She stood, bringing her hands up and ignoring her aching knees. She perused her surroundings and saw an empty bar. The place was bare except for the counter and two wooden stalls. The windows were shut tight with slabs of plywood and the door in front of her was the only escape route.
Fuck. Did Dos do this?
Caly backtracked her memories for a minute. Vince's investigation had been about the traitor that Francisco Castellano hired. But how could it be that kid? He was the son of the previous capo of the family.
Callista scoffed at her own thought. Even blood relatives could betray you.
She focused her mind on her escape. She didn't need a savior. In fact, she didn't anyone. Not even Castor.
Callista tugged at her restraints. It was loose on her wrists though it bumped on her thumb. She could do it. She yanked her hand. Hard. Caly gritted her teeth as crushing pain lanced through her fingers, her bones aching in protest.
She screamed as she pulled her hand free. "Shit!"
Her fingers trembled, blood rushing to the area where her bones had been pressed tight. Caly looked at her other hand which was attached to the pole. She bit her lip, imagining the inevitable agony she would feel.
Before she could do it, the door burst open and Castor's shadowy figure entered the bar.
"Stay right there!" she yelled and pulled at her left hand.
"What? Are you stupid? Let me help you!"
Castor stomped inside that she whirled to him, eyes flashing in anger. "I can help myself!”
She continued yanking her hand as her eyes burned. Her heart pumped at a rapid pace.
"Callista? What's wrong with you?" Castor's confused voice filled the tiny room.
"Nothing!" she huffed in annoyance as her tears started to pour. Caly tugged at the metal restraints repeatedly, slapping her free hand against the wall. She hit the wall over and over again until her palms splintered. "Fuck! Why can't I get this off?"
She hung her head in defeat. Her dark hair curtained over her face hiding the globs of liquid that fell from her eyes.
"Caly, tell me what's wrong, please..." She heard him say that brought another wave of tears to her face.
Damn. She was so pathetic.
~~~~
The smell of chrysanthemums and burning candles filled the six-year old's nostrils. Her small fingers clutched her daddy's hand tighter as the casket was lowered to the ground.
"Dad, why do people leave?" Callista Genovese's tiny voice asked.
Her daddy crouched to her level. Caesar Genovese plastered a small smile on his lips. "Because that's what people do. They will come into your life and make you happy and then, they leave." He let out a deep sigh, his voice cracking. "Sometimes, they won't even say goodbye."
Caly blinked the tears that formed on her lashes. "Will you leave me too, daddy? Like Mommy?"
"Someday," he replied. "Nothing's permanent in this world."
The girl looked down, lips trembling at the truth that her father told her. Her mommy used to tell her that everyone gets a happy ever after but it's not true. Her mommy had left her daddy. Her mommy had left her. And her daddy said he would leave her too.
Hot tears fell from the girl's eyes. "B-but how about me? I don't wanna be alone!"
"Don't worry, Callista." He wiped her wet cheeks with his thumbs. "If I teach you everything I know, you'll never depend on anyone again. You'll be fine even if they leave."
"It won't hurt?”
"It won't." He smiled even if it didn't reach his eyes. "I promise."
~~~~
Her father had lied.
Callista was certain that her heart was breaking right now. It wasn't supposed to go like this.
Everything she had done was to let people see that they couldn't touch her, to let them know how much power she held. She had a goal to reach and she knew she had to keep going. No matter what.
Her father might stupidly cling to his ideologies but she was the same.
She would always choose the path that would benefit her in the long run more than the one that could only give her fleeting satisfaction. Because like her father had said, nothing was permanent. Unless you make it so.
It had been that way since her mother had died. Sure. Guilt seeped into her soul from time to time but she had managed to force it down.
And cutting off Castor Luciano from her life was supposed to be easy. She had done it for three years. No matter how badly she wanted to go to him, to hug him and let him comfort her, she hadn't. She had stopped herself. She couldn't depend on someone that much. She knew that.
So when he had said that they couldn't see each other anymore, she acted impulsively.
Asking for space? That's the step before leaving.
She had lost it and said things she didn't mean.
