"...in some cases, rock bottom has a basement..."

S

"Monsieur, a moment." Taylor beckoned me over.

I'm having breakfast with Keira. She's been a little unwell and she slept in all day yesterday.

"Excuse me ma chérie." I left the table. "What is do important you ruin my breakfast?" I frowned at her..

Taylor is the only personal assistant immune to my tempers and sharp tongue. I have burned through 45 assistants since I came from the navy. Some lasted minutes. Some cried on their way out.

"There was a phone call for Keira."

"Who called?"

"The prison."

I smiled at Keira reassuringly and closed the glass doors leading to the dining room. In the privacy of the hallway,I dragged Taylor aside. "Why?" I asked.

"It's about her brother. There was a prison fight. Her brother was killed."

"Tu es sérieux, ou quoi? Mon dieu!" I exclaimed.

"Oui monsieur. I'm serious."

"That's too much." I sighed. "It's too much for her and the baby. I can't tell her."

"Will you lie to her then?"

I finally got her to eat. She's finally eating something and then I tell her this? If it was the first bad news she was getting then fine. But I can't.

"You tell her." I delegated the responsibility.

"But monsieur! How do I even begin?"

"Give me a moment." She left my presence. I leaned against the wall wondering how to phrase these words. Her reaction to her parents'death scared me. I have to just tell her. There's no other way. "Ma chérie..."

I can't speak. She's staring at me with sad blue eyes, skin so pale you would think her ill. "Yes?" Voice so soft yet so broken and weak.

I took a seat next to her. I took her hands into mine. After this the only thing left for her here will be Nick; that if he still wants her and she wants him. What they have gone through will have a significant strain in their relationship.

"The prison called. I'm sorry ma chérie but your brother was involved in a fight. He succumbed to his wounds."

I felt her hand growing faint. "Oh... Okay." Not what I expected. She withdrew her hand. "Thank you for letting me know."

I stood up when she did and I remained so, watching her disappear down the hallway to the bedroom where she sleeps. She closed the door. I went to it and pressed my ear against the wood. It's quiet. Why is she quiet?

I opened th doors. She's seated on the bed staring outside the tall glass windows. "Keira..."

"Can you accommodate him in the funeral plans? I will bury all of them together."

"I'll let Taylor know."

"I also have to go to another funeral. Jason's."

"I wouldn't recommend that."

"Why not? He was my husband."

"I wouldn't recommend it because of the opinion people have on you."

"You're right.... I forgot about that. I guess there's no need to go to the prion then."

"Maybe later. I'd you want I'll go on your behalf."

"We can go together. I have no more years left to shed. But I wish to be alone with my thoughts if you don't mind."

I kissed the top of her head and left her to be alone. She looks distraught. I wish I could carry this burden and pain for her.

Keira's POV

The first time I understood what death is was on a Thursday morning when I found my mother crying. My father had deployed and we were alone. I think we were in Norfolk Virginia, at a base. She told me that her mother had passed away. I didn't understand until she explained the finality of death. We went to the funeral but we watched from afar. She's estranged from all her relatives because she went against them to marry my father against the wishes of her tribe. I don't know anyone from that side of the family. As for my father's side of the family, there's not much to rely on. He has a brother but he lives in Australia. They barely spoke. Their disagreement was on the will their father left. The lands in Texas were an inheritance for my father and his brother got jealous. After squabbling for months,his brother upped and left and that was it.

I'm really alone now.

But not so alone. I have this baby with me. This baby will be my family.

"You don't have to do it." Theo tried to deter me from entering the morgue. "I can do it for you."

"I need closure." I smiled at him even if it's a little. "Care to come with?"

I took his hand. He followed me into the morgue. The coroner accompanied us to the body. I need to identify it and to receive his personal belongings. When I saw him, I cried.

"Oh Keith... I'm so sorry." He looks peaceful. As a child my father often asked him to sit still. He complained that Keith was hyperactive and too chatty. In fact we called him chatty Keith. "It's my brother. His name is Keith Graham Ballard."

I covered him up.

"These belong to him." The coroner gave me a clear bag with a few personal belongings. A wallet, a watch and clothing he wore when he was first incarcerated.

"Thank you." Well walked out hand in hand. "I don't know what I would have done if I was sleeping be in this. Thank you for being here Theo. It means the world to me."

"I'll always take care of you. Anything you need, ask me and I'll give it to you." He pressed a kiss on my forehead.

"Miss Ballard." A man approached us. "My name is Detective Monroe."

"Speak to our lawyers." Theo told him.

"It's not about your case. I am required to tell you what happened to your brother. There was a disagreement among five prisoners. One of them is Nickolas Bale."

"I he hurt?"

"A few bruises. We are still investigating and we will keep you informed."

"I would like to know how he died. But I also don't consider the facts that important because he will mot get his life back. He's gone and I would like to bury him."

"I understand."

"Excuse us." Theo led me away from the detective.

Detective Rowland was found dead in alley. I don't even want to think of how it happened.

I am pacing about, calling the gate constantly to find out if Don Giovanni is lurking around like a bad spirit. There are no signs of him and the time is up. Nick is still in prison. Mad Dog is dead. But Nick is alive. I hear one other inmate lost his life but I don't know who that is.

"Anything?" I called the gate again.

"No sign of Don Giovanni."

