His Serenity

Chapter 11: The "Keep"

She wondered if she should run away before dawn breaks. But then again, where would she go? She knew no one here, she didn't have enough money to even bought a plane ticket. She missed her mama, Butter and everyone in the island. She longed to run back to the safe embrace of her Mama's arm, to the solace of her best friend's room, to the familiar amicable little cottage.

The moon was high in the sky, showering tranquility over its watchers but Serenity couldn't enjoy it tonight. The only illuminator in the room was the little bedside lamp. Shrouded in the darkness, Serenity felt secure and guarded after a long time. She had never fancied being in dark but tonight, it brought her peace as if it could save her from the cold blue eyes that had haunted her mind everywhere.

" That was a brave and foolish move, idiot!" Anushka hissed, pulling her to a corner once everyone had left. "Do you even have the tiniest idea about how this system works? Every fight every war, every battle, every contest.....Why the fuck do you think people participate in it? Because there is a reward, a prize at the end. And this is a crime syndicate household, do you think saints and pastors walk around here? No, stupid girl!" She took one look at the tearing face of the little girl and huffed.

"Listen, I am doing this only because my boys adore you. Don't- Don't think I grew soft and sweet and all. If a crime family is challenged, there is always a 'keep' to be prepared for the winner. If Killian had won the fight then the Vitali's have to signed the alliance without asking for any mileage. But since Alessandro was the last man standing, he can take anything he want from the O'Sullivans except for married wives and the position of the head. And you know what happened next, he chose you! I don't know how Don will answer to this. Such thing have never happened in the history of O'Sullivan...There's only a handful of cases where we have lost. So...don't think too much and...umm...go to sleep. Ew! your face will bloat in the morning, Stop crying! What are you? Charlie Brown?"

Igor paced, frustrated in front of the Don's office. The meeting with the consiglieres was apparently taking longer than what he had expected. He groaned, throwing his head back to release an exhausted sigh. The moment he close his eyes, all he could see was the frightened face of his little sister when Alessandro had stake a claim on her. How was he to save her from this shit? It was his fault, he should've acted quickly when she left his side. He should've pulled her away from the arena and forced her to sleep in her fuzzy bed. He should have...

Deep inside, somewhere he knew he had wanted Serenity to witness all this. She cannot expect flowers and balloons further in life, because the house itself was constructed on a pile of corpses, the walls painted in the blood of sins and the pillars carried bones of their ancestors who had cursed them with this damnation. He thought he should let her at least know how bitter and bland their lives are.

Who the fuck put a white towel in that room?

Igor muttered strings of curses under his breath. He was losing his mind. Just when he thought of barging into the conference room, the door opened and the respectable elders walked out. All of them talked in hush tones, exchanging clever remarks and side glances but none of them paid heed to Igor and continued their way out. It has been a long night. The last one to stepped out gave him a grim smile which only rose the warming apprehension.

"What happened? You are not giving away Serenity, are you? Of course you are not!-"

"Tóg go bog é, Igor." Conall heaved, running his fingers over his balding head.

"An bhfuil aon bhealach eile ann ar féidir linn dul i mbun caibidlíochta leis na Vitalis ?"

"Lets talk in the morning. We had a long night. Get some rest." Conall dismissed him.