Lahat ng Kabanata ng His Serpent's Kiss: Kabanata 31 - Kabanata 40

Marcel’s smile was warm, playful like always. His sea green eyes met mine and I frowned. This was far too coincidental. I lowered my gun, eyeing him with skepticism . “What are you doing here?” I demanded. My instincts told me he wasn't on my side today, not like those times when we worked together for the same client. “I was reliably informed by my client that a target would be here,” Marcel calmly intoned, tilting his head towards the car. I stilled. “Angelo bought you.” “It’s just a job,” Marcel raised his hands in mock surrender, eyes still dancing with a humor that never failed to make me relax. “And besides, he informed me we were on the same side. I suppose you won't be letting me take the boy.” “What would Angelo want Marcus for?” I asked as though I didn't have an inkling. He was the only weakness Nero had. “A hostage,” Marcel replied with a sigh. “Honestly, I don't like targeting children either. But it was either this or let you get into trouble all by your lonesome.

It was almost midnight by the time Nero released me. I walked back barefoot, dizzy and achingly sore on every limb. He had been merciless, and the robe barely covered my naked body, hung in tatters. Sighing to myself, I wondered idly why I put myself through this. It wasn't simply because of my revenge, was it? If so, then was I not simply whoring myself out to him? I questioned myself, the reason why a part of me enjoyed the way Nero Vecchio treated me behind closed doors. I wasn't merely a victim, sometimes I gave as good as I got, using him to satisfy my pent up desires. And tonight I got something for my troubles, too. Today, I discovered a safe in the study, and better yet, the key used to open said safe. Nero was a man who thrived on paranoia. I didn't doubt that the safes in his bedroom and study both held items of importance. Even one safe would yield suitable information. This was what I needed. To retrieve the key would not be difficult, and perhaps it would give me

“All the goods are accounted for, Don,” Matteo bowed, sweat pouring down his face. He had been responsible for moving quite a large number of goods alongside Tony.“Hmm,” I nodded with a hum, surveying the empty warehouse. Angelo had somehow gotten word of the warehouse location, something I never expected would come so soon. It was infuriating how much he dared.“Have you investigated?” I demanded, voice cool. Matteo nodded, his eyes showing a brief glimpse of terror before he lowered his head.“It… it was one of the guys from the gas station nearby.” Matteo admitted before falling to his knees shakily. “I take responsibility, Don. Please show mercy. My mistakes will not be repeated.”My eyes narrowed.“You’re right,” I said, ire rising. I had not gotten much sleep in the past few nights and seeing the incompetence of the men I had in my employ never failed to incense me. “This mistake will never happen again.”He froze, beads of sweat still rolling down his chin.Tony stood by my

For two days, I kept Dante at my feet like a dog.He was more attentive than ever in these past two days, and I paid attention to it, and hated it.Even as he had become so obedient, it was clear he was only doing it for that assassin, Marcel.It grated on my nerves. Knowing that man had an effect on Dante was enough to make me want to kill him with my bare hands.But I wasn’t going to, not yet. Because if Dante was this obedient to me now, how much more would he be if I had Marcel in my hands as a bargaining chip?I couldn’t sleep, not for the first time in the past few days. I listened to the clock tick in the background, every second precise, every minute without a single misstep.Dante slept soundly beside me, his breaths warm on my arm. I had been nothing short of cruel tonight, just like the last couple of nights.Through the dim lighting I saw his body marked with various fresh bruises, each one of them from me.

Everything was…Quiet.Not peaceful, quiet, but something more frenzied bubbling underneath the surface.“Nero, you’ve done something to that flame of yours, haven't you?”Cara didn't even bother trying to hear my side of the story. Was Dante that important to her?I regarded her as I paused in my writing, glancing at her seated across from me in my study.“I’ve done nothing,” I stated nonchalantly.She smiled a little, clearly not believing my words. Her signature red lips and carefully tucked curls made her appear like she just stepped out of a vintage photograph.“Oh, remove that scowl from your face, Nero. You’ve done something,” Cara narrowed her eyes at me. Were it any other of our cousins, I wouldn’t have tolerated such. But this was Cara, the same one who had jumped into the pool to save me from Angelo and our other cousins back when she was barely 6 years old and not a skilled swimmer like myself.I exhaled slowly, schooling my expression consciously to remove any traces of