Rhapsody (Butcher and Violinist 1)

Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service alleged that the battle dealt with arms dealings. The UK’s MI6 jumped in, claiming that the fight had begun over problems of territory in America.

Men never understood the conflicts of a human heart.

Why else would one kill another, if not for love?

And so we had three years of war. Celina had two lovers in Russia—a politician and a high military general. They died the first month. I killed her prime minister in London, right in his opera box. The next day, I sent his face to her doorstep.

I hadn’t touched the lover in Prague, due to his close relation to Kazimir. But I planned to get him this week.

Shalimar continued to give Rafael information. After a year, she refused to talk to Rafael anymore, and agreed to give any details to Louis. However, she remained loyal and continued to spy for us.

Every now and then, Rafael returned to Belladonna, but no one knew what he was doing.

The only good thing about these years was that Rafael and I had made France a powerhouse. For the first time in decades, the Corsican was as feared as the Bratva, if not even more. Some of the weaker Bratva units hid when we snuck into Russian towns. All were unsure of how the Bratva had disrespected us. So naturally, they did not want to further insult.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t enter America without flagging every agency and country. I remained in Paris most of the time, making my chess moves from there, and watching Eden live her life in Belladonna.

Due to my inability to see Eden, the past three years were filled with lots of blood and rage. I killed more than I ever had in my life. I’d sliced and cut. I replaced ten bladed-bows, breaking one on a Russian’s spine.

Bratva died left and right.

Many of my men remained in Belladonna to watch Eden. Giorgio had returned and headed our operations there.

The one positive to this whole situation was that Celina and I had guarded Eden so well, that she’d given up on dating. No man could get through my men or Celina’s. So, Eden slung herself into the symphony, not knowing why no new men had asked her out or took a minute to say hello.

Around Christmas, I took a break from the war and let the Bratva spend time with their families and open presents. Hopefully, they would give their kids good memories, before I cut their hearts out.

They’ll pay by the New Year. I can’t believe Celina did that to Eden.

It’s Celina’s last attempt for control. She shut the Belladonna Symphony down. There’d been no reason for it, but I was sure my control of the Symphony had her on edge. She had her Russians dump dead bodies in the theater and the city police plant evidence of corruption on the board. All of that led the FBI to the actual crimes of our money laundering through the organization.

Luckily for her, we’d pulled out our funds, before the FBI had frozen our accounts.

She took the Symphony away from her niece, just so I couldn’t touch her. Now what will Eden do? This has to end soon.

My limo stopped at the address that Rafael had given me.

Louis sat next to me.

I looked at him. “Do you know what Rafael’s surprise is?”

“No,” he said.

Rafael had asked for all of us to show up.

When the limo parked in front of a large building, I leaned toward the glass and looked out. On the building, a large name blared in pink.

Shalimar? He named something after her? Why?

We all had gone through a change in these past two years. While I’d gone darker, Rafael had somehow brightened. He still killed with a vengeance by my side, but there were times when Rafael could be seen staring at his phone as if waiting for someone to text a reply.

I left the limo and headed to the building’s entrance.

Louis let out a long breath behind me. “Now this explains why he made me leave America and come back to Paris last year.”

“Why?”

He got to my side. “I was the only person serving as a middle man to Shalimar and him. I thought Rafael didn’t like it, but—”

“You think Rafael is obsessed with Shalimar?”

Louis gestured to the title of the building.

I nodded. “Good point.”

“I hope I’m wrong. It’s hard enough dealing with your obsession. We don’t need Rafael falling in love too.”

I glared at him.

“Sorry.”

We entered a massive space that was pretty much empty besides a few tables and chairs. The walls had just been painted bright pink. Several men walked around moving boxes and hammering on things.

Rafael stood in the center holding a bottle of Prosecco in each hand. “Do you like my new restaurant?”

I headed his way. “Yes. There’s plenty of potential.”

Rafael looked at Louis.