Chapter 2

Ten years later

Ares' POV

I drummed my fingers against the desk, the ruly rhythm reaching my ears. I wasn't a fan of music, but even I could tell that the rhythm coming from underneath the tips of my fingers was total garbage. The upside of it all, was the fact that I didn't care. The downside, someone was in trouble.

I bit back the urge to pick up the phone lying carelessly on my table. It had been an hour since it rang but somehow it felt like an eternity ago. They had no right to keep me waiting. I was the head of the seven families and….

A loud buzzing against my mahogany desk was all it took to pull me out of my thoughts. As quickly as I could, I picked up the phone.

“Yes?” I spoke into the cellular device, without even bothering to check who it was. “This better be good.”

“We got him, boss.” Matteo's voice came from the other side of the phone. “We're on our way in.”

That was all I needed to know before the call dropped dead. With the ghost of a smile on my lips, I pulled out a cigarette from its pack. I lit up the bottom, and the moment I let out a wisp of smoke past my lips, I watched my office door barge open.

Two men tumbled inside, one sprawled on the floor with the other standing just next to him. While I recognized the former, one look at the latter was all it took to get my blood boiling all over again.

A bloodied nose stood out, and from his awkward stance, I just knew Matteo had tied him up. Or worse, broken one of his hands.

“You.” I let out in an icy drawl. My voice boomed, and I watched the man in question cower underneath my gaze.

“We found him on the borders around the city.” Matteo, my second in command, was quick to keep me up to date. “He was just about to pay the officials there before we bust his ass.”

My gaze turned to the other man. He looked pale, with blood gushing down the side of his face. I had been nowhere near the scene, but trust Matteo to have given him the worst beating of his life. With just one nod in Matteo's direction, he kicked him in the back of his knees, knocking him to the ground.

“So you thought you could escape?” I reclined in my seat. I took a good look at him, but the more I did, the more my anger levels seemed to spike. “What in the world made you think you could escape from me?”

He said nothing, but before I could react, Matteo struck a gun to the back of his head.

“Shit!” He cursed out loud, his voice thick with a Russian accent. He doubled over, and the moment he straightened, I didn't miss the red trail trickling down the side of his lips. "Ты не заставишь меня говорить"

“He doesn't speak English?” I spun to face Matteo immediately. He must not have known either, because the shock on his face was palpable. “Why didn't you tell me?”

“I had no idea.” The shock on Matteo's face was contagious. “I really had no idea.”

I pinched the bridge of my nose in frustration. This was the last thing I needed to deal with.

“And how's that my problem?” I snapped. “You were supposed to make sure things went seamlessly. What the hell am I supposed to do with a Russian speaking bastard?”

The Russian grunted in response, and it took everything in me not to blow his head off from here.

“Why do I feel like he's pretending?” Matteo started,his eyes trained on the Russian intruder. “There are no Russians along our borders, so how could he have communicated with them in order to escape?”

I didn't want to admit it, but Matteo was right. The bastard was trying to trick us.

“How dare you?” I was on my feet immediately. “How dare you try to trick me?”

The Russian guest parted his lips to speak, but before he could get any words out, I got to him first. The sole of my shoe came in contact with face, and a loud crack filled the room.

He let out a gutteral scream, but I was less interested in that.

“Did you really think you could get away with that?” He wheezed as I pressed my shoe against his chest cavity. “What the hell were you thinking?”

“Please.” He muttered, confirming Matteo's theory. “I didn't- didn't mean to….”

“The document.” I let out. “Where is it?!”

“I don't know what you're talking about.” He let out between coughs. “please…”

“I'm not going to repeat myself.” I shook my head slowly. “If you really want to live, tell me where the damned documents are.”

“I swear, I have…” a loud bang silenced him. A grim expression made its way to my face as I watched him gasping for breath. The gaping hole in the middle of his head would knock him dead in a matter of seconds and I was all for it.

Only when his body turned icy beneath me did I get off him. For emphasis, I made sure to kick him in the side too.

“You killed him.” Matteo added, like it wasn't obvious.

“Get someone to clean up this mess.” I tucked my revolver back into the confines of my back pocket. “And make sure they do a good job. I do not want to see leftover blood all over my floors.”

Without waiting for a response, I stalked out of the office and towards the bars.

“Why?” Matteo fell into step beside me. “He could have had valuable information about…”

“He knows nothing.” I cut him off. “There's no way the Russian mob would let someone who knows the whereabouts of those documents roam about freely, and without adequate protection too. He's just one of their lackeys and no one else.”

I set myself on one of the stools at the counter. I watched in approval as Matteo pulled up my favourite brand of whiskey and a glass.

“So what now?” He asked.

“That girl.” I took a sip, allowing the murky liquid burn its way to my stomach. “Did you find anything yet?”

“Actually.” Matteo drawled. “Yes, I did. The results came back this morning.”

“She lives in an orphanage in the neighbouring town.” I allowed Matteo. “ Actually, in the next two towns. I had Marcel document everything about her in a folder. He should have sent it to you by now.”

“Let's go.” I downed the rest of the whiskey in one gulp. “Come on.”

“Where are we headed?”

“The orphanage.” Sometimes I wondered how Matteo became my second in command.

“What? Why?” Matteo stuttered. “What does she have to do with any of this?”

“It's not news that Angelo didn't disclose the whereabouts of those documents before he died.” I was on my feet immediately. I wasted no time as I started my journey towards my car. Luckily for Matteo, he was quick enough to understand what to do. “But alongside him, his entire family was also wiped out, except one person.”

“His eldest daughter.” Matteo let out slowly. “Do you think it's her?”

“There's no time to think, Matteo.” I shook my head. “We don't have time on our hands and I'd rather marry a random stranger than have any of those Russians get their hands on that file. So if you're done questioning me, go get the car so we can get out of here.”

“We're not even sure it's her.” Matteo shook his head. “What if we made a mistake? And you haven't gone through the file yet…”

“Matteo, get the car.” I cut in.

“But….”

“No buts.” I cut him off immediately. “We're going to that orphanage now and let them know we're coming.”

Without so much as another word in his direction, I stalked out. With each step I took, I couldn't help but wonder if I was doing the right thing or I was just signing myself up for more trouble.