I could have sworn to the lords to grant me mercy. The lights flickered through the windows, illuminating the entire room. Even if it’s tiny compared to my house in Italy, I felt peace breathing the air in here. But today I felt as if the wind had knocked out of my windpipe, clouding my vision.

I rubbed my eyes gently pressing down my eyeballs that eased my heartbeat. Huffing in annoyance, I moistened my throat by gulping down water from the bottle that stood beside my bed lamp. 

“Zearo, you okay?” asked a gentle voice beside me I overlooked after receiving that call. Shifting my body a little, I moved my head towards the source. My eyes grew wide may be of a size of a tennis ball when I saw Julie looking at me, her chocolate brown eyes glittered when the daylight hit her face with little glints of silver around her Iris that brightened, brunette bed hair enveloping her upper body and the rest inside the comforter, sharp nose, plump lips and pale skin tone but a bright pink shade on her cheeks giving her a beautiful look. 

“Can we go back to sleep now? I’m tired!” She whined, snapping me out of my daze. Her body flawlessly soft when she reached her hands out, pretending to be tired. 

“Why are you in my bed?” My voice came out bitterer than I expected, making her scurry inside the blanket. 

“You wanted me to spend the night with you.” Her eyes grew big when tears started streaming down from them. She sounded hurt, but my throbbing head that’s jumbled with thoughts didn’t allow me to keep up with her.

“I remember nothing,” I confessed, taking a deep breath and urging her to explain.

“Well, you were swallowing down Vodka continuously. I was concerned about you and then tried to talk to you. Samira said to hand you over a drink and that will help you ease off a little. So I did what she suggested.” She halted, capturing a glance at my exposed torso, her cheeks turning into a colour of deeper red.

“You then wanted me to accompany you and started kissing in the club itself. I tried to get you back to your home. And then...” She pointed at my naked self and her half-exposed chest, “this happened.” Lowering her head a little she smiled and added: “You are a wild beast, you know that!” And hid her entire body, avoiding to look at me.

I just laid there dumbstruck because I never planned to sleep with Julie, eh well once at the beginning, but not after that!. I brushed my fingers through my hair, baffled at my lack of memory. And suddenly it hit me like a thunderbolt, Samira!. 

“Listen, Julie, I gotta go in a minute so you can stick around here or leave that’s up to you,” I explained to her and didn’t feel the need to put up with any further drama.  Lifting my tired body and throbbing head, I wore the shirt lying on the floor and pants. I could sense her looking at me and I’m sure I’ve hurt her, but there’s something else that’s bothering me right now and I can’t stay here and caress her hair to ease her emotions. 

“Zearo?” Her anguished voice entered my ears, squeezing my heart with guilt. I strode towards the kitchen pantry, stuffed some bread and peanut butter on a plate and a glass of juice that were the only things available in the kitchen relieving me. 

“Here, eat this and get ready, okay? I really have somewhere important to go.” I said pushing the plate towards her side of the bed, not bothering to look at her because I knew the guilt would eat me up. I never wanted this to happen and Samira messed up big time. 

Shutting the bedroom door, I walked out of my house. Anger surging through my veins, not able to wrap my brain about what really happened and how could I not know what Samira had planned?.

“Charles! Damn it!” Kicking the wooden door hard, I cursed out loud when the call went directly to voicemail. What would have happened to her? Is she alright? Did my people hurt her? So many questions making it impossible to ease the pain that’s like someone is hammering continually on my brain. 

“Hey, Jacob, can you lend me your bike for a day?” I asked my alcoholic neighbour who was mopping on the floor outside heavily drunk. He threw his bike keys towards me and said, “ya man! Fill the tank and gimme back, get it?” And went back inside, throwing a bottle into the trash can nearby. 

Hopping on the bike, I sped up and cut through the road, overtaking all the cars and bikes towards the police station.

*****

The air slapped my face harder every time I sped up the bike. But I couldn't care less, and the breeze kind of eased my headache. Taking an abrupt U-turn, I halted my bike when I noticed Charles talking to some people wearing the same uniform. He did not notice me as his back was facing my way.

I strode straight towards him and touched his shoulders. He swung swiftly and his eyes widened with fear and guilt? I could not fathom, and I don’t want to stress about it either.

“Explain!” I asked, my jaw tensed. He knew it annoyed me as he hung up on me and did not bother to pick my call either.

“Shall we?” He said, signalling towards his office. I took a deep breath and strove faster than him entering his cabin before him. He came a few minutes later and shut the door behind. He had a serious look on him. That was what he represents when he is tensed about something. His tousled hair and deep dark circles under his eyes illustrated his situation.

“Master, “ he said, bowing towards me, his shoulders hunched a little to the ground as an action respecting me. 

