𝘿𝙞𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝘿𝙪𝙤 ; 𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙨 𝙎𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙗𝙮 [ BOOK 2 ]

SIXTEEN

CHAPTER SIXTEEN; REPETITIVE AGONY

"The vendetta is done."

"We say the vendetta is won. We will take everything you have - all of your businesses signed over to us. " Luca Changretta's mother informed. "You agree to this or else my son will kill you all, one by one."

Caroline's features hardened as if it were possibly manageable. Thomas watched as the whites in her eyes turned a pure black, and as her iris glowered raven. Symbols, lines and dots formed in the iris, placed in a sort of manner.

Circular Gallifreyan, they told him. Caroline's lethal stare felt painful and piercing, as if her glare was tearing his heart apart with a blinding black light, ones in which were mirrored. Glancing to and fro, Caroline knew that Thomas understood her anger. The Italians wouldn't stop until every last one of them were dead, including their own children.

The thought caused Tommy to clench his fist so hard that his stubbed nails dug into his palm, creating crescent moon blood spots on his skin, but he couldn't feel the pain, nor could Caroline who'd done the same to refrain herself from attacking the woman which would only deepen their grave.

Her sadness had evaporated and quickly turned to absolute hatred to its utmost degree of hostility. Angry eyes were just the start, then later would come the strut, then slamming of doors and the clipped words. Caroline would turn, all of a smoulder, but her attractiveness was gone.

Instead she was the image of her stern mother and a bereaved woman, the one who raised her children with nothing less than love and to think that they were still at risk made her blood boil, all because Thomas couldn't protect them from his own consequences.

"Never be afraid of the rage that is fire, for my fire burns hot and dies fast. After such an inferno you will be able to walk over the cold ashes to my side and I will be nothing but cooling water for your soul." Caroline spoke so chillingly.

"Should you ever find my rage cold, a frozen fury that burns - be miserable. For I can only be that way with those who aren't in my heart and to get there from where you are now means you turned traitor. So, dear one, be schooled by the flame so that you never know the torment of the ice."

Thomas shook his head at Caroline numbly. "The vendetta is won. That's it. No more killing."

"Who do you think you were, mister Shelby?" The older woman tutted.

***

Caroline knew who Thomas thought he was - king of the world and completely untouchable. What he wanted, he got. His palms were clean but his hands were bloodstained and his fingernails were coated crimson. He had his fair few fights, but with his notoriety came the willingness of lower class men who needed an extra pound, sought money and came to Tommy's aid to take out enemies on his behalf.

But, his years of power were seemingly coming to a halt. She pursed her lips and recalled how he acted when they first met. The town was terrified of their surname and a whisper in the wind against their business would end up in a blood bath. Thomas was losing his touch, but could he reclaim his title? But most importantly, could he change for the better and prove his loyalty?

"Shelby Company Limited gin - distilled for the eradication of seemingly incurable sadness." Caroline read aloud with amusement.

Thomas stared at her from the corner of his eye. "Something funny, Caroline?"

"Quite." She grinned coyly. "The hypocrisy and irony of how sad you are by your own actions."

He irritably sighed. "I don't think now is the appropriate time to query my feelings."