Tom’s POV
It was quiet. It was too quiet between us. I was still lying on the floor and Bill hadn’t moved an inch from sitting up against the sofa. The cut in his eyebrow had stopped bleeding while the busted lip I had was still seeping. Completely ignoring each other I was trying to breathe deep. The iced bread had started melting into a disgusting mush so I threw it away and instantly felt the pain increasing in my ribs.
-You didn’t need to punch me in the face you know, Bill hissed as I rolled my eyes.
-You punched me in the face first, I retorted as he huffed.
-Yeah because you’re an ass.
Growling I was almost ready to charge at him again, that idiot could be so damn stubborn and ignorant sometimes it was unbelievable. Being the older brother and the leader of our mafia gang, I needed to step up to the plate and be mature for once.
-Can you just listen for me for five minutes Bill without getting pissed off? I asked calmly and looked over at him, folded arms across his chest in a very unenthusiastic way. I groaned too myself, damn he was just like me that stubborn idiot.
-Fine, he muttered and I settled for that answer as I tried my best to stand up. Taking a seat at a chair by the dinner table I felt like I could breathe a little better at least.
-Did you make contact with the minions? I asked.
-No they contacted me first by a letter, Bill answered irritated. Nodding my head, I tried to go through the details in how we had gotten into this huge mess.
-And what did they write?
-They wrote that they knew where we were and we will get what we deserve...
I could feel the stress and fear in his voice and I must admit, I felt it too.
-And then what?
Bill sighed and took a deep breath.
-The same type of letters kept on coming, and then the soundless phone calls came. And it didn’t take long time until I noticed Anthony’s minions where following us around, observing our every move without doing anything. They were just sitting in their cars, staring at what we were doing.
Bill was starting to look really scared and worried by now and I felt really bad for my little brother that he had to go through all of this shit while I was having some of the best moments of my life. He looked up at me, his identical eyes to mine seeking an answer.
-Amd that’s when you contacted them and called them out? I said, my voice subtle but i made sure he could still hear my anger. Bill nodded regretfully.
-I told them to back off, to keep to themselves but it wasn’t enough. His minions continued if not even more until I felt like I had enough and I decided to take the matter into my own hands, he said.
Tensing my fists I knew what he had done but he continued anyway.
-I found out where their current leader was after Anthony was dead and it turned out to be his cousin. I didn’t even now that until I had put a bullet in him and his men came in and started going crazy. I panicked Tom, he cried out as I nodded.
-I know, you’ve must have been really scared, I commented, as Bill looked away and nodded stiffly.
-I fled the scene and after that everything went crazy. They were everywhere, trying to break into our house several times but failed due to the guards that I had to put around the house but they kept on coming closer and closer to us and I really freaked out!
Bill was almost hyperventilating by now and I inhaled a deep breath in an attempt to calm myself down first. I was scared for my brother but I was also scared of how things could’ve gone very, very bad.
-And when did the final blow happen? I asked.
-Last night, when Mellie was out in the backyard by the pool, I heard her screaming. When I ran out, they were running towards her, knife in full hand, screaming they would kill her just like I had killed both of their leaders. Tom I was so scared he trembled.
-It’s okay Bill. Mellie is fine and the guards took care of it right? I said comforting as he nodded.
-Yeah and after that I took Hirato and Mellie here, he sighed.
Nodding my head I pinched the bridge of my nose to try and focus. I needed to come up with a plan to get us out of this. Most of our people were located in Tokyo still so we would have a very small chance of protection here in Europe.
On the other hand, If I knew the Graziano family right and the Italian mafia right, they were out for more than revenge, they were out to murder and torture. What Bill had done, what We had done was beyond a simple mafia-boss settlement. We had killed two head family members of a very powerful clan and if I was right, it meant we had the entire Italian force against us right now. The Graziano’s would pull every string they had to use everybody to find us at whatever cost.
Things were dark, darker than I would ever imagine. We were not going to be safe anywhere, we where not going to get any rest.
Feeling my heart rate increasing rapidly I felt like I was stressing unbearably much.
-Tom what are we going to do? Bill whispered as I nervously fiddled with my hands.
-Honestly Bill, I don’t know. I’m not sure we can get out of this mess, I said and looked at him, his face turning white in a sickish way.
-I’m such an idiot, I’m a total failure as a human being! He shouted out, his voice angry and deserted of hope before he buried his face into his hands.
-Bill calm down, we need to think straight right now. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, trying to see a way out.
-I know I know, but I have put you and everybody in so much danger, especially Mellie, he cried out. I gulped down the lump in my throat at his words. It meant that Taylor was in danger too. More than ever, all of us were in the bulls-eye.
