Rising from ashes

Chapter 35

Bianca

A few hours earlier

"What the hell happened!" my father yelled from the other end of the line.

After the incident with Sky, the Caruso's warehouses, safe houses, and fields have been blown up or found by the feds. They were furious and were on the brink of betraying us. With my father being the Capo after I killed the old Capo all those years back, this affected his image and risked his empire.

My uncle Gabriel Nicoli was the Capo 5 years ago before father had me destroy the Silvestris and straight after putting a dagger in uncles neck. We pinned it on a Silvestri soldier we didn't kill in order to cover our tracks. With Father being next in line, he inherited everything easily and took credit for finding uncles killer. Everyone trusted him and it was all because of me. And yet he still treats me like shit.

"You were meant to get the flash from that Silvestri brat in order to keep the alliance with the Carusos. Now they think we have betrayed them and there is a risk of war on both fronts. I knew I shouldn't have trusted your incompetent brain."

I clenched my hands together holding in my anger as he continued yelling at me. This was an everyday occurrence and yet it still bothered me. You would think I would be used to it by now. Father continued yelling at me while I tried to strategize.

None of the content on that flash could have been copied. Its coding would have taken ages to decrypt. If they still had the Caruso information, it meant they still had the flash. But that meant they gave us a fake. If the flash was fake, then Cole should have seen it when he checked the flash. Unless he did... No. It couldn't be.

Could Cole have lied? But that would mean he was a traitor.

No. He wouldn't do that to us.

To me.

My mind ran through other explanations but nothing else matched up.

"... fix this shit, am I clear?"

"Yes father." I responded numbly before ending the call.

"Vincent!" I called out to my messenger.

He came in quickly and waited silently.

"Tell my men to grab their knives and head to the gym." I tried to mask my shaky voice with a frightening eye. Vincent walked out and shut the door.

I quickly covered my mouth with my hand at the thought of Cole being a traitor. My heart shattered and for the first time, I understood how Sky felt.

I quickly composed myself and called Cole asking him to train with me. We agreed to meet up at the gym and I quickly ended the call out of fear of exposing myself.

...

Cole walked into the pitch-black gym and immediately formed a fighting stance.

"Bianca?" He called out.

I stayed silent in the shadows staring at him. I had to do this. I had to make sure he was loyal. It was protocol. But...

"Did you lie about the flash." My voice echoed in the silence of the gym leaving unspoken emotions in the air. My voice was shaky and vulnerable. I hated myself for it because I had just revealed how much this bothered me to my soldiers.

"What?" He sounded confused. That was good. Right?

"When you verified the flash's content, did you lie about it being real? Did you see it was a fake and lie in order to help Sky?"

"Why the hell would I do that?" Cole's anger sipped through the atmosphere like daggers. He lowered his gun and moved in circles unsure of my position.

"Why would I betray my family?" He asked again.

"Dom is your family too. Everyone knows how close you were, and everyone knows how close Dom is to Sky."

His grip on the gun tightened and his other hand formed a tight fist. He stretched out his fingers and took in a breath.

"Dominic is a traitor to our clan. I haven't spoken to him since he left, and I don't plan to. My loyalty is to the Nicoli clan, to you Bianca."

His voice softened and my heart swelled. I walked up to him, and he embraced me in a hug.

"I know you are stressed, but please don't start thinking everyone is a traitor." he whispered causing me to chuckle.

"I need you to find out if there are any traitors. There is no way Sky did this alone."

Nodding his head, Cole left the gym.

"Boss, you can't let your emotions get the better of you." Vincent said from behind me.

"Don't let your relationship with my father gives you a right to tell me what to do." I retorted.

Turning around, I yelled "you are dismissed" to which all the soldiers hiding in the shadows walked out and left. If my father heard of this, I would be punished severely. But I knew Cole was trustworthy. He didn't need to be tested. He loved me and wouldn't do anything to hurt me.

I knew he was loyal.