17. Prepare for war

King...

Earlier on, after Danté stabilised her, I decided to place her in my bedroom. For some reason, I felt the need to place her closer to me rather than to leave her in that room, so whenever she saw me, she would freak out. I know it's my fault, but I can't stop myself from being selfish about her.

Ronaldo, though, has been quiet for a while now and he has been quiet ever since I decided to place her in my bedroom. Lorenzo just frowned at me and moved along like I had just insulted him, so I decided to go and check up on her, which I did.

At like two am, she started talking in her sleep and fighting her demons. She kept mentioning a Daddy, Mama, nonna and most of all, Andrea. I wanted to wake her up but I felt it was unnecessary so I just stayed back and listened to her as she fought the person she refers to as "Daddy".

I felt envious of the man she had said to be her daddy. Hopefully, this daddy was nothing but a father figure rather than being a "daddy", if you know what I mean.

I glared at her like a creep through the night, but I didn't mind watching her in her sleep even though her demons were totally winning. She soon jolted up, letting her firm tits bounce up, causing me to sink back in my seat covered by a shroud of darkness in the corner. The bed was the only thing illuminated by the moon.

She turned my way before shaking her head and crawling out of the bed, stark naked.

She doesn't know what she is doing to me and can't understand the fact that you can't crawl out of a bed while naked in front of a man like me.

I felt my hard-on twitching in my pants as she stepped off of the bed and started walking towards my closet.

She probably needs the bathroom.

She opened up my closet before shutting it closed and searching for my bathroom knob and, luckily, she found it.

She pushed open the door and searched for the switch. The lights went on, revealing more of her skin, since the little moonlight in the room illuminated her features, but the bathroom light revealed a lot more.

She walked in the bathroom but never closed the door. She probably thought she was alone, so I just sat back. I noticed that she was taking her time in the bathroom.

Something was probably wrong.

I stood up from my seat and silently strutted over towards the bathroom, to catch a glimpse of her reflection through the mirror. Her solemn, pitiful face after seeing her back made me feel bad and want to stab myself three million times.

" I'm sorry," I muttered, and she jumped up in fright.

Her expression almost made me laugh, but I didn't. She quickly turned to find me under the door frame and I couldn't miss her shivering body. She glared down at her body, then back at me, reminding both of us that she was naked. I had to stifle the groan in my throat before I scared her even more. While shaking, she stepped back towards the vanity and gripped hard on it.

" You shaking again, " I said, stating the obvious and it was like at the sound of my voice, she lost control of her body and went faint on the floor while hyperventilating. Her weak, scared and fragile body was balled against the vanity. " Shit!"

I quickly rushed up to her and stood on my hind legs. She glared up at me and her body went pale. Her breathing went still and you couldn't miss the panic in her eyes.

" I'm helping you up," I alerted her.

I reached under her knees and pulled her up towards my chest. Even though she was thick, her body was light. She was still shaking, as if her body was cold. I walked towards the bed and plopped her on it.

I then ran into my closet and grabbed one of my t-shirts and rushed back into the room. I helped her put on the shirt and it reached mid-thigh. I then covered her with the blankets, as I saw she was still shivering. I then tried to hush her down by trailing a finger on her face, but even though her body relaxed, she still flinched under my touch. I felt aggravated and released a loud sigh.

" You need some rest," I said softly, irritation in my voice, but I can't tell if she noticed.

I quickly marched out the room and stood by the door. My room is silent proof so no one can hear anything from the outside, but I felt it rather than heard it. She was sobbing and her heart was shattered.

I finally walked away and headed back downstairs. A few of the soldiers were loitering around in their suits, most doing missions while others came back from them. Some in their casual clothes and minding their business. I have still been in my suit since last night.

Yesterday, Valentino found out that the Japanese Triad had spies in my Los Angeles territory and the Triad was one of the Colombian Mafia's allies. He then found out the location of the spies, only to find they were the family taking care of Andrea and, sadly, they had a son, so that was such a convenience.

We then went up to grab Andrea and capture the spies to get Intel on them, but we didn't get much as I had shot down both of them after the couple became crazy after I threatened or, let's say, promised to kill their son when I found them. He, too, might be a spy.