When he left here I had him followed but unfortunately, they lost him. For 72 hours I haven't known where he has been. Not knowing is driving me to the brink of madness. I'm breaking a sweat wondering where he could be. I witnessed this man slay my father's bodyguards as well as my own father. He's dangerous when provoked and seemingly pius when he is calm.

I was about to call again when I heard footsteps.

It's impossible because I have locked myself in this office. The bodyguards are outside. I'm supposed to be the only one in here.

"Time is up figlio mio." I heard his voice.

I turned slowly almost reluctant to want to see his face. "Padre, you're back." He shrugged. He is not carrying any weapons. "How did you get in here?"

"I used to play in this house when I was child. They are faint memories, mere flashbacks of little moments I can't make sense of but yes. I used to play in this room. My father used to be in this room."

"Where did you come from?"

"I ascended from hell. Is that dramatic enough for you?" He revealed a bloody knife. "I politely asked them to get out of my way. I gave them options but they chose to be obstacles. As I am fond of saying..."

"Obstacles need to be removed."

"Bellissimo! Bellissimo! You are not a dull creature after all."

"Will you kill your son? Your only son?"

"That depends on you."

"If I die Nicko rots in prison."

"If you die, I get revenge for him. Either way, you lose because you won't live long enough to see him suffer. I'm afraid the time is here figlio mio, for the last scene of this play. Are you an obstacle?"

I walked back towards the table. I picked up the phone. "Boss." The prison guard answered.

"It's time. Clear his name." I hanged up. "Satisfied Don Giovanni?"

He stared at his knife and then at me. He smiled crookedly. "Ciao figlio mio."

He unlocked the door and walked between my surprised bodyguards. Once again like that night, I get to watch him leave. He's always leaving. "

What is freedom?

It is the power and right to act, speak and think as one pleases. Power and right... Mancini made me feel powerless. I came to a sad realization that I am not invincible. Getting ordered around and manipulated to play a twisted game choked me of my rights.

Now that I'm free, all charges dropped with new information coming in about the death of Jason Burke, I'm home. Not really home though because I signed away the house. I signed away the car. I signed away a yacht.i signed away everything that is visibly mine.

"We should be packing."

My parents, my daughter and Gio looked at me. "Why?" They asked at the same time.

"I signed away the everything to Margaux."

"Why would you do that?" Gio asked me.

"Because having nothing and being at peace is better than being rich and having her joined to me at the hip. Plus... that is what it cost to free her." I kissed the top of my daughter's head. "We have to be out by tomorrow and save ourselves the embarrassment if being thrown out."

"At least it's over." Gio smiled at me. "It's been a whirlwind of Chaos but it's over."

"What did you say to Mancini?"

"We had a reasonable agreement. You should come back to Italy with us. It will give you a new environment to heal."

"I suppose that's okay." I shrugged. "Excuse me."

I have a heavy heart. I have lost. I have been used. I feel wasted. I feel all this could have been avoided if I stayed away from Kei. My mind keeps going back to her on the day we met. If only I would have acted professionally and tamed my feelings, I would not be here right now.

"Nicko, do you have a moment?" Mom peeked in.

"What is it?" She is holding something. "Freya shared this with me."

I received the thin brochure. "When did this happen?" It's a eulogy of Kei's parents and the second one Keith's.

My Monday beside me. "If you think you have lost anything you are wrong. She's the loser in this. She has lost what cannot be replaced. Nicko when I had you, I had nothing. I worked until the day I gave birth to you. Even then we were surviving on pennies, in an empty old apartment with only a mattress and a few clothes. Bambino, it Is possibile to have nothing and build yourself up from the ground. You tend to value that more than an inheritance. You will rise again. But she may not recover from this loss. Have you spoken to her?"

"No. I can't."

"You should. She's heartbroken-"

"She has Theo."

"She loves you."

"She has never said it. I have said it often though. She has never said it to me."

"Are you upset about it?"

"Yes I am! I am upset about it because I have sacrificed a lot for her. Who is she with now? Sinclair! She's obsessed with him because he saved her from drowning! I have saved her from Mancini who is far worse than drowning!"

"You're bitter."

"Stop assuming what I feel!" I shouted at her.

"You are bitter because she can't find out about the Mafia. You want to tell what you scarified and why all this happened to her but you can't. You are jealous of Sinclair because he stepped in and did things you couldn't. You are angry at her for coming into your life when she did. None if these emotions are wrong but don't direct them to her. She has done nothing wrong. You are divorced. She's a widow. If you two still want to be together then this is the opportunity!'

"I'm not in a good place right now. I don't want a relationship."

"Once the window of opportunity closes, you will lose her to Sinclair. This is the time to go to her and let her know she's not a mistake. Telling her she's a mistake is the worst thing you can do."

"I already told her it was a mistake."

"Nicko!"

"I made the mistake. Look at where we are because of my actions. If I had enough sense to leave her alone,we wouldn't have gotten here! Keith would still be alive. He died while I watched him helplessly and now I have to carry his death with me. I have to look at Kei and tell her my part in it! I can't do that! I hurt her and if I'm like this I'll keep hurting her. It is best that I stay away from her."

"It's your decision figlio mio. But when you see her smile and another man is responsible for that smile, I hope you call love with yourself. I'll go to the funerals. It's the least I can do for her."