Someone Like Her

DON JULIO 

My head was pounding as I tried to push the thought out of my mind.

I sighed and tried to think of something else but her face kept popping into my memory no matter how hard I tried to push it out of my mind.

The whiskey in my glass swirled in the amber light as I sat in my dark office. I took a slow sip of the ice which clinked softly but it didn't stop the thoughts from gnawing at my brain. 

Sarian. 

That girl.

I tried to stop thinking about her but it was impossible. I sent my men to take her away because she reminded me of her, not because she had fought so hard when they did or because she had quickly agreed to my terms.

Sophia.

 My chest ached dullly at the name alone. 

I lost her when I was just thirteen years old. She was my world even though she wasn't my biological sister. 

She was the only person who had created warmth in the shadowy areas of my life. 

I felt human because of her, the only person I could go to when my father thrashed me and yelled at me because I wasn't good enough.

But then she had been taken away from me before I could know what love was. Shot and fell over the bridge never to be seen again.

 I made a change on that day. It was the day the feared mafia lord was born and the boy Don Julio Rossini died.

 I had pleaded for her life. I had fought, screamed and cried but it had not stopped them. And I felt something break inside of me when her lifeless body hit the waters below.

I committed that no one would ever again have that kind of control over me after that day. I would never be harmed like that again but now Sarian was making me feel that way again.

And I hated it. 

She had Sophia's hazel colohazel-colored smallmouth and even….her hair.

Damnit.

How can two people look so much alike?

 It was a combination of a sick joke and a curse.

I ran a hand through my hair and gritted my teeth. I didn't want to tell her that her father was dead.

 I knew already that he was gone.

That the bastard owed me a lot of money and when you owe me money you have to pay me either in cash or blood but I didn't kill him. 

I knew already that the fool would die, he was just too smart for his good.

My thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door.

“Come in.” I snarled, the one man I trusted the most Matteo entered. His expression was solemn.

“It's done,” he said. Despite knowing what he was going to say I waited. “We found Sarian's father.”

He paused. 

“His remains rather.”

My jaw tensed. 

“ Where?”

 Matteo blew out a breath. “By the old shipping docks. They got him before we could. It was— “ He hesitated. “He was not recognizable but It was him.”

 I gripped my glass more tightly as I leaned back in my chair. 

*The Blood Vultures, I guess?”

Matteo gave a small nod.

“They left their imprint. Missing eyes. This was personal; they weren't after the debt.”

Yes, it was. One of the only gangs insane enough to target someone who owed me was the Blood Vultures. But I didn't send them, they must have been in search of something else.

“And?” I asked because I knew there was more.

“We found something on him,” Matteo said and moved forward. He left a piece of ripped paper on my desk. As I picked it up, I looked over the text. It had drawings on it done quickly like the artist was in a hurry.

My mouth twisted in laughter. “To avoid us catching him, the jerk was trying to flee with his money.”

“Looks like it .” Matteo concurred. “But the Blood Vultures erred in judgment.”

 I looked up. “And what’s that?”

He grinned and said.

“They didn't search him well enough. Only half of the paper was discovered. Thus the other half remains somewhere else.”

 With my thoughts already racing, I gazed at the ripped edges of the note. The money was still out there if Sarian's father was trying to access the vault before his passing. And now I had something that the Blood Vultures didn't have. 

 There was silence in the room. Lost in contemplation I traced the rim of my glass.

 Money was no longer the only factor here. The Bloody Vultures needed something else but what?

There were also enemies of mine. Now Sarian and her sister were also targets.

I let out a sharp breath and pushed away from my desk. 

“Find the other half,” I commanded. “Before they act.”

 Nodding Matteo said. “And Sarian?”

Would she ever wind up dancing in a club for scraps if she had known she came from a wealthy family? No. She had grown up in ignorance and instead of the fool to treat his daughters right he was accumulating enemies and wealth he didn't leave to enjoy.

But maybe, just maybe, Federico might have told his daughters of the wealth he had been accumulating, he wouldn't be that wicked. And he was also so stupid to steal from me and owe me a lot.

I had to ask Sarian, she and her sister must know where the vault was and I would keep them safe from the Bloody Vultures and the rest of the unknown gangs her father had wronged.

I took a sip from my glass.

“Keep a close watch on Sarian and her sist

er and find out why The Bloody Vultures killed Federico.”

Matteo nodded.

“Yes, Capo.”

_______________________