Life Or Death
V A L E R I U S ' P O V :
"It feels so weird to finally be out of the house." Rosetta laughs, sitting down at the restaurant's dining table.
"I'm so glad you can finally have some alone time! I've missed you!"
"You come by the house everyday, Kat." They laugh simultaneously.
"That's beside the point!"
"So..," Rosetta pauses. "You two decide on a venue yet? I'm waiting for my maid of honor invitation." She gives Katerina a teasing smile with a wink.
At first, Rosetta had a hard time finding a liking towards me but as time passed, she's warmed up. She seems to be on board with me and Katerina getting married. I'm glad.
"Oh.. I don't know!" Katerina smiles giddily. I put a hand on her thigh, rubbing her skin softly. "Maybe the heart of Rome? Wait! Paris!?" Her head snaps to me. "What if we got married in Paris? The city of love! It's beautiful, V!"
I don't have the heart to tell her no. It's a requirement for the new Don to get married in his home country. To have a wedding with traditions that have been passed down through your family.
Weddings are a big deal in the mafia. France couldn't work.
"I don't know, Katerina." I answer her. "Italy is just as beautiful and full of love." My attempt to persuade her doesn't work.
"Come on, baby! I know it's not a money issue. Why don't we go big?" Her hand squeezes mine.
I hesitate for a moment before giving in. "We'll see."
Katerina smacks a kiss onto my lips and tells me how much she loves me.
It makes me feel good to hear her tell me that she loves me. It's good to hear the reassurance that I'm doing something right.
A waiter comes up to us and asks us our orders. Katerina orders two dishes because she can't decide. She'll just end up pushing both around.
"We'll be right back with your orders." The man walks off and conversation picks up again.
In the quiet of the restaurant, light conversation aside, it becomes loud when the doors are slammed open and gun shots fly out and into the air. Screams of terror ignite the start of commotion.
I throw the table down, ushering the two women to get behind it with me.
One assailant shouts for the people to bring all the money they have out to them. The second goes around shooting blindly, stealing what's left in the dead people's pockets.
What the hell is going on?
"V-Valerius..," Katerina has tears down her cheeks. She's petrified.
I realize how how different we are. I'm reminded that she's never encountered a situation like this before while I've been trained for this procedure hundreds of times.
Rosetta's on the phone crying, shots ringing up and into the air. She says goodbye to her husband, fearing that she'll die.
"Just.. just be quiet." I hush, unable to figure out how to comfort her.
The shots get closer and more of them start to roll in. Pops ring out.
I usher Katerina and Rosetta behind a wall, blocking them from getting shot. Both of them cry even though I tell them to not make a sound.
I pull my gun from the back of my pants.
"V..," Katerina's voice is wary. "V.. why do you have a gun?" She sounds so scared. Like I'm the monster here.
"Do you always carry that on you!?" Rosetta chokes out.
Yes.
Tuning them out, I shoot three assailants. I kill them instantly, their bodies dropping dead.
The sounds of shouting, screaming and shooting all clutter through my ears. They start notice that their men are dropping dead, some realize where I am.
I need to get Katerina out of here but I don't know how many people are outside.
I hear sirens blaring off.
Fucking cops. Just my luck.
Katerina tries to move to get a better look and I shout for her to stay back behind the wall.
A shooter comes up from behind me and starts attacking me. I fight, bringing him to the ground and spitting on his limp body when I fire a bullet through his skull.
I wipe his blood off my face, my chest heaving with anger. Fuck!
I whip around. I hear muffled screaming. Katerina and Rosetta are held back with guns pointed at their heads. Katerina sobs, her eyes red. Rosetta stands almost lifeless, completely given up.
"Let her go." I rasp, my jaw ticking. I clock my gun at him.
They all wear black ski masks with all black gear.
How original.
"How about give me your watch.. and the cash you have!" He growls back, nodding to the Rolex on my wrist and my pocket where my money lays.
My eyes scan over his body. I see the small, red blocking light on his bracelet. I find the tattoo peaking out of his black turtleneck.. interesting.
"Let her go." I repeat, my voice stone.
He clicks his gun. Testing me.
The red light starts to blink faster.
I know what's coming so I make no hesitation in jumping forward and twisting his arm away from Katerina. It fires into the wall and I grab her from the side, firing into his chest and flying towards the emergency exit with the sound sounding at lighting speed. As soon as I throw us into the back ally, I pull Katerina as close as I can, huffing with exhilaration. In a second, just as I suspected, the place blows. Setting a chain reaction.
The explosion rings through our ears. I relax knowing that we're out and safe.
Katerina let's out a blood-curling scream. Tears stream violently down her cheeks. She racks out a sob.
"Ro-Rosetta..," she cries. "No.. no! Val we have to go back in there!" She attempts to fight my hold but she's too overcome by emotion.
"Katerina." I try.
"No!"
"She's gone, Katerina. She's dead."
I can't break it to her easily.
"No. No!" Katerina's head shakes repeatedly, in disbelief. She screams. "She isn't. No."
"We have to go."
"We have to go back!"
I have to ignore her cries.
I pick her up against her will and rush her to my car, fleeing the scene.
Katerina's eyes stay open in shock. Her body looks completely frozen over.
"It's alright." I tell her. I don't know what to say. I'm not sure how to comfort her. "We're okay." I swallow the fire burning in my throat.
Eight minutes pass before Katerina speaks.
"Why do you have a gun?"
Silence.
"Protection."
"Why." Her voice rises.
I breathe out steadily, trying to contain the stress creeping up.
"Everyone needs protection."
Another two minutes pass.
"You let her die."
Goosebumps.
"I know."
"Why?" Katerina's voice breaks.
"I needed to save you." I tell the whole truth.
I don't know what I'd do without you. The words I leave unsaid.
"What about her son. She has a family. That's my best friend."
I feel no guilt in my actions. There was no way for me to save both of them before the bomb erupted.
"She said goodbye to them."
"You're insane." She whispers. "You're a cold-hearted bastard."
"I was protecting you."
Am I trying to convince her or myself?
"You deserve to fucking die." Her words come from the trauma of the night. She's been friends with Rosetta for years. Of course she'll be upset with me. "I hate you. I'll never fucking forgive you for this."
Her words make me feel like I'm dying.
"Then don't."
"I can't love you after this."
It feels like someone is ripping my heart out from my chest and slamming it with a hammer. I ignore the raw emotion building up within me.
I stay silent the rest of the ride home.
I didn't regret the decision to let Rosetta die then. But I sure as hell do now. The effect of my actions will lead to a betrayal.
One she never saw coming.
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