-Damnit! I barked out, feeling my anger boiling up inside of me. What the hell where we going to do! My heart was aching from thinking the closest people in my life would be hunted like a pack of rats.
-Tom…? Bill asked.
-WHAT?! I growled out, my short temper getting the best of me. He turned in his seat, pursing his lips tensely before flicking his eyes between me and the dirty floor. I knew he was holding something back. Judging by his body language and the tone in his voice I knew he was preparing himself to say something.
-I think it’s best if we go on our own, he said in a low mumbling.
Straightening my posture I looked at him with furrowed eyebrows.
-What do you mean? I snarled. Bill cleared his throat, like he was going to say something important and more specifically, something I would dislike.
-The girls and we, have a better chance at surviving this, if we split up.
His answer was simple and clear, however it seemed foggy to me.
-What the hell do you mean by that? I asked in a low voice. I tensed my knuckles, feeling the anger searing through my every vein. Was he saying what I thought he was? In this situation, splitting up was the worst idea, we would have no control over Mellie, Taylor or Hirato, they would be out of our reach for us.
He was so stupid sometimes I couldn’t even believe how he could feed himself!
-Before you try to kill me yourself, think about it, he pleaded and gave me a helpless stare.
-NO! Absolutely not! I said as clear as I could. It was the most stupid idea I’ve heard from him yet. Bill needed to clear his head from those kinds of ideas.
-Tom we need to do it! We need to leave the others behind! He urged. Right there, I exploded.
-NO! I WON’T LEAVE HER! I finally got her back and you want me to LEAVE!? NO BILL NO! I screamed at him.
Not for any ounce in my life would I leave Taylor behind. It would be the thickest thing I would ever do. She was the love of my life and I’d already lost her once, no chance in hell would I ever do it again.
Bill looked taken aback from my outburst but it was only right he was. My chest was heaving from the deep breaths I was taking and my heart felt like it would jump right out of my ribs but I contained my hard stare into Bill’s eyes. However he wouldn’t budge as he kept my glare in a stiff position.
-Tom, listen! The Graziano family and every other goddamn mafia family in Italy want’s our head right? He urged, as I unwillingly nodded my head.
-Then it’s obvious they would go after us two. If we were to draw them somewhere, letting them think they would almost catch us, the others won’t be a single thought in their heads, he explained.
Frowning, I quickly did the math or rather, generated a roughly made plan. It had a small, a very small chance of succeeding. If we could draw all the mafia families’ eyes to us, the three of them would have a chance to go out of reach, disappear from their radar where they couldn’t get to them.
-It’s a high risk but the question is, are we willing to take it? Bill asked as I clenched my jaw together. Trying to figure out any other way to be able to keep Taylor close to me, I realized it was hopeless. If we would take them with us, it would ruin their lives. They would have to give up everything in their normal lives to be under a constant threat of being captured by the mafia, where there was only torture and death to come. It would be an endless road of fear and fleeing where honestly, they would be a dead weight.
-I would have to give up Mellie too, Bill answered quietly as I turned to him.
-Bill if we do this, we will have to go through hell, I told him as I could see his eyes turning glossy.
-I know brother. But we will have to do it, for the ones we love and to protect everybody, including ourselves, he said as I looked up into the ceiling, feeling my own eyes tearing up and my throat choking. This is what we have to do, in order to survive.
Silence surrounded the room as the both of us let the decision sink in. She was going to feel hurt and betrayed by me, something I hated her to feel. Taking in a deep breath I tried to control my anger that was threatening to blow up again. How Bill could manage to stay so calm in so many situations I will never know, unfortunately.
-Do you think we will ever see them again? Bill asked, after a couple of minutes of utter silence, in a faint murmur as I closed my eyes. Seeing Taylor in front of me, that morning after our first night together in the Riviera, made my heart twitch. If I could contain the memory of her, her slightly messy hair brushing against her tan and soft exposed skin…
I bit together my jaws. I didn’t deserve her for a long shot and I was letting her go. If I could remember those moments I’ve shared with her, I could accomplish anything if I only knew she was out of harms way. I could do this, I could leave her to be able to keep everybody alive.
-If we survive this…I do, I said and gave Bill a faint smile. He nodded and sent me one back.
-The real question may be, are they willing to wait it out for us? He commented with a hint of amusement in his voice, making me laugh in a strained reaction.
-Bill, you are Mellie’s husband, if you survive, you have no choice then to go back to her, I laughed as he joined me.
-Yeah I guess, till death do us part right? He smiled softly but I could see the fear and anger in his eyes.
-Right, I smiled back, knowing my sorrow and dread was showing in mine.
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A/N HOPE YOU HAVE A GOOD ONE TODAY! I had a really fun day today and i wish you all a "happy midsummer" ( a swedish holiday! ;) ) hugs!