𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆: 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐈

~Execution~

He laid back down, the question still lingering in his head.

Was the King a woman?

If he...she was a woman, then he wouldn't even try to kill her. He would say congratulations for outsmarting him and the world. He had been outsmarted and she had been outsmarting the entire world for a decade. If she was a woman, then she would have fooled governments, Kings, and more powerful mafias.

If the King was really a woman, then he would get on his knees and let her kill him. She deserved it after fooling everyone.

But this was all hypothetical.

There still was a good chance that the King was a man. And he didn't even have proof to assume otherwise.

Thinking back to Midnight, he began to question other things.

Never in his life, he would think he would be so attracted to someone he didn't even know.

Especially to the King's right hand. The third most powerful person in the world after Luca.

Maybe he was "attracted" because of her mystery and secrets. Maybe it was because he had finally met someone who seemed like an equal. A woman who didn't fit the stereotypes and held power. Someone who would actually last in a fight with him. Someone who could have him on his own knees with her fists, mind, or face.

Or even all of the above.

But why did she reveal herself to them?

What was her relationship with the King?

What did she look like?

Was she the King?

Was the King another woman?

But he sadly didn't have the slightest answer to them.

Yet he kept reciting her name in his head like a prayer.

Midnight.

But one thing was for sure...this changed everything.

His plans he would have completed in 6 months just got a lot harder.

~

"Do you have any idea why she would choose us as the first outsiders to see her?"Antonio asked as they conversed over a glass of bourbon.

It was 11 p.m. 25 hours ago was the last time they had seen everyone but they would be seeing them again in an hour.

They had invited them to the arena to witness the execution that went down each night at midnight and was only available to trusted members.

Those trusted members were the ones who got to see the right hand, Midnight.

Since she had left that burned paper with a crescent moon, that was a sign she was interested in the mafia. That was the first time she ever did anything like that.

And that could be a good or bad sign.

"She might be interested in the alliance or she's suspicious of us and that's not good," Luca sighed as he dragged his hand down his face.

"What's our plan?" Matteo muttered.

"Play it safe until we are off her radar and she trusts us," he responded.

"You know what they say...she doesn't trust anyone," Antonio warned.

"Yeah, we'll always be on her radar even if we do go through with the contract after these 6 months," Matteo agreed.

"There's something else too," Luca sighed, his headache coming back. Antonio and Matteo went quiet, noticing something was on his mind.

"I've been thinking and -I really don't know how to say this- but I think-" he started. He paused, looking around so that no one could hear him. He looked down and leaned closer.