Chapter 77 Thorns.
CHAPTER 77
Thorns.
SCARLETT – POINT OF VIEW
Sweat beads on my forehead, and my hands start to tremble.
“Mexico?” Eve frowns, and everyone seems caught off guard by the strange question.
Milana smiles, “When I was younger, I travelled a lot, to London, Mexico, and Budapest. I’ve been everywhere.”
Budapest.
A memory burst out of me at her words. At seventeen, I’d been bundled on a flight to Budapest. It was part of my training. Dad and Mom had argued for months on whether to enrol me in the organization that most crime families sent their children to. They knew that the world would eat us alive, and we needed to be ready, so an organization was formed a very long time ago. The headquarters was in Budapest. I trained there for a year. It was hard. They starved us, they made us walk on coal, wearing nothing but shoes that prevented scarring, but we felt all of the heat.
“You represent strong families, stronger foundations, but even strong foundations crack under the exact kind of pressure,” The head of the Weapon division, Ms Crown, had lectured one cold evening, “I’m not going to lie to you – the next couple of years will be filled with so much tension, deaths of loved ones and a painful metamorphosis. You don’t run from it. You run towards it. You’ve had the misfortune of being born to a crime family, be it the Triad, the La Cosa Nostra, the Cartels, the Black Axes, the Ndrangheta, whatever badge of honour you carry is now your burden. You must carry it proudly.”
I had sat there, cold, hungry and confused. I had been so excited to be there, but in that moment, I craved my mother’s soup and my father’s warmth, but I was stuck. We never exchanged real names. We went by numbers. I was 255. We were not allowed to form a friendship, at least not yet. We were moulded in the fire. I returned home thinner, toner, stronger, and more mature. My mother couldn’t recognise me, but Dad was so proud.
“Scarlett,” Roman nudges me lightly.
I look at him, confused, “What?”
“Milana is speaking to you.” He tells me, frowning, watching me like a hawk as if he could smell something wrong with me.
Reluctantly, I turn to Milana and force a smile, “Yes, ma’am?”
She doesn’t speak. Something flickers in her eyes, something like pity, and I almost scoff dryly. She doesn’t know half of what I went through. I was born into this chaos, into this painful world, and I’ve had to do what I can with what I’ve been given. I don’t need her pity.
“I went to Budapest when I was fifteen.” Adeline blurts.
I look at her slowly. She’s a piece of a puzzle I can never understand.
“Was it a family trip? I’ve never travelled far. This is my first time out of the country.” Eve asks, as if she wants to live through Adeline’s experiences.
She starts to respond, looking at me, “It wasn’t a family trip, it was a –”
Vincenzo cuts her off, “We visited families in the mountains. It was a remarkable experience. We should eat, the food is getting cold.”
The conversation shifts to wedding planning, but I don’t let down my guard. Milana knows who I am, and Adeline is hiding who she is. My lungs feel dry, and my tongue feels swollen. I am tired of always fighting, protecting myself, watching for flaws, holding myself high, and walking on eggshells. I wonder what it would be like to relax and not worry about falling over a major secret. I guess we’ll never know.
“My bachelorette party is tomorrow night, and we’re painting the city red,” Adeline announces, leaning forward.
“Oh, that’s splendid. Do you have any plans, or are we just winging it?” Eve carries the conversation while I stay silent, picking at my meal.
“We can start the party from the compound, with expensive drinks, weed and dancing, then we move to the city, and make out with strangers.” She suggests, eyes flashing with mania. She’s insane.
“It’s a joint party.” Luca quickly says, jaws clenched.
“Absolutely not. We’re getting married in a couple of days, but we’re not married yet. I want to be free and enjoy my time as a single woman.” She scoffs at him.
“You’re not a single woman. You’re mine. We’re practically married. I will not allow you to go to the city when there might be a killer at large. You’ll stay by my side where I can protect you.” He barks at her, vein popping on his forehead.
She snarls, slamming her hand on the table. “Oh, screw you, do not hide under your misled self-righteousness and protectiveness when we both know …”
I tune them out with a big exhale and look around the restaurant. They bought it out. Milana probably owns it. It’s a beautiful restaurant, immersed in the delicious aroma of a rose flower, but embodying a cautious energy. Roses are beautiful, but their thorns are dangerous. Perhaps that adds to the appeal, the blood, the red, the aesthetic. I didn’t think too much when I changed my name. I chose the first thing I thought of, and yet, somehow, remained at the same spot. I am tied to my home, to the Cartels, to my late parents and the crown I left behind.
Milana is looking at me, heavy and lingering.
Roman watches her watch me. He’s not a fool. He knows something is going on.
I wonder if he knows how close he is to knowing all my secrets.
I am held together by a pin. A grenade’s pin, and soon, everything will explode. I know I can’t hold on to it long enough, but I’ll try. It has been a year, but I’m no closer to getting revenge. The men who killed my family, who burnt my childhood, are still walking around, audacious enough to threaten me, to watch me.
Perhaps they’re watching me even now, waiting for me to be alone, so they can strike.
Well, there’s no need to make them wait anymore.
Bloodlust pounds through me, and I run my tongue over my teeth.
No matter how many faces I wear, names I slip into, or men I hide behind, I’ll still be Rosalina Diaz. I’ll always be Rosalina Diaz, and it’s time to make them pay.
“I think Adeline is right. She must have the party she desires. She’s getting married, after all. So, have your party, and we’ll have ours.” I say sweetly, and take a sip of my red wine.
Adeline smiles victoriously, and Luca begrudgingly nods.
Should I feel guilty for making her the bait? No, I don’t.
She has secrets, and I intend to rip them out of her.