But she was wrong. Leaving might hurt but Callista was certain that stepping on her best friend's heart was three thousand times more painful. She had never regretted her actions before. Any decision she made was do or die.
Until today.
"I'm fine." Callista croaked out. She turned to him, eyes bloodshot from crying. "You should leave. I think Dos set this trap."
"How can I leave when you need me?" Castor shook his head as he came closer. He lifted her chin, pushing the messy locks off her face with his other hand. "What's wrong? Can't you tell me?"
Callista was ashamed. Tears burned at the edge of her eyes. How could he even stand to look at her? She was a devil wrapped in silk. She had deceived people, used them and discarded them. Even him. And for what? For a future where she's all alone?
He didn't deserve a liar like her.
"Well, well..." Dos' voice resounded in the empty bar as he shut the door close. "If this isn't a tearful reunion.”
"Cas! Look out!" Callista's eyes had widened.
Dos swung his fist that Castor stumbled backward. He grabbed a stool and hit his boss. Caly screamed in terror as Castor Luciano fell on his knees.
Dos didn't relent. He kicked his head. Twice. Thrice. Ten times.
"Stop it!" Callista shouted. She held her breath for a moment before relief flooded her veins when Castor moved.
He propped himself on his knees despite the blood flowing from his head and nose. With the back of his hand, he wiped at his bleeding nose that the crimson blood smeared on the left side of his face. Castor's emerald eyes gleamed in fury. "Asshole.”
Caly's heart thundered on her ribcage. Ah, damn. Why did she have to breakdown when she had been kidnapped? Emotions were truly dangerous.
Dos was about to hit him again when she yelled. "Wait! Dos!"
She hoped that Castor had called for back-up before coming to the place. Talking down a criminal wasn't as easy as the movies show. "Why are you doing this?"
"Why?" Dos smirked, dragging a hand through his curls. "You see, I grew up hearing fearsome stories about the Luciano family. So when dad asked if I wanted to join, I said yes."
He sneered at Castor as he continued talking. "But all I got was this lovesick fool! What a joke, right? Fucking useless! So when Vincent wasn't on my tail anymore, I knew this was the perfect time to act."
"Vince?" Caly echoed.
"He was sniffing around Benjamin. You see, that blond kid also needed to grow a spine and I was happy to help." He grinned, smugness coloring his tanned features.
"You killed Elena because it made Franco weak?" Callista scoffed, her stormy gaze directed at the younger boy. "You think that strutting around like a big bad wolf is cool?" She laughed. "Do you know who have ideals like that? Twelve-year-olds!”
Dos growled at her. "What do you know? You're a fucking princess who can step on people whenever she wants! Isn't that what you did to him?"
Remorse smashed through Callista. She hadn't even apologized to Castor yet but she had already placed him in danger. Great going, Caly.
"I know," she mumbled, her wrist burning as she wiggled her way out of the restraint. "I know that. You see, he's different than yo
u and me. He's an idiot who will look past people's mistakes and accept them as they are," Callista smirked. "If you apologize right now, Castor will forget this ever happened. You know that."
"What? You crazy?" Dos blinked at her, jaw clenched.
Out of nowhere, Castor lunged at him. He twisted Dos' arm, pushing him backward when Dos pulled out a gun on him.
A shot rang in the air.
***
CHAPTER 32
Callista Genovese didn't know fear. There was a trick to that. Never have anything important that you are too afraid to lose. And she had been living that way since the start.
No one knew her weakness. Maybe Tori and Thomas.
But it was her secret.
She let out a relieved sigh as the bullet hit the wall. Based on Dos' eclectic eyes and harsh breaths, he was the kind who's bound to shoot anything that moves. He had instigated a shootout instead of killing his target. Of course, he was crazy.
Caly immediately knew what to do. "You know what, Dos?"
Castor frowned at her but she continued talking, "If you want to hurt Castor that much, that gun should probably be on me."
"Callista!" Her best friend yelled as Dos grinned and switched his target.
Castor rested a hand on the counter, gripping it tight as the blood resumed flowing from his head. "Callista, are you an idiot?"
Caly should have felt panic and terror and all of the things that came with death as she stared at the end of a gun.
But she didn't.
