like me, playing the game of hide-and-seek.

Maybe my answer was funny enough for him to chuckle. "Are you telling me not to confess my sins?"

"Yes." He leaned closer. Before I could protest, he lifted my chin for a look. "How evil of you."
Evil? Maybe I am. "You... you have no idea."
                                 

The weekend rolled in, and just like the previous weeks, I was taken to the Orleonne Mansion. This time, I went willingly. With our previous conversation, he didn't admit anything, nor did the Fortunello.

I got used to it. The indifference, the silence... it's okay. Among them, Lilo stood out. Maybe, from time to time, she terrifies me as a person who can end a life with no hesitation. Yet somehow, I peeked at her inner child. Instead of enjoying the things as an adult, she's played with knives and poisons, far cry from her tender age of fourteen.

"But, but, at least she should've said she loves him!" She protested after reading a new book aloud, that ended tragically.

"Sadly, she didn't. The evil lord took her away to save him and his knights."

Her childish pout disappeared and she clucked her tongue. "Whoever wrote that deserves to die, you know."

I'm used to her changing mood. Maybe having someone to talk to aside from the members of the group is somewhat new to her. When she doesn't like something, her inner bloodlust would come out. 'A two-faced doll,' Bino would say. 'Nut case', 'Brat' and anything that describes her personality was also included. Hearing them banter like that, somehow, I felt that we're all the same.

"The author should die in a terrible death."

Before I could defend that the book had a sequel, she signaled me to stand up with a darkened expression. She pulled a white book on the bottom part of the shelf and pushed a button on the space. The shelf moved like an opening.

"Wai—"

"—Shut up. Zak has a guest, let's go." She pointed to a small detachable headset behind her ear, usually hidden by her hair for an explanation. "Access in the security system."

After walking on a narrow space and turning twice, we stopped at a door. Lilo slowly twisted a knob and opened two small holes. "But Lilo—" I couldn't finish, felt the cold sharp on my neck.
"I said shut up."

So I did. While she peeked through the holes, I leaned with my ears closer to the door.

"What brings you here, Don Gotti?" It was Zak.

"Everyone's been talking about the package entrusted to you," answered a man's voice. "Just like everyone else, I'm here to see it. However, unlike the Colombo and Galienci, I don't use force. We all belong to the South. We should help each other, don't you think?"

He talked so calmly but it's too soon to label him as a friend. As far as I've experienced, what you see is not what you always get and even what you hear is not always the truth.

"Would you want to see it?"

"Would you let me?"

"And here I thought, you'll ask me about your son." Zak seems disappointed.

"Did you kill him?"

Don Gotti. I concluded he's Byrone's father.

"You know the answer to that." How can Zak be so vague?

"I know. My son had annoyed a lot of people. That good-for-nothing bastard."

"As an illegitimate second son, don't you think he had his reasons? He didn't want scraps from his brother, that's why he did a lot of things to prove himself."

"You think highly of my boy."

"He was once a Fortunello."

"I apologize for any inconvenience he had caused. Just remember that it has nothing to do between our families. The Gottis will always have your back."

"Ah, finally the truth has been spoken..."

I couldn't listen properly to what Zak said next when Lilo started grumbling. "What a loser, after turning against Daddy, he got the nerve to ally with us."

Zak's voice was clearer now. "You're not here to ask me about my 'little secret' or accuse me about your son."

"As expected, you know how to read between the lines. Yes, I'm here to form an alliance, just like your father and I did. Don't worry, I have pure intentions."

Zak chuckled as if it was a joke. "Ah Don Gotti, what a tempting proposal. How ironic, you pledged allegiance to my father, too. Where were you when he needed your... pure intentions? One more thing, you cannot control your men, some of them wanted to remove you. Can you even handle your own snakes?"

It took a while before the older man answered. His friendly mask disappeared. "You haven't proven anything yet! When you went hiding for two years and left your sister, I did not send a cleaner to finish you off, or her!"

"Coming from the man who betrayed my father, thank you for not killing us when everyone tried to."

"Your father had it coming! He was contented with the South. When the others wanted to conquer the North, he objected. While we planned to dethrone him, he was already murdered by the North! And now, you're like him, acting so mighty, a boy after the shadow of his father! And who'd help you? Your little army of by-blows? Bastards and sons of blacklists?"

"Yes."

Before Don Gotti could retort, Lilo pushed the secret door open.

"And maybe, one of our bastards killed your bastard."

I followed her, saw an old man's surprised face and a room full of pictures, like a mini-museum full of paintings attached to the wall; some are landscape, an apple and mostly a picture of a woman with no face. The door we came from was a painting too, a noble-looking man from centuries ago. A small chandelier hung from the high ceiling. Zak was unaffected by the interruption but when his eyes zeroed on me, it went grim.

"Oh my, I forgot my manners." Lilo curtsied. "Hello Don Gotti, I hope your family has been well. Too bad Byrone's head was only slashed, if it was me, I should've cut it clean." She frowned at Zak. "Don't look at me like that, Zakie. I was bored and our father told me before that we should greet our guests."

Don Gotti stood from his seat and slammed his cane on the floor. "Only insane people were left of the Orleonnes! Too young and too stupid!"

"Then... then why did you come?"

Three pairs of eyes focused on me. My head screamed at me to shut up but I could not control myself. "Why are you here, Don Gotti? You're afraid...aren't you? You know what they can do. You kno—"

"—Enough." Zak covered my mouth. It wasn't tight, yet cold and controlling, like how he looked at me with a warning.

"Oh, that's Hanna, just a nobody. But I kinda like her now because she got a point." Lilo raised her hand for a thumbs up and went back to the guest. "Why did you come here, Sir? Would you want to kiss Zackary's feet? I tell you, no need. We don't want your slimy mouth smooching his shoes."

"Not in a million years!"

She shrugged. "Too bad, we couldn't kill our guests, I would've poisoned you. Okay, you can go now. I'll pray for Byrone by the way, though I never liked him."

"You made a big mistake." He pointed his cane to Zak. "A big mistake, boy."

It was Lilo who replied. "And about Byrone, too bad, he begged until his last breath. Our prayers go out to you and your family. Wait, I forgot, we don't pray."

"You—!"

"From now on... be careful, Sir." Her smile widened. "Don't die."

***

Bastard's Death