by Holt, Leah
Crooking his jaw, Virgo drove his hands into her hair and yanked her head back. Berlin let out a cry, reaching her hands up to grab his wrists. “When this is all over, you and I need to have a little talk. I found money in your room, Berlin, that's a big no no.” Using her hair to pull her head against his face, he forced her to look at me. “Look at him, take a good fucking look.” Biting his bottom lip, an evil smile spread on his face as his eyes connected with mine. “Your boyfriend isn't who you think he is—”
Jerking my body forward, I snarled. “Don't you fucking hurt her.” The cord tightened more, making my voice drop to a whisper.
“I don't have to hurt her, you're going to. What she's going to learn is going to tear her apart. You get to break her this time, I don't have to do a fucking thing. But later, once you're gone and she's all alone, I'll come for her. And then I'll make her hurt again for stealing from me. For now, I'm going to enjoy this.”
“Don't.”
“But it's the reason we're all here, like one big happy family.” Smiling, he spun the flower against her chin, tickling it up her cheek. He looked fucking insane, like a crazed mental patient. “You and Bentley are connected, did you know that, my sweet girl?”
Berlin didn't answer, keeping her eyes on me.
“This isn't your place,” I huffed out, my words dry and hoarse.
“But doesn't she deserve the truth? You want to buy her, you want to set her free. But, I think she should know the entire story before she willingly accepts you as her hero.”
Berlin's eyes were wide and nervous. “What are you talking about? I don't understand what you're talking about.”
“Do you want to tell her?” he asked, smirking from ear to ear. “Oh wait, you're a little tied up. Maybe I should just do it.”
Holding out my hand, I tried to soften my expression, despite the fact that I could feel my face swelling from the pressure. “Berlin—”
“His father is the one who killed your mother.” Virgo spat the words out before I could say anything, his smile huge and full of satisfaction as he watched the color drain from her face.
Releasing her head, Virgo took a step back, allowing himself to bask in her reaction.
“What?” she asked, her voice nothing but air as she took a big step backwards. “He what?”
“That's right, Berlin, Bentley's father is the one who did it. Did he forget to mention that tiny detail as he fucked your brains out last night?”
That was it, I couldn't take that shit anymore. Slipping my fingers beneath the cord, I used my legs to pounce up, throwing the guy behind me off balance. With one fast twist, I had the cord around his neck, pulling it tight until his body went limp.
He wasn't dead, not yet. But it was enough to knock him out cold for a bit.
“Berlin,” I said, taking a long stride forward.
“Stay back! Don't come near me!” Tears started to stream down her cheeks as she held her chest trying to catch her breath. “You're father took my mother from me?”
“No,” I said, cutting the air with my hand and throwing my finger at Virgo. “He's the one who set the ball in motion, he was the mastermind behind that entire fucking day. My father didn't want to do it, but Virgo wouldn't let it go.”
“Why didn't you tell me? How could you not tell me?” Tears spilled effortlessly down her cheeks. She looked so lost, so afraid, so crushed. It was like all the emotions she had been holding onto suddenly floated to the surface.
“I didn't know that it was you and your family, Berlin, not at first.” Taking another step in, I tried to reach for her.
I wanted to hold her, secure her in my arms and let her cry until she couldn't cry anymore. My fingers ached to brush her hair, my tongue tingled to whisper soothing words in her ear.
Holding my arm out, I inched closer. And that's when it happened, that's when I saw the look, the same look I had seen on my mother. Hate.
Swatting my hand away, she kept moving deeper into the room, staying out of reach. “When did you know? When did you realize it?”
Laughing, Virgo leaned against the table. He didn't seem phased that I had just gotten out of his trap, it was almost as if he expected it anyway.
“Tell her more, tell her the truth. You want to play the good guy, but we both know that's bullshit. Tell her how your father gave her sister and brother away, how he was the man who brought her to me. Tell her how your father hunted hers down like a fucking animal. How he cornered him and slit his throat, and how he loved every second watching him beg for his life . .” Pausing, he lifted his hand to his lips and grinned happily. “Tell her how you were there.”
“Oh my God,” she groaned, clawing at her throat. “I can't breathe, I can't breathe.” Her lungs lifted and fell with labored urgency as her face went pale gray. “I can't see, I can't breathe.” Tumbling backwards on shaky legs, Berlin shut her eyes, trying desperately to not pass out as she planted a palm on the wall.
I wanted to run to her, I was ready do what she wanted me to all along and whisk her away from all of this pain.
But the anger inside had reached its boiling point. I felt numb from head to toe as the adrenaline surged through my muscles, releasing the monster that lived inside me.
I honestly didn't know it was her at first. But when she said her full name it all came rushing back.
Memories of that day flooded my head. I was still new, only turning eighteen a month before. It was my second job with my father and his crew, and I was just doing what he told me to. There were no real details, just that we were looking for a single man who owed a lot of money.
My role was to check the house, to go in and see if that guy was there. If he was, my father wanted me to bring him out. I wasn't allowed to kill him, because our client wanted him alive. But the house was empty. Her father had gone into hiding, abandoning his family, not realizing the true danger he had put them in until it was too late.