Because the truth was, there was only one thing she was afraid of losing.
Not her money. Not her father. Not her life.
Only her best friend.
~~~~
Callista Genovese marched to a group of boys, her committee badge shining on her collar. She waved the smoke away, ignoring the irked look on their faces. She tilted her head up. "Smoking is prohibited on school grounds."
"Bitch," one of them said.
"Oh, sorry." The boy with dark hair and rings on his fingers threw his cigarette and stepped on it. He kicked off from the wall and stood in front of her. "Done."
She smirked at him. "Good boy.”
...
"Why are you sitting with me?" Callista demanded when Castor Luciano sat in front of her. He had been looking at her ever since the smoking incident. Caly was prepared for a retaliation some sort after knowing what kind of group he ran with. But what she got was a stalker. After the weird gazes, he finally had the courage to approach her.
Caly tipped her head to the side. "Don't you know who I am?"
"The killer queen?" he replied. Castor twirled his fork on his pasta, his emerald eyes twinkling. "Where'd you get that nickname? It's quite...scary.”
Callista's fingers curled around an empty milk carton. She crushed it on her fist as she grinned at him. "I can show you if you want?"
Castor chuckled, "Sure. I look forward to it, your majesty.”
...
"Caly, what's audacious?"
Callista turned the page of her book, leaning against the wall of her favorite corner in the library. The place used to be her sanctuary. It prevented her from associating with bumbling idiots. But Castor had found her and barged into her space even with the scathing looks she threw his way.
"It means bold, fearless, daring," she said begrudgingly.
"Oh." Castor instantly wrote it down and started drawing a figure next to it.
Caly closed her book. "Why are you even here? Don't you have classes?"
"Nah, I failed already." He raised his head to meet her stare. "And I like you."
Callista set her book down and brought up her knees against her chest. "You're only saying that because you don't know me."
"Wanna bet?"
"Idiot.”
....
Callista had begun to get used to Castor's presence in the library. She didn't want to admit it but she enjoyed his questions and his attention on her.
When he came in late, Caly quickly noticed his frown. She licked her lips and debated whether he should ask him. She swallowed her fears. "What's wrong? Somebody stole your car?"
Castor sat on the floor next to her, head flinging backward. "No. Worse."
Caly couldn't get rid of the itch on her tongue. "Why?"
"I wanted to join the art club. But they said that I can't," he mumbled, fists clenched on his sides.
"They're afraid of you," she responded and opened her Chemistry book.
"Ah, I see."
....
Callista closed the restroom door as she followed her target inside. She leaned on the door and crossed her arms as the girl went out of a cubicle.
She yelped. "What are you doing?"
"I heard you rejected Castor Luciano because of..." she hummed, "What is it again? Hmm, discrimination?"
"I-I just..." she stuttered.
"Your sister has a piano recital next week, right?" Caly's lips stretched into a terrifying smile. "What if...she lost a finger?”
"Please don't!" The girl got on her knees, clasping her palms together. "I'm sorry!
"Great!" she announced and turned her back. "And if you tell anyone what happened here—"
"I won't!"
....
Callista yawned as she finished solving the Chemistry problems. She shut her notebook and shoved it in her bag when Castor rushed in. He beamed at her.
She rolled her eyes. "What?"
"I heard what you did."
Caly's grip on her bag tightened. "Oh?"
"Sonia looked at my work! And she accepted me!" he yelled that the librarian cleared her throat. Castor yanked a chair and sat next to her. "You did something?"
Callista's heart thundered at his proximity. She managed to give a shrug. "It was nothing."
"Thank you," he said, looking at her with something like awe. Castor opened his backpack and placed a red apple in front of her. "A gift."
She raised an eyebrow. "An apple?"
"For the fairest of them all.”
Callista burst out laughing that the librarian shushed them again. She wiped the tears that formed on her eyes. "You know I'm more like an evil queen, right?"
"Not evil." Castor shook his head. "Maybe audacious?"
She chuckled, "Is that the only word you know?"
"I also know bold, fearless, daring..."
Caly bit her lip as she began to realize that she never wanted to see him hurt ever again. Happiness suited him better.
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