Heartless Ending Book 3 of the Heartless Series

Chapter 5 - Niko

Carmela's POV

I walked into the courtyard of the apartment block through the archway entrance, scrutinising every inch and each one of the apartments complex as I passed it, but never faltered as I got to the main entrance heading for the stairwell. The courtyard looked deserted, two single streetlamps dimly illuminated the cobbles in front of me, just 1 black non-descript car that was jacked up with no wheel on its passengers side was in the space. The apartment complex were in a U shape, surrounding me on all sides, each balcony was essentially bare and every door and window in darkness, and silence enveloped me.

The staircase was constructed out of marble with a twisted metal handrail. I ascended the stairs taking each step slowly and soundlessly so I could better listen for any extra visitors approaching. As I neared my destination on the third floor, I slowed even further and just listened. When I couldn't hear anything after a few minutes from either inside the apartment or anywhere else, I crouched in front of the door and pulled a pin from my hair and set to picking the lock and opened the door.

I pushed it open wider and peered in, the hallway was dark as was the rest of the apartment. I pulled out my gun and quickly cocked it readying myself for a fight, this was after all Stefano's number 2 guy. I crossed stepped deeper into the house and rounded the first doorway I came too, it was a basic kitchen with the cabinets and stove lining both sides of the room, and a butcher block island in the middle that stood on a black and white checked linoleum flooring. The French doors facing me were now starting to let in the first of the morning light. Continuing down the hall next was the living room, it looked shabby with well used and worn furniture, beer bottles discarded on the coffee and side tables. The ashtray was overflowing with cigarette butts and the placed smelled musty and damp, with strong hints of alcohol and smoke. I eyed the room with a feeling of someone else's presence.

I spotted him through the mirror standing brazenly in the bedroom doorway, he only wore black slacks, his well-muscled chest rose and fell quickly, clearly annoyed with my presence in his home, which showed in his facial expression. His lips curled up in a snarl and eyes dark, he held a gun at his side. I stepped into the room and faced him head on, I looked up at him through hooded lashes with a cocky smirk on my face. Pushing him into the first move. "Your brave to come here sweetheart." I shrugged. "Maybe, Maybe not." He weighed my answer up and pointed his gun at me. "What do you want?" I smiled a wicked humour spread over my face. "My son." He raised his chin arrogantly now knowing exactly who I was and took a quick shot, which I knew he would do and dodged to my left and took my own shot which skimmed his right shoulder. He charged at me like a bull and swung his fists ferally at me, each punch I dodged again and again and managed to land my own to his left cheekbone.

His eyes darkened and continued to throw punches at me as that didn't work, he threw his body into me, slamming me against the wall. I howled a cry of pain as I connected with the wall. He got in a few powerful blows to my gut and I dropped to the floor, coughing. He stood over me, towering above as he picked me up by my hair, another scream ripped through me. As I regained my footing, I swung upwards, thrusting my fist into the underside of his chin. He yelled in pain and released me while staggering backwards, I didn't let up. I quickly stalked after him, landing blow after blow to his face. He dropped to one knee as open cuts on his face dripped blood. He panted for breath and spat blood onto the floor. "I don't know where Romeo is." He stated as his head lolled to the left. "Bullshit." I yelled back at him, his distraction worked, and he once again used his body weight to spear me to the floor. He held my throat tightly, I gasped for breath under him. Looking around for anything I could use, I reached for a lamp cable pulling it off the side table and into my reach on the floor. Smashing it into his head and wrapping the cable around his head. Pulling it tightly he loosened his grip on me, but I couldn't let up I needed to regain the upper hand. I gasped for breath as I got to my feet and pulled him to the floor and twirled, twisting the cable tighter around him. I kneeled on his back between his shoulder blades using my full body weight to pin him, using the remaining bit of the cable I captured his wrist and pulled it up his back. "Where is he?" I pressed him for answers while he was in a disabled state. He panted and spat, trying to stay conscious as his face was turning a deep shade of red. "Fuck you." I rolled my eyes. That's the most annoying answer, but one I would have given. "Wrong answer." With a final pull of the cable I snapped his neck. If nothing else, his dead body would be a warning.