✰ ✰

"𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫"

My fists collided with his jaw once more, causing blood to spray from his mouth.

I took a step back, taking in the entertaining scene in front of me. As blood streamed from his body, he sat absolutely helpless in the chair.

"Speak." Coming up behind him, Theo commanded, taking his head by the throat.

I took a sharp knife from my back pocket and stuck it into the side of his neck, emotionlessly staring at him.

My hand twitched for more as he groaned in anguish. But I had to keep him alive.

Staking the knife out of his neck, blood spritzed out from the side and he looked up at me with grief.

"I don't know." He gasped for air as Theo tightened his hand.

"Talk, stronzo." I said, glaring at him, he flinched and looked away.

Translation: Fucker.

"It wasn't me who did it!" He exclaimed, his fists clenched alongside him.

Theo chuckled and tightened his grip on the man, suffocating him.

I permitted him to do so. The fear of torture didn't seem to work on him; perhaps death did.

As he gasped and shook wildly in his chair, his lifeless eyes blazed with tears, spilling down his face. His tied arms were pleading to be released.

"Fine." He managed to croak out.

Nodding towards Theo, he let go of his hold and the man gasped loudly, choking on the air doing so.

Striding forwards, I sank the knife into his thigh and watched it slowly burn into his flesh, causing him to buckle once more.

"His name is Stray!"

Drilling it deeper, he screamed and then continued.

"He's Jason's second,"

"Your leader?" Theo questioned, staring at him extensively.

I watched him nod slowly, his eyes raking with tears and I rolled my own.

"Fucking pathetic," I grumbled as I pulled the knife from his leg.

"Is there anything else we should know?" Theo quipped, swinging his gun around his finger.

The man halted his body and shook his head unsteadily.

Passing me the gun, I rolled my head back and turned the safety off with my thumb.

"Name?" I inquired, pointing the gun to his temple and patiently tapping my fingers along the trigger.

He panicked. Screaming to let him go.

Theo walked away from the scene with a chuckle. I fixed my gaze on the man in front of me, waiting for him to quit his whimpering.

"Talk or your death will be far more painful."

Pressing the gun further into his skin, he flinched and immediately gave in.

"Henry Aspen."

My fingers pressed the trigger as soon as he said his name, the sound of the bullet passing through his head rebounding from the bloodied walls.

Tilting my head down, I flipped the safety back on and tucked the gun behind me.

I turned back around and strode out of the warehouse.

"Find him." I ordered to one of my men. He nodded and proceeded upstairs to the quarters.

When I got back outside, I pulled out a cigarette, lit it, and breathed the smoke.

"You think the leader wants her dead?"

I removed the cigarette from my mouth with a shake of my head.

"No. Someone else ordered Arabella's assassination; he just happened to be working with the gang at the time."

Theo grimaced, his hands burrowing deeper into his pockets.

"Yes, but this guy was on his way to assassinate Arabella early yesterday morning, and he was well integrated into the gang." He pointed to his neck, indicating to the gang tattoo on the neck of said guy.

Inhaling again, I averted my gaze, numbly staring up at the sky.

"How'd you even find out he was going to kill her?"

Chuckling, I exhaled the smoke and clenched my jaw tightly, explicitly recalling the memory in my head.

"Caught him lurking," I replied, flatly.

"What if the leader is doing this to get to you?"

At the notion of it, I tensed. Since the leader saw me with her that night, it would make sense.

Although, there had to be someone else working with him. Something didn't add up.

The leader of the 'Malcolm's' had a strain set on my Mafia. Initially, it was my father's problem, but it has now shifted to mine.

Members of his gang had merged with my Mafia, owing to their lack of commitment to their recruits.

As a result, we enlisted their help and trained them to become our own.

We made certain they weren't working with their previous crew, and they were aware of the consequences if they did.

He grew envious of this, affirmatively, and had instantly sparked a silent warfare between our empires.

"If he is, he knows that if he lays another finger on her, he and his gang will be dead before they can see the light of day."

✰

Arriving at the carnival, I settle on the hood of my car and wait attentively for Arabella.

College was out today. There was some sort of holiday-free day bullshit happening.

I smoked to keep time at bay, the intoxicating tobacco calming me even so.

Her car arrived, parking a few spaces away from my own and I watched her get out.

My gaze swept over her for a short instant. She was covered in a white sundress that hugged her figure at the front and hung freely above her thighs.

Her silky black hair was pulled back, tied loosely behind her head, with fewer strands flowing about her prominent cheeks.

Licking my lips, I glanced back to her eyes, as they met mine.

She walked over to me with her plump lips curled up into a smile.

I averted my gaze, hollowing out the cigarette with my fingers and dropping it to the ground.

One pair of white sneakers came to a halt in front of me, and I raised my eyes to see her.

"Hi." She smiled and shifted her weight on her legs.

Tilting my head, my lips sought to smile, though I maintained it still.

"Ella." I said back.

I patted the spot next to me once, and she grinned as she took my outstretched hand and slipped onto the car.

"What did you do today?" She asked, directing her entire focus to me.

I shrug sharply as I look at her and immediately place my arm around her waist.

"Not much. You?"

She smiled, her dimples peaking while she glanced at her swinging feet.

"Not much." She replied and drew closer to me.

Her palm flew to my cheek, fiercely sending heat to my skin.

She skimmed my jaw with her fingers and looked up at me with her piercing eyes that glistened in the lowering sun.

"Will you come with me to the art contest?" Her eyes gleamed with a certain hope as she spoke.

With my gaze, I lured her in.

The way the orange tint made her complexion look sun-kissed. Lips, cheery red and daring. Eyes, glittering silver.

Her beauty, like her, was angelic.

"Of course," I replied, leisurely.

Her smile widened, and I felt a sense of satisfaction as if I was pleased I was the one who had caused her to smile.

And I realised quickly that I was. And I would continue to make her smile, even if it's forever.

Her lips pressed on my jaw, delicately kissing the edge before pressing against the side of my chest.

"Thank you for the tickets." She voiced, depicting her fingers in patterns along my covered chest.

Kissing the top of her head, I patted her hip twice and replied.

"Welcome, Bellissima."

Her head then lifted off my chest and turned to face me.

As she got closer to me, she tilted her head upwards and stared at my lips.

I leant down towards her too, closing my eyes as our lips almost connected but was then interrupted by a voice.

"Aye, Bella!"

Sighing loudly, she moved away and climbed off the car.

"Coming!" She yelled back at the boy before returning her attention to me.

Her hand came out in front of me, I took it after hopping off of the car.

I walked behind her, our hands locked as she led me inside the park.