Dante
"Everyone knows what to do, correct?"
"Yeah. Fast and smooth. We went over this boss." Darrel replied.
I rub my hands together and nod, "Right."
Micheal looks over at me and furrows his eyebrows, "You alright?"
I continue to rub my hands and start to walk upstairs. "Yeah, I'm good. I'll see you guys tonight."
Everyone starts to get up from the couch and walk out of the house. When they are all gone, I make my way upstairs. Laying on the bed I try to keep cool.
Tonight was the night. The night I had to kill Carter and I would be lying if I said I wasn't freaking out.
Since I woke up this morning I have had a sinking feeling in my stomach. My hands were sweating nonstop and my heart was pounding out of my chest.
I didn't want to murder my own brother, but it wasn't like I had a choice. I could risk going to prison from Carter ratting the whole thing out or risk going to prison for murdering Carter. The most reasonable one was the first one, but I knew we wouldn't get caught if I killed Carter. We had done this kind of thing countless times and never once came close to getting caught.
I just wanted to get this all over with. Then all I would have to do is worry about Daniel and once he was gone, I could move on with my life and forget about all this shit. Maybe even go on a vacation.
I go back downstairs and find things to do to pass time. I had told everyone to meet me at the restaurant I was going to meet Carter at. I would have dinner with him, take him outside, pretending to walk around the city. While I was doing this, everyone else would get ready. Making sure no one was around, the driver was nearby, then I would kill him.
This reminded me I had yet to make the call to Carter.
Guess I should do that now.
I take my phone out and search for his contact name. After a minute, I find him and dial his number. He answers after the second ring.
"Dante?" He asks surprised.
I try to sound normal as I speak. "What's up, man? How have you been?"
"You saw me at dinner."
"I know, I know. But I just wanted to check up on you."
"Since when?"
"You're my big brother Carter. We've been at each other's throats since we were kids. I've decided we should end it. Let's start over."
He gets louder, "Since when? Dad put you up to something, didn't he?"
I fake laugh before responding, "Nah, man. I just want to be cool with my brother again. You never know when you're going to die. So why not before it's too late."
I wanted to give him a hint. Some kind of way to warn him.
But he doesn't catch on, instead he responds, "Are you sure dad didn't put you up to something? Why are you acting... nice?"
"I'll tell you what. To show you I'm serious, why don't we go out for dinner tonight. Catch up as brothers. "
He takes a minute to respond, "Fine." He says after a while.
"Cool. Meet me at the restaurant by the bowling place."
"Rossetas?"
"Yeah, that one." I responded before hanging up.
I make a reservation at Rossetas and go back to my room. I needed to get my shit together before I did this. Otherwise, he would see right through me and things would go down hell.
Maybe a nap
Sleeping was what I needed to do. I lay on the bed and close my eyes. Pretending to be asleep always helped me go to sleep. Within ten minutes, I was out.
~~~
"You know, when I first sat down at the table, I had a lot of weird thoughts thinking you were trying to kill me or something." Carter shakes his head and laughs after saying this.
We have just finished dinner and now are walking around the town. At least, that was what I had told him.
The nap hadn't worked at all. By the time I was dressed and was halfway through dinner with Carter, I still had that sinking feeling in my stomach.
"Yeah, I don't know what gave you that idea, man," I respond
He doesn't answer and as we walk in silence, the alley we are going to take him out in, comes into sight. I feel my phone buzz in my pocket and know that it is Michael telling me they were ready.
I try to walk slower as we begin to get closer, but Carter only speeds up.
Why the hell are you in such a rush to die? Probably because he doesn't know he's going to die, idiot.
When we reach the alley, I stop and he looks at me in confusion.
"What happened?"
"Just, uh, needed a break. "
He stands on the side of me and we lean against the wall. It is dark out now, making the moon seem brighter.
"I'm glad we hung out tonight, bro. No arguing, no mafia drama, no family, none of that. It was cool," He says,
I half smiled. Despite the reason for hanging out with Carter, I actually had fun tonight. I was finally having something besides hatred in my heart for my brother. It was like we were real brothers again.
We had talked about old pranks and things we used to do to each other, and instead of getting mad, we only laughed it off.
"Me too, man. I guess you're alright when you're not a backstabbing fuckface."
He laughs before replying, "Right back at you."
Before I can respond, my phone buzzes again and I check it.
Mike: It's time man.
I glance over at Carter and see he is smiling as he stares at the sky.
I can't do it.
I could handle killing people I didn't know or weren't related to. That was fine. But I couldn't do this. I didn't want to do this.
Me: Darrel will do it. Give him the LSP. He can do it from there. Go on my call.
Micheal responds with a thumbs up emoji and I tell him my call is when they see us hugging.
Darrel would take Carter out from where they were with the long shot pistol. They weren't that far away, but not close. If I shot him from right here, the people around wouldn't miss the sound. But if it was from afar, the sound wouldn't be as loud.
I put my phone away and turn to Carter. Holding my arms out for a hug, I give a small smile, "Love you bro. Wish we could have started over sooner."
He smiles back, "Love you too man." He responds, embracing my hug and thinking nothing of my statement.
Just as my hand reaches his upper back, I hear the gun go off and watch as Carter falls to the ground almost in slow motion.
I immediately kneel with him and watch as he holds his side. His mouth opened in shock.
"No. D-dante I don't wanna die, I don't wanna die!"
I wipe my eyes aggressively, trying to prevent the tears from falling as Carter tries to reach for my arm.
"I'm sorry man. I'm sorry."
Blood starts to fall out of his side and mouth, "I-i can't I can't die. P-please don't. Don't let me die."
