[1] A War of Blood and Hearts | ✔️

CHAPTER THIRTY SIX

NICHOLAS

"Whythe bloody hell would you do that?" Crystal yells as she runs towards Brent.She almost punches him, but Alonso wraps his arms around her hip. She resistsat first, but when both of them almost fall because of the Italian mafia boss'injury, she maintains her ire.
"Crystal,calm down." Nicholas hears Alonso whisper in his sister's ear. If this happeneda year ago, Nicholas would have thought that Crystal is overreacting; there isa possibility that he might not have cared. Now however, he feels like he canchoke Brent with his bare hands. After all, the American man just did to Daryawhat Dante did to their mother.
TheBrazilian man looks over at his father to see the fire in his eyes. He tightenshis hold on an unconscious Zaire as if he assures himself that his youngestchild is alive.
"Whydid you kill her? Why did you kill an innocent child?" Camilla asks as shehides in her husband's embrace.
"Whydid I kill the child? You are not serious, are you?" Brent looks at them as if scalesjust appeared on their skin.
"DoI need to remind you that when the war ended Ivan was an innocent child? Tellme, how innocent was he when he tried to start a new war?" The American mafiaboss gestures at Ivan's body with his gun.
"Youwere helping him." Nicholas points out, but Brent ignores him.
"Justlike Ivan grew up and attempted to achieve revenge, his child too would havetried to start a war once he is old enough, if anything for revenge for hisparents' death. I am not stupid; if Darya and the child had lived, I would havebeen the one blamed for the Russian mafia boss' death. I cannot have that."Nicholas fails to see Brent's point of view; regardless of whether Darya livedor not, he would still be blamed for Ivan's death even though he did not shoothim. After all, that is how it works in the mafia world; if your partner fromanother mafia dies on your watch, you are blamed for not protecting them.
"Andhow do you expect to walk out of here alive?" Ignazio glares at his olderbrother.
"Ido not actually." The American mafia boss smirks as he looks around at thecountless Brazilian men who have their guns pointed at them. Immediately, itoccurs to Nicholas that perhaps his foe has a pack up plan.
"Goand guard the woods around the house. Shoot anything that moves; do not allowanyone to get closer or farther away from the house." He orders his men andwatches them as they separate into groups each group going in a differentdirection.
"Ifwar is not your aim, then why help Ivan?" Leora asks, and even though Nicholashas feelings for her, he cannot help but recognize how oblivious and stupid shecan be at times.
"Well,it was the only way to get to the guy who will never love you." Brent's evilsmile causes Leora to take a step towards him. When she attempts to takeanother step her father grabs her hand and stops her.
"Ignazioloves me." She grits her teeth as she tries to break free from Lorenzo's grip.
"Youwere right, she is a stupid woman." Brent turns to Mila with a softer smile.Nicholas cannot help but think of how he feels for Alberto especially since hehas to watch another man kiss and look at his wife in such a manner.
"Yeah,she is way too easy to manipulate." Mila replies.
"SinceI know I will definitely die here, I will tell you how everything happened. Imet Mila four years ago and since then we have been having an affair. Duringour nights together, she told me all about you, especially my brother. About ayear ago, my mafia suffered from a financial problem that had to be fixed assoon as possible. So, when I got desperate, I went to Ivan and told him aboutCrystal Moreno."
"Areyou saying you knew about her longer than you let on?" Nicholas' fingerstighten around his gun, which he holds by his hip.
"Ofcourse I did, I have known about her for years. I decided to keep theinformation to myself until the right time. I kept my eye on her, and throughher I found out that Milo and his second son are alive even though I could notkeep track on their whereabouts."
"Soyou used my daughter as a means to rescue your mafia." Milo's tone alone isfilled with enough venom that is capable of killing the American mafia boss.
"Well,at the time I could not go to Alonso; he is Nicholas' friend. And going toNicholas himself would have been useless; he would have never paid me anything;and I was not about to believe that the most cunning mafia boss alive would notbe able to hide his sister in a place where no one can find her." Brent turnsto Nicholas.
"Ithink that was the greatest mistake you ever made; giving her to another mafiato protect; she was easy to find. The only thing you achieved is delay usgetting to her."
"Soyou had Ivan pay you in exchange for information that would help him have hisvengeance." Lorenzo voices out the conclusion the Brazilian mafia boss comes upwith in his mind.
"Thatis right. The only thing I did not foresee is Ivan's desire for me to join him.At first I declined, but quickly things changed. Mila told me how pissed shewas that Alonso was starting to fall in love with Crystal, and how she wantedto kill him for it, and I saw helping Ivan as an opportunity to kill my dearbrother. Therefore, I agreed to be part of Ivan's scheme."
Thewind between the tress' leaves is all that is heard as Nicholas stares atBrent; trying to resolve the American man's plan. Nicholas can feel everyonewaiting for something to happen, but no one knows what to expect. Hence, theworld around them turns into a painting; unmoving, paralyzed. That is until theAmerican mafia boss lets out a loud sigh.
Nicholaswatches Brent as he opens his arms wide as if he expects someone to run intohis arms and embrace him. He also does not miss the soft relaxed smile on hisface. It takes him a few seconds, but he realizes that his foe is preparinghimself to die; he knows he will die within the next few minutes.
Eventhough he loathes him, Nicholas cannot help but be a little envious of theAmerican mafia boss. Death has always been one of Nicholas' major fears; theones that would often keep him up at night. He knows that it is senseless giventhe life he leads, but that trepidation has been with him since he was a child,it practically grew up with him. And although he had gotten accustomed to it,he wishes to be freed from it. Yet, Brent stands before him as he practicallywelcomes death without fear.
"So,which one of you will be putting a bullet in me?" The American mafia boss' smilebecomes wide and wicked, but somehow Nicholas knows that Brent does not wish toescape death. Thus, he does not bother to point his gun at him.
"Ohcome on, do not become shy now." Brent says when no word is spoken as his eyesscan each and every one of them.
"Ican see it in your eyes, you all want to kill me, you are just afraid I mightplay you one last time before I die."
"Whatare you planning?" Ignazio asks his older brother.
"Donot worry. You and I share the same fate; we both shall die today." Brent glaresat Ignazio. Every time he glances at his sibling, Nicholas senses the spite in hiseyes, his movements, even his posture.
"Youare outnumbered; there is no way you can harm Ignazio." Alonso replies defensively.The American mafia boss smirks at him before pulling out his gun and pointing itat his brother.
Dueto how fast it happens, Nicholas knows that he should not be able to see exactlyhow it goes down, but he does. He sees Milo pointing his gun at Brent. The secondthe older man shoots him, the American mafia boss aims at someone else and shootsthem as he falls to the ground.
Fora few moments, Nicholas watches Brent as he coughs out blood, but he is unable towatch the life abandon his eyes as he hears Leora screaming like her life dependson it.