𝘿𝙞𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝘿𝙪𝙤 ; 𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙨 𝙎𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙗𝙮 [ BOOK 2 ]

THIRTEEN

CHAPTER THIRTEEN; DON'T LOOK BACK IN ANGER

He looked at her like a stranger, yet worse. Instead of the fragile soul he loved for so long, he saw an enemy. It was as if all that love became pain, pain became fear and the fear sowed hatred strong enough to break them.

Maybe that's the way things go - a strong hate to break a strong love, to erect walls, to protect the self. That couldn't be them though - it couldn't be the end to their story. Could they find a fragment of the love they shared? A seed that might grow into a new relationship - a friendship to heal them both. She still saw who he was - knew the person he was to her but despite it all, she knew he'd never change.

It wasn't as if the journey took that long, but to both individuals in the car, time seemed to drag ever so slowly. The hatred they shared for one another was unlike any other, but regardless of their mutual distaste, the grim reaper loomed over their shoulder and as they swallowed their pride, they held one another's hand after they exited the car, almost like a silent gesture of deep regret and mourn.

"It was easier way back when we were damaged. Now that we're broken, it's just tragic." Caroline licked her lips as Tommy tightened his grip on her hand. "Who's gonna hang us now, eh?"

Thomas muttered absentmindedly. "You shouldn't even be here."

"Who else has your back like I do?" She seethed. "See? Even when I am carrying your child and fighting alongside you in war, you still have it in your black heart to do me wrong."

As they clambered up the metal staircase, Thomas remained silent in sorrow. He didn't have anything to say, really. His accelerated heartbeat spoke on his behalf - anxious of being shot dead by their enemies - terrified of being left by the only woman who he'd ever loved so impurely.

Or had she pushed him away all this time? He was a man with desires that craved to be met and she hadn't provided him with the service whilst being unconscious for just short of a year. During her emotional turmoil of losing yet another loved one, in particular, her own flesh and blood; Oscar, she was distant from Thomas, but also, herself. The grief took place in a world only created in the depths of her brain and not even her own husband could pull her back to reality, leading him inevitably astray.

She didn't have time to think, but it's all she ever seemed to do. She thought about the past and the future, but she was stuck in the present - one in which didn't seem to have a positive outcome to a dangerous beginning. She sucked in a breath of cold air through her clenched teeth, and she couldn't help but glare at the back of Tommy's head as they ran - this was all his fault and if they died, perhaps the chaos in their world would stop.

"Stay inside, love." Caroline uttered to a passing woman.

In the exact location, Thomas unravelled a machine gun from a brown cloth. Just as the sound of an engine cut out, Caroline peered over the side of the railing to see the Italians silently making their way out of their vehicle and trace their steps, and before she had time to make a snarky remark, Thomas had already begun littering their clique with bullets.

Thomas ordered with his eyes piercing the Mafia. "Stay behind me!"

"Like hell!"

Then, she removed her pistol from her coat pocket and, like her husband, fired shots to the men below, only murdering one, but piercing the shoulder of another who no doubt would lose an arm due to her savagery. As soon as Luca Changretta revealed himself, he sent bullets raining around Thomas and Caroline, but she wasn't scared. Now, she was fuelled up and ready to save her family from the Mafia's grip.