It all happened so fast, and was done before I could even stop my father. I never expected him to kill the woman or take the kids. I only knew the information that he gave me.
But who I was to against my father?
I remembered when we got home that day and the look of disappointment on his face as he realized what he had done. And I remembered the blindfolded little girl that was sitting in the backseat of his car.
I never knew what happened to that little girl, or where the other two kids ended up, and I never asked. It wasn't until Berlin told me her full name that I was able to put two and two together.
What she didn't realize was how that day changed my life too. It was the day I knew I had to do things differently. I had to make sure only the right man got what was coming. I wasn't going to kill the innocent. I wasn't going to use the innocent to get back at the wicked.
It wasn't right, it was wrong.
I didn't care who came looking for a job, if they said they wanted everyone in the house dead for one person's betrayal, I said no.
That was only time I could say I honestly felt hate for my father, and was able to see the man my mother saw. The greed and power had taken over, he had lost his ability to separate his values.
She hated him, and for a little while, I hated him too.
After that day, things changed, he did things differently. It was as if he had looked in the mirror and saw the same person my mother did. I don't think he liked the image he saw peering back.
So, we had laid out plans, we weren't allowed to deviate from it. If it didn't seem like it would work, we pulled back until the timing was right.
I know he felt remorse for what he had done, and I often thought he still felt that remorse up until the day he died.
Because his last words to me were, 'I'm sorry, tell her I'm sorry.”
I never really knew what he was talking about, not until right then as I watched Berlin collapse to the floor.
Was he talking about her?
“Nice job, dip-shit, you killed her.” Virgo was softly c
aressing the flower, pulling the petals between his fingers with a tender force so that they didn't pluck free.
Growling, I whipped my body around and lunged forward. Gripping his throat in my hand, I squeezed, cutting off his air supply. “You fucking asshole,” I said, digging my fingertips deeper into his skin. “I should fucking kill you right here.”
“Then do it.” His lips moved in soundless words as his held his gaze on mine.
“It's not for me to decide if you live or die, it's hers.” Looking at Berlin, she was starting to come to, pushing herself up off the floor. Drawing back my fist, I let it go easily.
Connecting with his face, I watched the blood as it started to trickle out of nose and over his lip. Virgo smiled, his teeth bloody and tinted red.
“You fucking pussy, you're not even strong enough to kill me. You want to leave it up to a stupid fucking whore. You are just like your father, you're weak.”
That was it. I lost control. Any restraint I had been gently coddling, quickly dissolved.
Punch after punch landed on his face. I could feel his bones as they crunched beneath my knuckles, and his skin as it grew warm from fresh blood. Virgo's body went limp as I repeatedly hit him.
Dropping him to the ground, he flopped over into a bloody pile. He was groaning, rolling around slightly as he held his face.
Turning to Berlin, I dropped to her side. “I'm sorry, Berlin. I really had no idea, not until today. I should have told you, but I wasn't sure how you would react. You already had a reason to hate me, I didn't want to give you another one.” Filling her in on some of the details, I watched her face as it transformed. It was as if I had filled in some of the blanks, pieces of that day that she was missing.
Helping her up, she looked at me, her expression sad, but holding understanding. “It's not your fault, I can't blame you for something you didn't have any control of. That's not right or fair to you.”
“I really am sorry, I was still just a kid, barely a man. There was nothing I could do to help you.”
“Stop,” she said, holding up her hand and touching my cheek. “Stop apologizing for something that's not your fault.” Her eyes fell on Virgo, lids lowering as her lip curled. “Fucking piece of shit.” Walking over to him, she gave him a quick kick to the ribs.
I watched as her body began to shake and her tears came pouring down her cheeks. “I fucking hate you! I fucking hate you! You stole my family! You stole my life!”
Berlin stomped on his head, kicking him in the face and any other open area she could find.
Stepping to her side, I grabbed her arm. “Here,” I said, pulling the hidden gun from my waist.
“What am I going to do with this?” she asked as she took it in her hand.
“Whatever you see fit.” Taking a step back, I lifted my chin and straightened my back. “It's your choice to kill him and it's your choice to let him live.”
Her eyes instantly went back to Virgo. He was laying on his back, hands out to the side. “Should I kill you?” she asked him, tipping her head into her shoulder. “You made my life living hell. You deserve to die.”
“You won't kill me, you don't have it in you.” His bloody smirk widened, exposing more red teeth. “You're weak, just like your father. He ran because he couldn't face me, he couldn't face his punishment like a real man. No one steals from me, he got what he deserved.”
Pursing her lips, Berlin pointed the gun in his face as she peered down at him. “Did you ever think that maybe he saved your life because he ran? Maybe my father could have killed you, but instead he let you live. I just don't think he would have made that choice if he knew my mother would lose her life.”
“Your father didn't do me any favors. He deserved everything he got, right down to your fucking mother.”
Pulling back the hammer, Berlin pressed the gun to his temple. “I want to hear you beg. Beg me to kill you, beg me like you made me beg you.”
His lips thinned as his eyes crinkled. “I'll never beg you, I won't beg someone I don't respect.”
Pushing the gun harder against his skin, she screamed. “Beg me to fucking kill you!”