A couple of my guys then found them standing outside peeking through the window and seemingly the son was very unhappy. When they were found, they started running and they quickly turned into ninjas in a few seconds. With them jumping over fences in a few seconds and running quickly.

I had sent up a few of my men to find them when we came back home. My men later came back and said that the boys had help as they had got into a van and disappeared without a trace. Something tells me they were on their way to Colombia, but I'll just keep my thoughts to myself.

I strutted down towards the kitchen and went up to the fridge and grabbed out a bottle. I twisted the cap and gulped down the whole bottle before throwing the empty bottle in the trash. I turned back to find Ronaldo slouched against the counter.

He had a half empty bottle of Scotch in his hand, causing me to frown. He lifted his head up and you couldn't miss the redness in his eyes. His face was more pale than its usual color.

" You shouldn't be drinking," I stated, walking over to him.

" I know," He said before taking a large sip from the bottle, angering me. He is awakening his demons.

" Then why the fuck are you drinking?" I asked, folding my arms against my chair.

" It's not like you care. You are King. The most evil and the most powerful leader of the Mafia in America and soon to be the Italian Mafia Don," he said, causing me to frown as he reminded me of my inheritance.

" I do care. You are my fratello," I said, strutting over to him.

" But that's not enough," he said, causing me to frown.

He is doing that thing where he pushes both Lorenzo and I away so he can deal with his demons. I tried to grab the bottle but he swung it away from me and chuckled. He jumped from the bar stool and tried to regain his strength.

" Ronaldo, I'm warning you!" I growled at him and he formed a face of numbness in front of me.

" Shut up! I'm leaving," he said, ready to walk away from me, and I rushed from behind the counter towards him and pulled him back only for him to throw a punch, landing it on my jaw.

I turned to face the assassin. His eyes were dark red now and he was panting. I lifted my head at him to notice the tears trickling down from his eyes, tearing my heart into pieces. I've known him for twenty-eight years and we are both only twenty-nine and to see him like this broke me.

" Let's go to Dark Crystal," I suggested.

His face softened because he knew what I meant. If he was left alone, he would be out and about drinking alcohol and stuffing his face with coke supplied by us.

He nodded and turned around. I put my arm around his shoulder as we walked side by side. I couldn't miss his sniffs. I'm an inch taller than him, but we are both tall, so I slightly looked down on him. His head was hanging low as we were walking.

We walked out the house and as always, as if on cue, black SUVs were parked next to the pillars. Lorenzo stepped out of one of the SUVs and glared at us as we were walking. We finally reached him, with Ronaldo still under my arm.

" Where are you from?" I asked him and Valentino stepped out of the SUV as well.

He was holding his gear bag and an iPad in his hand. He was wearing a black long-sleeved shirt and black jeans with silver chains connected to his behind. He was also wearing black Nikes.

" We were trying to find out where the Colombians are. We were searching for clues back at the Raines' home. We found nothing. Seemingly the police cleaned up the scene, we had to bribe one of them to get through to create our own search. Luckily, Florida wasn't asked on the scene or else, " Lorenzo said, before he turned to face Ronaldo. He knew what I knew so he sighed out loud.

" Valentino, go inside the house and rest," I ordered him and he nodded before he climbed the steps leading into the house.

" Where are we going? " Lorenzo asked, climbing back inside the SUV.

" Dark Crystal," I said, and he nodded.

Ronaldo got in after Lorenzo and I was the last one. One of our soldiers closed the door for me and then another one climbed into the driver's seat and another got in the passenger seat. More of our men appeared and climbed the two other SUVs on the driveway and then we all started driving out of the premises going to Dark Crystal.

In twenty-five minutes, we were already parked outside the building. We got out of the car and Fernando nodded at us and we nodded back before we entered the building. Today the strip club was full.

Girls were dancing on the poles, others not far from being naked. Men surrounded each booth and threw money at the exotic dancers. Patrick, as if on cue, appeared from his office and rushed up to the three of us.

" King," he said, a bit fidgety. " How can we be of service?"

