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CHAPTER FOUR

Vincente

~~~~~

I watched his face as he slept peacefully on the mattress. He looked so different now that I could finally see him properly this morning.

My men had brought him in last night, but he hadn’t woken up until now. His breathing was slow, even, his face calm like nothing had happened.

The same face that once smiled at me when I was a kid. The same hands that once patted my head and told me to be good.

I leaned back in the chair, crossing my arms. “He hasn’t moved since last night?”

“No, Boss,” Luca replied quietly. “He was out cold. The doctor said it was just from the gas.”

I nodded. “Leave us.”

He left immediately after a nod, closing the door behind him.

For a while, I just stared at the man before me. His hair had grown longer, he had grown smaller than me. Or was I just bigger than him? There were faint lines under his eyes, and his lips looked pale.

I wasn’t sure if what I felt anger, relief or just disbelief that he was actually here, in front of me, after all these years.

I got up slowly, crouched beside the bed, and rested my elbows on my knees.

“Three years,” I said quietly. “Three damn years, Father or should I say Kieran.”

He didn’t move.

I reached out and brushed his wrist lightly. He flinched. A small reaction, but it told me he wasn’t in a dream anymore.

“Wake up,” I said, my voice low.

His eyebrows furrowed a little before his eyes opened slowly. He blinked a few times, confusion flashing across his face before it turned into shock.

“V–Vicente?” he said, his voice hoarse.

I smiled faintly. “You remember.”

He sat up immediately, his eyes darting around the unfamiliar room. “Where am I?”

“Somewhere safe,” I said. “Depends on how you define safe though.”

He looked at me again, his breath unsteady. “You… you had me taken?”

“I did.”

“Why?” His tone was mixed with anger and disbelief. “Why would you do that?”

I leaned back in my chair. “Because you wouldn’t have come otherwise.”

He stared, speechless for a moment, then ran a hand through his hair. “You didn’t have to kidnap me, Vicente. You could have just—”

“Asked nicely?” I interrupted, tilting my head. “Would you have said yes if I did?”

He didn’t answer. I didn’t expect him to.

“I just wanted to talk about baptism and penance,” I said, my voice calm. “That’s all.”

“Talk?” he repeated, his voice low. “You destroy a man’s peace just to talk?”

“Peace?” I gave a short laugh. “You think you deserve peace after what you did?”

His expression froze.

“I didn’t mean for that to happen,” he said quietly.

“Didn’t mean?” I stepped closer. “You made the call that got my father killed. You called the police, Kieran.”

He swallowed, his hands trembling slightly. “He was going to kill an innocent man, Vicente. I did what was right.”

“Right?” I almost laughed again. “Of course, you thought my dad was always the villain. What if the man he killed was guilty of a crime you didn't know? You think the word ‘right’ exists in this city?”

He stayed silent, his eyes lowering.

I watched him for a while, the way he struggled to keep calm, the way his fingers tightened around the bedsheet.

“You always looked at me like I was a kid who needed saving,” I said. “You never thought I would grow up and come for answers. Right?”

He looked up at me then, his voice shaking. “If you’re going to kill me, do it. Don’t play with me, Vicente.”

I walked to the window, looking out at the street below. “Kill you? No.” I turned back to him, my tone steady. “I want something better than that, wouldn't killing you be a little too easy and simple, I want when I finally decide to kill you, no one would mourn for you, even the church members and the rest would be disgusted by you.”

He frowned. “What do you mean?”

“You’ll see.”

I reached for my jacket and put it on. “Get cleaned up. You’ll be staying here for a while.”

“Staying?” he echoed. “You’re holding a priest hostage?”

I smirked slightly. “You’re not in church now, Father.”

He clenched his fists. “This isn’t you, Vicente.”

I paused by the door. “Maybe not. But it’s what you made me turn into and I hope you don't regret it.”

Then I stepped out, leaving him sitting there, his eyes wide, his hands shaking again.