“Just fucking do it! Stop drawing it out! Fucking kill me!”
Berlin smiled, a genuine, satisfied smile. “I am going to kill you, but it won't be like this. You're going to spend every fucking day wishing I pulled the trigger.” In one quick snap, she cracked the butt of the gun against his head, knocking him out cold.
Dropping to her haunches, she dug around in his pocket and pulled out his cell phone. The screen lit up and I watched her as she dialed some numbers. “Hi, I'd like to report a place called the Canary. The owner is keeping girls hostage and selling them to men. He also murdered a woman named Tabitha. . .” Berlin listed a few more names quickly, hanging up the phone, and dropping it on his chest.
“We should probably go now,” I said, taking the gun from her and tucking it back into place.
“Follow me, I know where to go.” Grabbing my wrist, she tugged me along. “There's a back exit, we can go out there.”
Following her through the halls, we took a few turns and exited a hidden door in the back. Berlin kept her eyes open, her senses on high alert as she lead us back to my car.
No one even noticed us.
Not Vin, not any of the other guards, we slipped out as if we hadn't even been there.
Jumping into my car, I started it up and got us out of there as quickly as I could. Berlin was smiling as she rolled down the window and let the wind blow through her hair.
This woman was amazing. She was glowing, her cheeks flushed a deep shade of pink as her smile grew.
And as we passed a cluster of cop cars, driving in the direction we had just come from, Berlin let out a sigh.
“What's wrong?”
“I left my flower there.”
Laughing, I took her hand in mine, bringing it to my lips and kissing the back of her palm. Reaching down, I pulled the crushed flower out from the small pocket in the car door. “No you didn't.”
Berlin's eyes lit up with happiness, making my heart skip a beat. Holding the wilted flower, she leaned over and kissed my cheek.
“Thank you,” she said.
“No, thank you.” Braiding out fingers together, I pulled her hand into my lap. “You made me see what's really important, and it's not what I thought it was.”
“What do you mean?”
“Love. You made me see how much it matters.” Berlin's cheeks blushed, the color spreading down her throat and over her chest.
“Are you saying—”
I didn't let her finish. “I'm saying that I love you, Berlin.”
And I did. I loved that girl.
I loved her and I would do anything to keep her safe.
Because sometimes, you find love in the dark.
Epilogue
Berlin
Six Months Later
Sitting on the couch, I flipped through the stations, landing on the news. The camera was zoomed in on Virgo's face as he sulked in his chair. He was wearing the same jet black suit I had always seen him in, with his yellow handkerchief tucked into his breast pocket.
The camera panned the room, coming back to a closeup on Virgo's eyes. Even right then, knowing he was behind a screen, miles away, I still felt this sense of uneasiness, as if he could see me through the glass.
“Alleged mob boss, Virgo Berchello, was arraigned today on charges that range from money laundering, to tax fraud, sex trafficking, and murder. Italian officials speculate he could be responsible for over two dozen disappearances between three different countries. Multiple women were removed from the dwelling, names of the victims are being kept private to protect their identities. Authorities are still looking for several names associated with the Canary. Vinchenzo Manziolla, Alfred-Blue- Fiozza, Dominic Bianchi. . .” Pictures of the men came across the screen, making my heart flutter with a stilling fear. 'If you see these men, they are considered armed and dangerous. Contact your loc
al authorities immediately.”
They could come looking for me. . .
Virgo's face popped back onto the screen, causing the news anchor's voice to fade as I zoned out. It was unsettling to see his face again, to know that even after being imprisoned for months, he still had this halo of dark dust floating around his head. The way he glared at the judge as he read the charges, the way he held himself like he was an innocent man being wrongfully accused, it just made me sick.
The front door opened and Bentley stepped inside, carrying a plastic bag of groceries. “Hey,” he said, glancing at the television, “What are they saying?”
“Who cares, so long as he spends the rest of his life in prison. I can't watch this anymore, I hate seeing his face.” Hitting the power button on the remote, I tossed it onto the coffee table.
“What about your sister and brother? Were you able to find any information?”
Shrugging a shoulder, I furrowed my brows. “Nothing yet. I'm hoping that as the trial moves forward there's stuff that comes out I can use. I don't even know where to begin.”
“Don't worry, you'll find them, I know you will.”
Forcing a smile, I pulled my gaze off of his. “The thing I keep wondering is what happens if I do? Will they remember me? Hazel might, she was older, but Jonas was barely one. And what would I tell them?”
Tilting his head, Bentley softened his eyes. “You'd tell them the truth, because they'd be old enough to understand it.”
“Yeah, I just don't know if I'd want to tell them the entire truth, or if finding them would really do any good for them at all.”
It was hard to imagine exactly what I would say to them if I ever did find them. A part of me thought that they might just be better off where they are. From what Salt knew about that day, my siblings were adopted by a family who couldn't afford to go through all the legal loop holes, but that was it. He didn't know where they actually went, if they stayed in the states or were sent someplace else.
Maybe it's better if I never find them?
If they had no memory of that day, no memory of me or the life they used to have, what good would it do for me come in out of nowhere and shatter their world?
