LETTERS OF A VIRGIN

6. Sin City and Arranged marriages

VARYNUS GALYNER POV

I wasn't the only one in the emergency care unit .

The shuttered loving wife of my late brother Nicolas was clinging to his cold lifeless body as it laid still on the operating bed. She cried her life off. Completely broken , mourning so achingly that I could feel her pain deep in my bones and it only strengthened my own heart crushing anguish as I looked at my dead brother's pale face.

I wanted the ground to open up and swallow me whole. I let him down. I couldn't save the person I loved most in the world.

The worn out surgeons stood quietly beside Julia, their weary faces showing the exhaustion after five hours in surgery. And yet all their efforts to save my brother ended in vain.

I felt so detached from my own body, it's like my soul left it and I was cast into a never ending pool of absolute misery. God! I wanted to die. I didn't block my tears from falling, I couldn't control them even if i wanted to.

My father couldn't even look me in the eyes anymore as he stands at the furthest corner of the room. He spent half the time that Nicolas was in surgery questioning me on how I let this even happen. He kept asking how I couldn't have possibly anticipated such a deadly attack. He told me I should've been smarter, more equiped, more prepared....and he was right. It's true, if I had taken all possible measures, if I'd gone with Nicolas, this wouldn't have happened. I should've assigned more armed men, I should've told them to carry more weapons. I should've been more precise. My father was right, this is my fault. And I hated myself for it. More than they could ever know.

My thoughts were on his three lovely baby girls and how they'd be devastated upon the news. And my sister Laura, she will surely breakdown. Nicolas was the strong hold of this family and now he's gone forever.

Was?

I now use 'was' when I refer to my own flesh and blood. I can't believe this is happening. I can't believe that our new found victory has turned into the greatest loss of all.

What the hell happened in Freemont street?

Nicolas has never failed before?

The killer must've been so precise with his aim, highly skilled in assassination that he was able to actually shot on target Thee Nicolas Galyner. There's never been anyone with that ability. Even at close range , Nicolas would've ended him on the slightest proximity. But that shooter, how did he do it? Nobody has ever taken a member of the Galyner family down in a firearm battle. It's basically impossible. But he did it.

And I will find him.

Come hell or high water, I will kill him.

And I'm not wasting any time on making sure he's caught and sent to the pits.

"Varynus, I'm so sorry for your loss." Claudia's voice made me flinch as she proceeded to hold my hand. I actually forgot that the red haired woman was standing next to me , crying as though she even knew my brother personally like the faker she truly is. I can't stand her, I swear to God, I want her to disappear.

What is she even doing here at our secret base? I understand that her father is our family's business associate in matters of the Mob and Claudia is heir to his empire, but why must our families force us to get engaged if it makes us more miserable than we already are?