I shake my head as tears begin to fall. "Don't make this harder. "
I watch as he begins to lose consciousness, blood oozing out of his body and wince.
When his eyes fall closed I shake him, "Carter, I'm sorry." I touch his body slowly and my hands instantly become drenched in his blood. This only makes me cry harder.
"Carter! Come on man, I'm sorry! Wake up!" I shake him harder.
"Carter, please! I'm sorry! Don't leave, yet! Please, man, please!" As the tears fall down my face consistently, I put my head on Carter's heart. The same way we used to do as kids when we would play doctor. Whenever I put my head on his heart, he would wake up.
"You're supposed to wake up now." I sob. "Carter, you're supposed to wake up now."
Except he doesn't wake up this time. And it was all my fault.
I feel someone shake my shoulder, "It's time to go." I look up slowly and see Micheal, police sirens going off loudly near him.
"I can't. I can't leave him like this."
Micheal nods, "I know man, I know. But the cops are coming. We gotta go."
Micheal kneels down and searches for the bullet. When he finds it in Carter's stomach, he takes it and places it in his pocket. He also grabs everything from Carter's pocket. His phone and wallet.
Michael glances at Carter's phone and I notice his facial expression change. He turns the phone to me and I see the voice recording is on. Three hours and thirty minutes have already been recorded.
He was recording our conversations?
I take my head off his heart as the sirens become louder.
"You were recording me?" I cry out. I shake him harder, not knowing what else to do. "You were fucking recording me, you son of a bitch?"
I wiped my eyes aggressively. The cops getting closer so I knew we had to leave. I turn to Micheal slowly and nod. He nods back and I get up. We are able to make it to the car as soon as the cops reach the alley. Micheal drives off quickly, making sure to take opposite roads and dodging the police. When we are out of the neighborhood, he slows down.
"You good?" He asks.
I don't respond. The tears were still falling down my face as the image of my dead brother remained in my mind.
I want out.
This wasn't what was supposed to happen. I wasn't supposed to lose my brother behind this. I wanted to go to college. I wanted a degree. I wanted a good life, God damnit.
But it was too late. I had gotten into this mafia crap when I was vulnerable and needed a distraction, and now there was no way out.
Diana
After dinner with Dante and his family, between work and Fiona joining a volleyball team, I've been completely busy. So much that when I am finally able to check the day, I see ten days have passed by.
"Mama we're here, wake up." Fiona says, tapping my shoulder.
"I'm not sleeping. Just resting my eyes." I sit up from leaning on the city bus seats as the bus comes to a stop.
After thanking the bus driver, Fiona and I got out. Raindrops hit my hair almost instantly. I tell Fiona to jog as we go up the steps to prevent getting even more wet. Once we reach the apartment, and wipe our shoes on the small mat outside the door, we go inside.
Fiona and I had gotten up at six every morning this week and came home around ten every night. Her volleyball team wasn't at the same school, instead it was almost thirty minutes away. Once she was out of school at four, I had to leave work early, take her to volleyball practice and then Edward would make me stay extra hours. When I was finally off work, I had to get Fiona and then we would come home.
Which led to eating pizza every night. I was glad tomorrow was the weekend. All I planned on doing was sleeping.
When I have showered and changed, I order pizza and once Fiona is done, she decides to go to sleep. After an hour or so, I make my way to my room as well. After turning the lights off, I get into bed.
As soon as I close my eyes, there is a knock on the door.
"Are you serious!"
What could someone want at this time of the night, anyway?
I frustratingly get back out of bed. Walking to the door, I only turn on the living room light.
The person knocks again just as I reach the door.
"Hold your horses!"
I look through the peephole and am surprised to see who is there.
"Dante? What are you doing here? Especially so late?" I ask, opening the door.
I look at him more closely and am able to make out tear stains down his cheek. His eyes are also red and puffy through the rain pouring down behind him.
Has he been crying?
"I didn't know where else to go. I needed someone."
My eyes go wide when I notice blood on his hands. It is on his shirt and the side of his cheek as well.
"Oh my god!" I open the door wide enough and he steps in.
He takes his shirt off and walks away for a moment. I assume he has out it in the washer. When he comes back I avert my eyes from his chest and sit on the couch.
"Dante, what the hell happened to y-"
I stop talking and my breath hitches as he pushes my thighs apart, making enough space for him to sit between them. He sits facing me and leans his head on my thigh.
"I killed him." He whispers.
"What? Who?" I ask, concerned and confused.
I watch as a tear falls down his face and to my thigh. A pain comes to my heart that I can't describe as I watch him.
I whisper softly, "Who, Dante? Who did you kill?"
He begins to cry more and I place my hand on his back, rubbing slowly.
"My brother Diana! I killed my fucking brother!" He cries out.
When he buries his face in my thigh, I lay my head on his gently and rub his back with one hand, running the other hand through his hair.
"You poor thing."
I didn't know how to comfort people, so I copied the way Lily had comforted me before. It seemed to be working.
I continue to do this until after ten minutes I don't hear him anymore. I raise up from his head slowly and look at him to see he has fallen asleep.
My brain was telling me to wake him up and send him home. It was the smarter and more logical move that would help me in the long run.
But my heart told me otherwise. It told me to let him stay just this once. He was hurting, and I didn't want him to go out in the rain alone with this mindset. It was telling me I was starting to grow weird feelings for this dangerous man who practically radiated red flags, whether I liked it or not.
I sigh and shake my head.
Sorry brain, heart wins this round.
Leaning back on the couch, I start to get comfortable. And it isn't long before I am asleep.
•••
Hey intelligent people! This chapter is dedicated to my fish that passed away, Jojo, a few months ago!
Hope y'all enjoyed this chapter and if you did please, vote, comment and share!