Hearts Divided: A Mafia Love Triangle Volume 1

Chapter 32 - Cain

I stopped at the first restaurant I saw and ordered myself an Irish coffee, finding a table to sit at that seemed as lonely as I felt. It didn't really matter where I sat though, since there were only a few other patrons scattered throughout the empty space. The rest of them had already passed on from last night's indulgences. As I lit a cigarette and took a drag, I gazed up at the smoke trails rising into the air above me.

Had Blaze accompanied her? Or, more accurately, were they having sex? I had let my anger consume me and hadn't spoken to her properly, and now it seemed like it was too late. I couldn't help but question whether bringing her here was a wise decision. While I don't regret it, I can't help but feel like I may have caused her more pain.

"She's confused, Cain", Diane surprised me as she sat down next to me. "You should have been honest with her".

"I can't", I told her. "We both know what it's like not to be able to say certain things to people we care about".

I watched her take a sip of coffee, which I assumed was with milk. The absence of makeup gave her a youthful appearance, and she was undeniably beautiful. It was easy to see why Blaze was drawn to her.

"Do you like her?", she asked.

No response escaped my lips. I was unable to answer her, as I hadn't even admitted it to myself yet. A hollowness gnawed at my insides, unfilled by anything I could consume or do.

"Blaze likes her too", she continued. A throbbing sensation in my head began as she explained how Blaze was struggling to get an erection with any other women. And I knew exactly why - he was falling for the same woman I was falling for. Just like before.

Initially, I had my doubts about Blaze's suggestion to invest the money. A nightclub didn't seem like a solid business idea to me. However, Liz convinced me that this was the perfect place to sell our merchandise. And she was absolutely right.

This arsonist wasn't just skilled at setting fires and seducing every woman he encountered. It was surprising to me that Ash, Skyler, and Liz managed to avoid his advances, but then again, Ash and Skyler were already happily committed to their own relationships. I had a lot of respect for the way Kristopher treated my cousin. Ever since we found out we were related, he regarded me as more of an older brother figure, and he even came to ask for my approval before pursuing a relationship with her. But truthfully, I would have supported them regardless because it's not my choice to make.

From where I stood, I could see Skyler and Kristopher at the bar. He leaned in and placed a gentle kiss on her shoulder, causing her to turn and smile at him. I couldn't help but wonder why Tiffany couldn't be as sweet? If I had tried to do the same thing to her, she would have pushed me away and told me to back off.

Our once fiery relationship had dwindled in the past few months. I was consumed with a major shipment and didn't have much time to devote to her. It wasn't enough for her, though. We had planned a vacation together, but things didn't go as expected. Truthfully, I no longer had the desire to travel anywhere with her anymore.

I was fed up with her constant accusations of me cheating, especially when I didn't even have the time or energy to think about another woman. I rarely even talked to Liz anymore. In order to avoid more arguments, I made sure to share everything with Kristopher so he could pass it on to Liz. It didn't feel right at all. After all, Liz had been by my side since I was just ten years old. I was dumb enough to tell my girlfriend that Liz and I had had one-night stands before.

Finishing my whiskey, I observed a woman with shoulder-length brown hair approach my table. She was clad in a tight leather bodysuit and latex boots that accentuated her long legs. As she began to dance on Blaze's lap, I noticed he seemed distant and uninterested. This behavior was unlike him; usually, he would get drunk and grope all the dancers. But tonight, he was detached. He gazed at her behind, but showed no response when she rubbed against him. Yet, he did pull out money and tuck it between her cleavage as she faced away from him.

The bottle on the table was still untouched.

"Troubles?", I asked, pouring myself another glass of whiskey.

His silence spoke volumes as he turned his gaze towards me. I could see the turmoil raging within him, etched onto his face. Giving up on getting a response from Blaze, I sighed and turned my attention back to Skyler and Kristopher at the bar.

"I think I'm falling in love", he said breathlessly.

I understood his emotions better than anyone else.

"Does she know? Have you told her?" I inquired. "Or is it a more complex situation?"

He took a deep breath and opened the bottle of rice liquor, taking a swig directly from it without bothering with a glass. After a drawn-out moment, he finally responded.

"It's far more complicated," he admitted.

Indeed it was a complicated situation; he had fallen in love with my ex-girlfriend. Despite it being years since the incident, I couldn't bring myself to forgive him. Especially when he kept accusing me of causing her death. Doesn't he realize she is Scarlett's coworker? How could he not know this? After all, she works for his father.

"I don't think I'm ready for that", I finally told Diane.

She sighed heavily before answering me.

"Suit yourself, but I have a feeling Scarlett won't do too well if you leave her with him. Blaze is still struggling to understand his own emotions. He's more unstable than before".

The throbbing in my head grew stronger with every thought of Blaze. I dreaded the idea of seeing him in this state. After Tiffany had left her mark on him, he was never the same, but somehow managed to hide it from others. With Scarlett in his grasp, she might as well be dead already, considering his addiction to dangerous drugs.

"Maybe this woman will help you get along again", she continued.

I almost burst out laughing at her words.

"We found ourselves in this predicament because of a woman. I have no desire to go through the experience of wanting to end my own life again", I replied.

The memory continued to haunt me. Despite my unwavering loyalty to Thomas, the mere thought of carrying out his request to kill Tiffany left me paralyzed with guilt and hesitation. I had always followed his instructions without a second thought, but this time, I couldn't bring myself to do it.

Whether it was a small or big act of betrayal, it had to be dealt with accordingly. Tiffany was not immune from punishment just because she was with me. Thomas and the rest of them always disliked her, but they never caused any trouble. Instead, Tiffany tried to twist things and make it seem like they were at fault. I deeply regretted being with her, and now I was suffering the consequences of my mistake.

"I need to get some sleep", I told Diane, getting up from the table and walking toward my suite.