Chapter 21

"Hey, is Scar here?"

"Yeah, she is. Come in."

I heard the door close and prayed Griffin would just blow his brains out as soon as the door closed, but all I heard was the door close. No gunshots and no one running through the house screaming my name in a panic.

"Where is she?"

"Oh, she's upstairs, we were busy. She's kind of embarrassed and doesn't want you to see her like this."

"Scarlett and you?"

"Yeah, is that so hard to believe?" Antonio began to sound agitated.

"I just need to talk to her."

"What about? Is it something with the Lucianos?"

"This is her mission, I need to brief her on what I found."

Silence fell over the room and then I heard laughter. Antonio's laughter followed by the cocking of a gun.

"I knew from the beginning of this mission something wasn't right."

"Well, you should've gotten out when I gave you the chance."

"What do you mean?"

"I gave you to the Lucianos in hopes you'd just run along with your tail between your legs, but you always want to be the hero."

"You killed Santiago."

"You're smarter than I thought, but you should have stayed away because now I'm going to kill you."

"Just tell me one thing. When did you start working for the Russos?" Antonio's laughter soon followed Griffin's question.

"I don't work for the Russos. I am the Russos."

"This was all a set up for you to kill your family's rival."

"Mafia war doesn't have rules, except kill them at all costs."

"Why kill Santiago?"

"You said one question, but it's not like you're leaving here alive. He found out who I was and I knew he'd be all too eager to give me up to his FBI contact."

"So, Scarlett is dead?"

"Not yet, but soon."

"You said Santiago has an FBI contact, who is it?"

"I don't know, he kept that a secret. Now, if you're done and have come to peace with your death, I have someone to fuck."

"Who's your insider?"

"My younger brother, Lorenzo."

"I've made my peace with this life and I've taken enough lives to accept my death. But I just want to let you know, Lorenzo will die, Antonio and so will you. I love you, baby."

Griffin spoke his last words and three shots rang out. I blinked with each shot and a tear fell from my eye. Griffin's body dropped with a loud thump and a single hot tear ran to my ear and turned cold. Just like Antonio. Footsteps started from downstairs and then the steps. I willed my body to move and still nothing.

"I hope you said goodbye to Griffin, baby because he's gone and never coming back."

Antonio made his way into the room with the gun still in his hand. I wanted him to just put me out of my misery before he took what he'd been craving.

"You ready for me, baby?"

I shut my eyes as I began to hear the sound of Antonio's zipper. I pleaded for death to come to me and take me as I heard his footsteps get closer. Antonio made his way to me without his pants and he continued climbing until his knees were at either side of my head. Antonio's cock was hard as it laid over my lips. I looked at Antonio and his eyes were blank, soulless and I knew there was nothing stopping him from taking what he wants. I squeezed my eyes closed when he pried my mouth open and gripped my ponytail.

Antonio nearly buckled with the first thrust into my mouth and I prayed that I could bite down on his cock, but again, wishful thinking. I closed my eyes as he fucked my mouth without remorse. Another single salty tear fell from my eye as he released himself down my throat. He removed himself and massaged my throat to make it easier for his come to go down.

"That was everything I thought it would be," Antonio said before leaning down to kiss me. "I'll be right back, Scar."

Antonio slipped on his pants before leaving the room. As he left me alone once again, I fought to get my body to move. I heard him downstairs and I assumed he was moving Griffin's body when I heard him curse loudly.

"Motherfucker!" Griffin's body was dropped once again.

"Renzo, we have a fucking problem," Antonio spat out into the phone. "He had a listening device on him! Someone knows everything!" He got quiet again, briefly. "How many people do I have to kill today! Uh huh, uh huh, yeah. I'll meet you there. She's not going anywhere."

I heard Antonio leave out the door moments after he finished his call and I heard his engine roar to life. The car took off and left me with nothing but silence and my thoughts. Day turned to night and I could no longer hold my eyes open as I let sleep take me. Hopefully, death would, too.

