The Right Choice.

21. Deal With The Devil.

6:00 AM

It's been a week and my mom still wasn't talking to me. She'd leave extra early in the morning and come back really late at night. I understood she needed her time to process everything but until when was she gonna ignore me?

I sighed again feeling bothered with guilt. I wrecked the trust between us, practically drove over it with a tractor. I remained in bed and stared at the ceiling hoping for enlightenment to fall on my face.

9:00 AM

I thought of two solutions, the obvious one would be to surrender to Santos but that would mean getting myself killed, and I'm not that stupid. I looked at the phone Chris gave me yesterday before the attack on my life started and contemplated asking for his help.

There was one more thing I could think of, but it's too cruel. My last card. The most selfish option.

The diary.

In a way it made the most sense, if I wanted Chris and preferably Lorenzo to help me then I had to offer him something. What I found in the diary was good leverage in exchange for protection, and I had to protect my family even if it meant partnering with the city's most dangerous criminal. And it just so helped that Lorenzo already hated Santos' guts.

I continued to justify my sick plan in my head, I knew it was wrong but I was desperate. I remembered my first meeting with Santos, he had said something about 'Finishing what his father started'.

According to the diary, Russo's father, Andre was an accomplice to the Russians. He helped them invade Lorenzo's family's hometown. Stephano punished the Russo family by killing Andre and hiding his body, but why wasn't Santos the new Don? And could he be plotting his revenge against the Vitale's after all these years for killing his father?

It made sense.

It takes a lot of determination to hold a grudge for, what thirty years? One needs to be a complete goner. A psycho, obsessive maniac to do that. Fits Russo's description perfectly.

My conscience was already hurting when I grabbed the phone and dialed the only number registered and waited for Chris to pick up. He picked up on the second ring, "Chris? It's Skyler" I spoke nervously biting my lips.

He hung up me!

I was taken aback, I still had the phone in my ear and I continued looking at the wall in confusion, Did I dial the right number? 

There's only ONE number.

My heart sunk. I just lost a really good friend. Sure Chris pulled a gun on my mom but he also protected us. I kicked him out of the house and my life. Maybe he regretted ever knowing me. Although it hadn't been long since I knew him, It hurt knowing that Chris won't be a part of my life anymore.

The phone vibrated in my hand, I answered it immediately, "Hey Sky, what's up?" Chris greeted as if he didn't hang up in my face a minute ago.

"Hey, what was that about?"

"It was nothing. Look I'm sorry about what happened. How are you holding up?" He asked and I could hear his usual tone back, he was cheerful and caring again. I smiled in relief.

"I'm fine but my mom's still in shock. Chris I need a favor" I jumped to the point. He stayed quiet and waited for me to speak.

"I need you to set up a meeting with your boss for me" I let out, Chris was quiet for a moment then he answered, "No!"

"Chris?!" I sat up on my bed.

"Why? Why do you want to meet with him?" I could hear the irritation in his voice.