Vanished in Chicago (Vanished)

“What would you know? My father thought you had the balls for this business, but I knew the truth. You don’t have what it takes to make a name for yourself. You couldn’t stomach some of the shit I have had to do to make this city cower before us.”

“You are right. I could never become a pedophile and rape innocent girls like the brud you are.” He swells up when I call him dirt. Good. I want him to come for me. "It's funny that to you my brother and I were the trash, but you, you are the shit put in the pig pens.” In Poland there is no worse insult. His eyes leave mine for a second as his nostrils flair and I pull my piece knowing he is going for his.

“What a situation we find ourselves in…son.” he says, aiming his Glock at me.

“Nothing that hasn’t happened since the beginning of time. Considering you just had your own father killed, this should be like a walk in the park for you.”

“True. Very true. Except I have no intention of dying tonight and let's be honest, you are not going to...” he doesn't finish before I shoot him in his gut, making sure not to aim at the organs that would kill him before his blood has a chance to run from his heart.

“You were saying?” he holds his stomach and stares at me in disbelief.

“You shot me.” he grunts as he begins to fall.

“Like father like…nope, that doesn’t apply here.” I watch as he hits the floor still clutching his gut, blood soaking his shirt, spilling over onto his white floors. Bending down, I pull my butcher knife from my pant leg and kneel over his dying body. “I wanted you alive when the blade penetrated your chest. I want your eyes on me knowing I am the one snuffing what is left of your miserable, revolting life. Me. The son you had forsaken and treated like the mud under your boot. I am the one turning out what was left of your dull light. May God have mercy on your soul.”

I stab him in the chest and roar as the warm copper smell hits my face. I drag it through his skin, ripping it apart, blood splattering everywhere. Making a circle around his heart I watch it take its last pump before it stops moving. Breaking each of his ribs, I contemplate keeping one or two of them as souvenirs for myself, but my prize is waiting for me, and I am done being away from her.

Having done what, I came here to do, I place it in a box I bought just for the occasion and then I re-enter the house to get Katya. Time for both of us to go where we belong.

TWENTY

CHIARA

It has been two days since my sister brought me back here to New York and I have barely slept a wink. It has been great being home, don’t get me wrong, but I haven’t heard from him. I have been messaging him and calling him and nothing. He hasn’t been answering the phone or messaging me back and it is both pissing me off and making me feel sick. “Jesus, Chiara sit down for two minutes.'' Martina says walking into the room. Rolling my eyes at her, I try to sit down on the bed and breathe for a second. “Have you been sleeping at all?” She asks while sitting in front of me.

“No. I haven’t been able to sleep without him.” It's weird how fast my dependency on him happened. “I am so, so scared Tina. What if he gets killed?” She grimaces when I shorten her name and I try not to laugh especially since any happiness right now feels wrong. She hates it when we call her Tina. She lets me get away with it because we are cousins, and she has been around me my whole life.

“My God, you really love him?'' Her face shows shock and incredulity.

“I do, Tina. I know it is cray cray but I do. How we came to be together is wrong and he knows it. Hell, I gave him a hard time about it every step of the way, but he didn’t give up. He and his family showed me every day I was being welcomed and that I was important to him.” She smirks at me, and I know why. I sound like Lily. I have always been the skeptical one along with Giulia, but he broke me in the best way. “I know you don’t believe in love. I mean why would you. You and the others have all seen more than me and my sister ever have but I feel it, here.'' I put my hand to my chest and rub it.