I awoke to the sound of nothing and I can see nothing. I think for a moment that now my sight is gone as I swallow hard and let out a sigh. I freeze instantly as I realize what I've just done. I move my hand and slowly bring it to my face. I force my body to get up and go. I'm moving slower than I normally would, but right now anything is better than nothing.

Come on, Scarlett! I think to myself as I make my way off of the bed, slamming straight to the floor. I crawl out of the room and look down the steps that lead down to pitch black and nothingness. I use the banister as a crutch to lift myself up and I grip the handrail. At the first two steps, I stumble, but my body quickly gets the movements I need to make it downstairs completely.

Once I make it downstairs in the darkness, I count my steps and on step five, I feel the wetness and I immediately suck in a deep breath. I know that I'm near Griffin's lifeless body. I lean down and check his pockets for his keys and when I find them, I hold onto them for dear life. I feel around for some of my belongings and I find my tank top, phone, and jacket. I quickly put them on and make my way to the door, but then I turn around and quickly grab the picture off of the mantle for proof.

I race out of the door and to Griffin's car and I drive until the house is in the distance and then and only then, do I let out screams and cries. My throat is on fire from the screaming and the only liquid coating it within the last few hours is Antonio's disgusting come.

Just as the thought comes of what had happened, I have to quickly pull the car over and vomit. I regain my composure, but I began shaking uncontrollably behind the wheel.

"Scarlett! Get your shit together. Right fucking now!" I yell out.

Once I arrive at the storage unit shoeless, pantsless and pantieless, I make a run for it. Quickly entering my code, I sit and take several deep breaths as I devise a plan. I can't go to my house, it's not safe. The Russos are after me and then there's Lorenzo.

"I'm so fucked right now."

I feel the vibration of my phone and when I see Jess's name flash on my screen, I let out a breath.

"Scarlett?" Jess says in a whisper.

"Yeah, it's me, Jess," I say in a shaky tone and she lets out a sigh.

"I know Griffin is dead and Antonio is working with the Russos."

"How did you know, Jess?"

"Griffin came back shortly after you and Antonio left and asked me for a favor, but I had to tell him about Antonio."

"He was the one who killed Santiago?"

"Yeah, he was, but there's more." She said, but I could tell something was wrong.

"Jess, are they there?"

"He's killed just about everyone, Scarlett. I know I'm next." I could hear her pain and fear. "Griffin told me about Sophia and so we devised a plan, but I want you to know we did it because we love you."

"Jess, what's the plan?" I listen and I hear her swallow hard.

"Goodbye, Scarlett." She said as she cocked the gun and ended the phone call.

I didn't have to hear the gun go off to know what she'd just done. She killed herself to protect me. First my mother, then Santiago, Griffin and now Jess. I refuse to let anyone else die for me. I removed the SIM card from my phone and broke it in half so that I become untraceable. I knew what I'd have to do, but it wasn't going to be easy.

Right now, I have two options, kill or be killed. Either way, this shit has to end. There's only one person I can turn to who knows everything, but she may turn on me faster than I can speak my own name. I had to find Sophia. Then somehow I'd have to convince Giovanni to help me get rid of Antonio and his family for good. I look at the picture hanging before me, doing one Hail Mary.

I begin dressing for the occasion. I take out the brush my mamá used to brush my hair with as a girl and pull my hair into a ponytail as I hear her humming. I pull out my gear that the whole team was given after our last mission. I looked in the mirror and I resembled a member of a swat team, minus the helmet. I packed my weapons and I put my favorite switchblade through the loop on my right thigh. I gathered my most important things and moved them to my second storage because this one would no longer be safe. I uncovered my motorcycle as I secured my duffle on the back of the bike.

I rode my bike to the front gate and placed a small explosive onto Griffin's car and once a safe distance away, I blew the car up. Then placed my aviators on my face as I prepared to take down the Russos.