A gun on each hand, walking in as if I was God himself. If it was my time to die there was no going around it at that point. I never missed, not even once. Each bullet found its target, Bartise and Asherah next to me. Bullets tore through the door from behind us, Ramen taking out his own from wherever he was hiding. It seemed to all happen in slow motion, my body lowering, sliding through the floor as the bullets tore through from both sides. “Fuck!” One of my men shot out but I had no time to check. My rounds were done, throwing the empty gun with my knife quickly pulled out. I groaned as a bullet tore through my leg and another through my already injured shoulder. The pain was paralyzing on top of the shots I had already taken. I span up, my knife finding its target. I held the body before me like a shield and let all that came to hit the dead body. Blood from my victim flowed as my arm wrapped around his slit throat. My free hand hung over his shoulder, shooting blazing bullets.

The last time I was in a flight that long Elio had been with me. It had turned to yet another best night of my life. I had run my fingers down his sleeping face, tracing his soft skin. I had watched his lips tug now and again which had been the cutest thing. I wanted to cry but I just couldn’t. There was no single person on the jet. It was the pilot and myself. The silence would kill me. Salvatore had tried giving me survival tips but I had not heard a single thing. His face came back to me as he hugged me tightly, telling me that he would find me if anything happened, that they would always find me. It was all a daze to me, just a blur before my eyes. I wore two pairs of leggings, tightly strapped boots, and a large jacket, ready for anything. I thought of all the fighting moves I knew and came up with nothing. I was walking myself to my own death. There would be many of them and just me. There was no chance of survival even if I was the best martial fighter known to men. I did no

“Two hours, a two-hour call. I tried going this way and that way but he was not letting me get off that easily. He was fast, telling me why it was in my best interest to take his offer. With that boy’s mouth and the other’s fist, whuuuu, I see how they got where they are in a span of four years. The boys are dangerous. Salvatore is the arm and Elio is the fist. The arm can survive without the fist but cannot do much lifting. The fist can not survive without the arm but together, phuuu, unstoppable.” I gave up, Eduardo was having too much fun. It was as if he had never had anyone to talk this with and it was his time to shine. He drank half of his drink and placed down the glass. “Alvaro, you won’t even offer Lethu a drink?” Eduardo asked with wide accusing eyes. “She will not accept sir,” Alvaro said. I was grateful. “Aahh, okay. This is Alvaro and Felix. I am sure they did not introduce themselves. They are your personal guards when you are here and their sole responsibility is

“Amore mia.” I nearly painfully cried out. The way he said it, no one would ever say it like that. I longed to hug him again and bury myself into him. I wanted to inhale him until I went high from his scent. “Elio.” His lips claimed mine, his other hand letting go to wrap around my waist, crashing me to him. I forgot he was hurt and found myself rounding mine around his waist as I melted. The wind blended with the silence of the night and I was flying, crying, happy and in pain at the same time. When he pulled back I had to take a minute to peel my eyes open, staring right into his emerald and gold specked eyes just taking me in with such love. “Lethu.” He whispered out like a ghost, as if afraid for me to hear. “I am here my love. I am here.” I assured, holding on firmly. He lowered his head, kissing my forehead with his lips trembling before he pulled back. “Let’s go home.” He said as if he never wanted to step foot back there ever again. We turned, me tucked into him with

Mamma led us to the dining table where food lay in abundance. It seemed they had prepared a feast for Elio’s return. Mamma pulled Elio’s chair and he pulled mine back. We sat down, smiling and thanking as Mamma fussed over him, asking how he was, touching his face, kissing his cheeks, and plating his food. I took my own plate, just filing it because I was dead hungry. The few house staff stood by the door, watching and listening. Other family members, far many than those I left, took their seats. Dario stared at Elio intensely and as my eyes drifted around, Salvatore was nowhere to be seen. Irya sat on her chair, no one next to her. Three new people walked through the doors and I nearly splattered apart right there and then. My eyes went wide. Brown eyes stared back at me as if they had been waiting a lifetime to connect to mine. My world shook and crumbled all around me. I did not know if to cry, shout, jump, or just run. I felt like running, running from the truth staring right at