Tortuous

The shot

After that we both fell asleep in each other's arms. I wanted that moment forever with no interruptions. In that moment I was happiest. Later that night, I heard voices in the living room. They were the voices of Emilio, Stacy and Nico. I quietly got up from the bed to eavesdropped on their conversation.
"Nico, the cops know your weakness is her." Emilio said.
"So you need to end it NOW!" Stacy demanded.
"It makes us all vulnerable." Emilio said.
"WHO ARE YOU TO TELL ME WHAT TO DO STACY?" Nico Shouted.
"Better be quiet before you wake up your bitch." Stacy whispered.
"Watch your mouth or I'll blow your fucking head off." Nico said to stacy putting a gun to her temple.
"Nico, chill she's pregnant." Emilio said.
"Don't tell me what to do." Nico said.
Stacy started to cry begging Nico to not kill her. I wanted to go in there and talk to him. To tell him not to end her life but he slowly put the gun down.
"I'll handle it, you guys don't have to worry about us ever being vulnerable."
"Okay boss, sorry for interrupting your evening with Kathy." Emilio said.
"Stacy stay in your place." Nico said calmly.
"Okay I'm sorry Nico." Stacy said.
"It's boss to you." Nico said.
The next day at school, was the first time I seen Emilio in months. Well the second time counting last night.
"Hey stranger," I said.
"Listen Kathy very closely, he's not who you think he is." Emilio said in a low voice
"Who?"
"N..." Emilio said
"What the fuck are you whispering about?" Stacy said
"Just leave," I said to Stacy
"Make me."
"You're like 9 months pregnant and you want to fight." I chuckled
"Yes,so let's go."
Emilio seemed agitated and walked away.
"EMILIO!!!" I yelled.
Then Nico pulled Emilio aside and from a distant, it had looked like they were arguing.
"I wonder what you're going to do when you find out the truth." Stacy said.
"WHAT TRUTH." I said.
"Maybe you should ask your boyfriend."
Without thought, I stormed over to Nico and Emilio's conversation. All of a sudden they stopped talking.
"Go ahead, continue.. Just pretend I'm not here." I said.
Emilio looked down.
"We just finished actually." Nico said.
"What is going on."
I looked at Nico and Emilio.
"Nothing." Emilio said.
"It's always nothing." I said.
I walked away and didn't look back. I thought that Emilio and I were friends. I thought we told each other everything. I thought Nico and I were past the lies but that's what I get for thinking.
"Kathy, wait up." Emilio said.
"WHAT." I said.
"I need to tell you everything."
"I'm listening."
"Not here."
"Then where?"
"Meet me by the train station at 7."
"Okay."
Later that night, I arrived at the train station. There was Emilio and he seemed off.
"Emilio what's wrong."
"It's Nico...
"Is he okay?"
"Nico's not the person you think he is!"
"What are you saying?"
"He's a killer."
"How did you know that?"
"What?!"
"Look he was protecting me, he killed them because of me."
"Kathy, no he's a part of the Mafia, also referred to in Italian as Cosa Nostra."
"You're lying."
"I wish I were. I have to tell you everything."
" Emilio, stop talking now. Listen closely. I'm a undercover cop. When I was 8 years old, my dad left us homeless to join the mafia. We were so hungry we literally ate garbage, that's when I vowed to get my revenge on him by bringing anyone affiliated with the mafia to justice. I knew Nico was in the commission. I also knew that it was a group formed with all the Mafia leaders in it so there wouldn't just be one leader. And he is the leader of the Sicilian Mafia and his real name is Nico Gambino. He is a ruthless, tough, smart, astute, and streetwise guy. He only cares for himself and places fear in everyone. He a cold-blooded killer and you need to stay away from him because he's going down."
"How can you do this to the people you supposedly loved."
"It's my job. I shouldn't have gotten attached but bringing down the mafia is always first priority."
"You stupid bitch. You tricked all of us, you're trash and you'll regret this."
"Emilio just testify against Nico and you can start a new life."
"It's not that easy, doing that will send me into an early grave."
"If you don't, this will be your early grave."
"At least I'm going down by the hands I love."
I knew Emilio could feel the presence of the gun over him. As the sweat dripped down his forehead, he pleaded for his life. he pleaded but his cries weren't good enough. Emilio heard the bullets yell out of my gun. The connection of metal and his skin was swift. As the impenetrable, cold, vile lump of metal penetrated in his chest, Emilio sighed a sigh of anger and agony.
"You shot me," Emilio cried.
His life was over. And it didn't even flash before his eyes. It was just gone. Finished. Everything went black. He was dead. My best friend was dead. It was all because of Nico.
There I saw Nico with a gun steadily aimed to my head and his hand started to sweat, making it impossible for him to grip the gun firmly. I've never seen Nico so hesitant before like he had something to lose. Nico took a deep breath, and dropped his gun.
"It was you who told the cops to raid my house, that told on me, it was you who was against me the whole time, and you tried to play me, no you did play me. That's why I never knew anything about your family or your life. You trick me into seeing you and loving you to destroy me." Nico said.
"Why not shoot me,now that you know?" I said.
"Do you even have to ask me why?" Nico said.
"I'm sorry."
I slowly raised my gun and with no hesitation I squeezed the trigger. The sound of the gunshot was surprisingly loud this time, making me flinch. I looked at Nico laying in a pool of blood. I felt my heart sink. I had just shot Nico. The man I am in love with. I tossed the gun to the ground. I pick up my phone to call the ambulance and for backup. Only detective fields came.
"Where's the rest of the backup." I said.
"Nice work detective Kathy, You chose the right side." Officer Fields said.
"Where's the rest of backup."
"I got the call before backup but they are on their way."
"I don't believe you."
"I know you are in love with him and that means you are the key to taking out the leader of the mafia. If I kill you then I kill the mafia leader."
"You put the hit on me, fields how could you?"
"You're a threat Kathy, You would have chose him over us."
"I'm a cop first."
"If you were a cop first then you would've put a bullet in his head but it's looks to me that he's still breathing. You're a rogue cop and we can't have that."
"..."
I was speechless, I was trying to wrap my head around the words that I had just heard. He raised his gun ready to shoot me. Suddenly there were gunshots and I checked my body for the cold impenetrable lump of metal. There was nothing. Then I saw Officer Fields's lifeless corpse on the ground. That's when I looked over to see Nico holding the gun. He protected me even though I shot him. Even though I betrayed him.
"I love you, why don't you love me?" Nico whispered.