 “Rise!” I said I was not comfortable with this anymore. “Fucking hell! You gave me a heart attack in the morning. Just spit it out already!” My voice rumbled, vibrating the walls of his cabin. Taking a needy breath, he handed me a file. I flipped through the pages, but suddenly my breath caught in my lungs after what I just saw.

“Liara D’Waner was attacked this morning, damaging her elbow and her guard. We have imprisoned the guilty, and I have taken charge of this because I saw they carried your symbol, Master.” He said pointing at the right side of the black shirt where my initial was carved out with golden thread. I inhaled sharply. 

“I warned Drake to abort the mission. How dare he still proceed with his plan?” I couldn’t believe he disrespected me. But then Charles put his hands on my shoulders, squeezing it tenderly as if that will ease my pain. I know how skilled my associates are. I could not help but be worried about her well-being. 

As if noticing my internal battle, he informed, “She was alright, but...” 

“But what!” 

“But now she is again into another mess master. A bigger one this time.” His frustrated voice made me agitated. “I called you to ask whether you know anything about it but you were busy fucking someone and I knew you wouldn’t care less about it, anyway. So I started my research myself.” My jaw tensed when he said that, and I don’t fucking have an inkling why I was so worried about her. 

“I called Drake and asked him whether he is behind this, but he appeared with his allies and confirmed that he isn’t behind this mess, Master.” He said pushing an envelope towards my direction. I believe Drake will never defy me and when I looked at what was inside the envelope all my doubts hit me hard slapping on my face and then I realised that I’ve believed the wrong person the whole time.

“I spotted Samira with The Luchellies last night in The Shimmers Nightclub.” He supported my suspicions by revealing what I already dreaded shouldn’t be true. 

“Why and who is doing this? What do they want from her?” I asked tongue-tied why the New York Mafia is targeting Liara. An abrupt sound of the door brought me out of my jumbled thoughts. 

“Liara D’Waner has wiped out the entire Andersons and D’Luka industries within one night. They hired us to kill Ms D’Waner and Luchellies lent a helping hand as we did not have a solid relationship with the police and the Mafias in New York.” Drake said sitting beside me giving me an apologetic look.

“I informed Samira that we are aborting the mission but she wouldn’t listen. When she asked why I wanted this to be aborted, I said that you have ordered us not to continue it. That’s it, she just sprung out of the room and I’ve not seen her yet.” Bowing his head in shame, he said, “I’m sorry master, “ 

“Samira was in Shimmers yesterday so this was her plan all along to drug me and do her dirty job behind my back, huh?” I said drumming my fingers on the table thinking about what was her next plan.

“Liara D’Waner is now the CEO of both Andersons and Co and D’Luka Industries along with the SAMS. The former CEOs got arrested yesterday midnight when someone out of nowhere released some photos of human trafficking and drug dealings between the two and Mexican Mafia.” I looked at Charles who was reading out loud the reports and me out of nowhere felt immense appreciation and proud of that lady. 

“You think Liara is behind all these things?” I inquired, unable to wrap my head about her doings.

“You shouldn’t doubt her abilities. I’ve seen so many cases like this where she just works behind the scene and takes over the companies. Carter D’Luka, the former CEO, was arrested, but he fled from our custody and the Andersons got bailed out this morning.” I raised my eyebrows at how the events turned up and down in just a matter of one night and I knew nothing.

“We are still searching for Carter though, but now we have an urgent issue as we have our intelligence report that Liara D’Waner’s caretaker and a friend are abducted and Liara is asked to go to a place alone,” Charles said, throwing his reports on the table frustrated. His eyes blazing with anger and veins popping out on his neck.

“Do you know where she is asked to go?” I asked, clutching my hands into a fist, anger burning on my nerves. I could feel myself losing control because of all the things pointing towards me. I want to protect her, I don’t know why. But it hurt knowing that my people are behind all her sufferings.

“I know where Samira held them hostage. I will help you get past the guards in there. But you must hurry because Liara might have already reached there.” He said pointing at the watch that showed two o’clock meaning we were late.

“Let’s go. I can’t stop my mates any longer than half an hour. We must close this ourselves if we want to hide the fact that the Master of Italy Mafia is living between us.” Charles declared and followed Drake, which then I went along. 

******

“David, this awful place reeks of shit!” I said when we entered a dungeon type of building at the farthest end of Manhattan city. We had to travel for one entire hour to reach this awful garbage dumped area. 

A pile of thousand cars up in the entrance covered with broken glasses and other shitty junk around the building. Water droplets trickled down the wall giving away a damp musty smell making me uncomfortable.

“Master, you’ve been to more awful places than this,” Drake said, rolling his eyes at my behaviour.

“......sign the damn documents lady before I kill one of your own.” I heard Samira yelling, followed by a smack. 

“They are going to regret it!” I said through gritted teeth. I am going to kill these bastards.

“Master! Careful!” I heard a deafening voice of Charles before something knocked my head so hard that I went numb.

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