Mafia Servant

Chapter 45 - Ghosts, old and new

Bon Appétit! :D

Elizabeth's POV

His lips pressed together to form the thinnest line.

Rafael gave me no time to figure things out as he entered my line of vision. My eyes widened as he raised the handgun at us but my mouth was too slow to warn. Luckily, Angelo understood me and rolled us to the side just in time.

The bullet was now latched onto the floor where my head was seconds ago. My heart thudded at the near-death experience that the Valentine prince did not hesitate to give me. Snatching away the small knife, I pushed the Mietitore prince to safety as Rafael took aim again.

The small knife nicked the Valentine prince's cheek and momentarily killed his intent to shoot me. Taking this chance, I ran to Jessica Gold. With her head in her trembling hands, Jessica had turned her back to us. When she realised I was running towards her, my arm was already locked around her neck.

Under pressure, Jessica whimpered as her windpipe gets squeezed. "Rafael, save me." She begged, a tear making its way down her cheeks. The Valentine prince growled as he approached me. He's going to send me to Death. I bit down on my lips at his attitude. It was repetitive of the one he had on the night at the White Coffin. In a short amount of time, Jessica Gold had taken advantage of my distraction.

Rafael slowly closed the gap between us, strolling towards me. The sense of urgency is missing as he knows that there is no need for a bargain. Guns are much faster than suffocation. The Valentine prince stood tall as he paused ten steps from us.

Jessica Gold let out a soft whimper, her fingernails clawing at my arm. "Don't you remember why you are here? We are here to bring Angelo back, Raf." There was only a cold stare from him, analysing and calculating the perfect moment to take me down.

My palm felt the warmth trapped by the leather jacket as I patted down her torso. Other than her body heat, there was nothing else in the outerwear. I clicked my tongue and tightened my hold on her neck, regretting my choice to lend her my pocket pistol carrying blanks.

"I must protect Jessica." He mumbled.

"Fall out of it, Raf! You're under her spell!" I urged. However, there is no recognition in his eyes. The world is split into two, Jessica Gold and the rest. "Kill her, sweet Rafael." She commanded weakly as the Valentine prince stared at her.

Heavy footsteps sounded off as Angelo charged towards Rafael, tackling him down to the ground. But no matter how Angelo punched or kicked, Rafael kept his eyes on Jessica. A blur of legs and arms, it was difficult to see who was getting the upper-hand. All too soon, Rafael has Angelo trapped under him. The latter's knuckles were coloured red as he swiped his nose. Heavy gasps of breaths filled the room as the Mietitore prince looked up at his best friend.

When Rafael pointed the handgun to Angelo's heart, my legs moved on its own. However, Jessica Gold pulled me back and locked me in her hold. A maniacal laughter escaped her as she gripped my chin, forcing me to look at the two princes. "Look at that, Elizabeth. Wonder why I love red?" Her jasmine perfume flooded my nose, taking me back to Emily and the filthy, blood-soaked kitchen.

"The sweet metallic tang of blood." Rafael's index finger slides into place as Angelo stared, given up. I shook my head at him, he cannot let go now. "Angelo, fight him." A plead, a command, a prayer. 

I wanted to close my eyes as Rafael squeezed the trigger, but my eyes refused to listen and drank up the scene in front of me. "The melodious cries and precious tears." Jessica said as she leaned on my face. Face on face, I felt the wide grin stretching her cheeks.