20
Logan’s P. O. V.
You never know what it’s like to be in pain, what it’s like to feel like you couldn’t breathe unless you held on to someone until the only person you’ve ever loved, who has ever loved you gets killed in front of you. And you realize that the only hand you needed to hold on to so you could breathe had just been snatched from you.
That was the agonizing pain I felt when I saw Santiago DeAngelo get killed right in front of my eyes.
It was still the same trauma that keeps me up at night, knowing that I was right there that night and couldn’t save him. I’d watched him from the rope he’d been tied with as he took his last breath.
I could still feel the pain compressing down on my chest now as I traced my thumb on the antique silver cufflinks in my palm, staring at it’s shimmering light in the dark car as we proceeded towards Dani’s direction.
Santiago DeAngelo was my uncle. The only man who had ever loved me purely, who had taken me in when my father didn’t want me, when my own family turned their backs on me.
And they took him away from me.
The low life Gang of Jamie Templeman took him from me. Thinking about his scar face – the one I’d left there two years ago – causes my frown to deepen.
Over the course of four years after my uncle’s death, I’ve been driven by pain to avenge his death.
My uncle had been a bachelor during his life, seeing no relevance in marrying a woman and promising her anything. He never had a child, he said I was enough for him and he never stopped treating me as one.
At the age of seventeen, he had shown me half of his businesses and how he worked. He was a Mafia and nothing about it scared me like it was supposed to. I was filled with anger then, having been thrown out by my own father. I was more than willing to embrace whatever came my way.
Although he did have his own fair share in women, something I’d genuinely inherited from him and thus proving the rumor about me being a womanizer right. But he never loved any. He didn’t see the need to. Loving a woman was completely unnecessary, he’d taught me that.
I looked up, the image of Layla’s pitiful eyes staring right back at me. Yeah, I’m going to have my time with her one way or another.Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.
Jamie Templeman was my uncle’s sworn enemy who had sucseeded in putting a bullet through my uncle’s body and disposing off his body inside the waters. It was the most unhonorable death any common man could ever be subjected to. I never outgrew the pain not for a second and it has been hard in the first two years.
My uncle had left all of his fortune in my possession, left his businesses and countless men to my care. Even though I’d become his sole partner over the years before his demise and was already part of his Mafia trench, nothing seemed so different getting my name legally on all those papers his lawyers kept bringing up to me.
Drawn by my anger for Jamie Templeman, I’d hunted his family down and killed his wife and son. They weren’t his legal family, she was a mere concubine. But I’d never for once regretted my action.
But For over a year he has done a great job of disappearing without a trace, including his legal wife and only son. But I swore to hunt him down and spill every last blood in their veins. I would burn down his companies to show him I was just starting.
Last week Dani had notified me that on a night drink with the other guys at a downtown pub, they’d seen a man who looked exactly like one of Jamie’s men. It was easy to know seeing as he only worked with a few number of people. Trust issues.
According to Dani, he seemed to be constantly watching his back, as if hiding from someone, as if coming out that hour of the night to drink was a big danger for him.
I’d asked Dani to track him down to his apartment but the day he was made, he left before my men could get there.
And just last night, I was notified that he was still in town. He had not the slightest clue that I was tailing him. He’d changed apartments out of sheer fright. He had good instincts, I’d give him credit for that.
And now, Dani has discovered him drinking at an underground pub. He was going to lead me right to Jamie’s hideout. And if he couldn’t go that far, he would lead me to someone who would.
As soon as our cars drove to the dark backyard of a small women salon shop, I stepped out, Astrid leading the way and Dani right behind me. The salon is small and local, typical disguise for something beneath it. The women, dressed like prostitutes screamed as we badged in, bracing themselves.
A few of my men including Dani stopped to secure the place while I followed Astrid who was quick to spot the underground doorway covered with a thick rug. He flips it over and pulled the door up. We matched into the place, alcohol reeking off every corner of the tight space. It was dark, coated in strong smoke.
Bodies plastered against each other on the couches and on the dancing floors, music booming from the DJ, the disco light revolving neon lights. I watched gently, scanning the faces for him.
My eyes stopped as soon as they caught sight of a set of curious eyes. They widened in fear and surprise as they saw me before he leaped off his feet and tried to run. Astrid circled the chairs and hit him on the neck. But he managed to slip away from his hand, running through the narrow hall that seemed to lead somewhere, like a back room.
Slowly scanning the place, I tried to look for possible exits. This was an underground room. It was nearly impossible to have another exit.
I scanned for another door where I was sure he’s going to burst out and spotted another door, just beside the DJ. Astrid had chased after him, along with two of my men. I followed the other door alone, my frown deepening.