" Give Ronaldo two or three girls for his account for the rest of the night. Let him pick for himself," I said, and Patrick nodded. Ronaldo was still silent and his eyes were red as hell.

" I'll have a private session for an hour or two," Lorenzo said.

" And you King?" he asked and I shook my head no.

" I'm good. I just want the books because we have to see if the money is properly clean and if we are receiving enough money," I said to him, and I couldn't miss the fear in his eyes. Lorenzo glared at me and we both had the same thing in mind.

" Uhm, the next audit isn't until October sir," he said, and I scowled.

" Give me the books. Let's go," I said, shoving him in the direction of his office, leaving the boys to do what they wanted to do.

We finally reached his office and, as always, it's messy as fuck and it smells horrible and musky, like he ejaculates in this office.

I frown at him as he looks nervous. I walked over to the windows and opened all of them.

His desk had what seemed to be a sandwich with boiled eggs or whatever the yellow thing in it was. All in all, this office smells.

Funny how Patrick always looks presentable, maybe because I wouldn't want a slob working for me. Instead of attracting customers, he would probably chase them off.

" This office," I pointed out with a frown on my face and he nodded.

" I... I will clean it up sir." He spoke.

" Now I want my books," I said as I stood against the door because I was not going to sit on those chairs.

His face fell down before he handed me three fat files. As he handed it to me, I grabbed his hand and stared into his eyes.

" Nothing is missing, right?"

" Yes, King," he said nervously.

" Good," I said before walking out of the office with the files and heading to the bar.

I took a seat at the bar and Oliver AKA Onika, which is her undercover name, emerged from the counter. She chuckled when she saw me as she started fiddling with the glasses and wiping the glass and placing it in front of me on a coaster.

" Didn't know the big boss was coming in today," she said as she poured the most expensive scotch inside my glass.

" Well, I shouldn't announce my presence every time I come or else people like Patrick will try to hide their mess from me," I said before taking the drink and gulping it and placing it back on the coaster.

" He is fondling with the books," she said as she poured more scotch into my drink and I glared at her.

" What do you mean?" I asked.

" He is cooking the books. Also, recently I heard there are girls selling drugs but I don't have much Intel on who is the supplier and who they are working for. They could be handling the business on their own, but nah. They sell both to the clients and to the girls. It does get a lot more customers because it's double the fun," she said, and I frowned.

" Double what fun? You do know if the police pull up an investigation we are screwed?" I stated furiously and she shrugged.

" I'll see what I can do. I could have asked one of my friends but she has disappeared for a whole month now," she said, her face falling down.

" What friend?" I asked, confused.

" Anastasia. She used to work here but she disappeared last month. Her grandmother got killed and not so long ago, we found out the Raines family passed away because they were attacked at their home but we don't know where Andrea and Tae are," She spoke.

" Oh," I said, feeling rather uncomfortable. I wanted to tell her that we were behind it, but the less people knew, the better. Especially with Dominic buying my soldiers and turning them into moles. This matter needed only immediate soldiers of the organisation.

" When am I coming back to the Den? I love playing spy over here and shit but I need to get back into action." She spoke.

" After, I feel like the club is safe enough for you to get out." I said to her and she nodded. " Let me leave."

I got off from the bar stool and strutted out of the club. I walked towards one of the SUVs and ordered it to stay behind and wait for Ronaldo while the other waits for Lorenzo. The soldiers then separated into three's and entered each one of the SUVs.

Soon we left the place and we were on the way back to the Den when my phone started ringing. I pulled it out of my pocket and frowned when I saw the caller ID. What does he want?

" Alonzo," he said, and I sighed out loud. He could only call me using my Italian name.

" King," I said.

" How are you son?" he asked.

" What is it father?" I asked, running out of patience.

" Wow, you still aren't patient," he said before chuckling and I groaned.

I know I was not close with my dad and sometimes our relationship is more of a rivalry, but I still respected him and loved him for all the things he had done for me, even though I almost died one too many times because of him and his enemies.

" Father, what is it?"

" Velenski is out." He spoke.

" WHAT?" I roared, causing my soldiers to turn to face me with confused looks.

" Si. I called you to tell you to prepare for war."