Thick As Blood - Nestor Oceteva

27. Damned Nation

I looked across the rooftop at the men who joined me. We were all sat in silence, peeking over the balustrade. I checked my watch and it was 11.57am, less than 3 minutes until this was over.

The priest had just closed the door to the cathedral as the last stragglers of attendees entered the Nave. There were 32 empty coffins lined up before the altar, well not quite empty, they each had a few ounces of C4 ready to blow. My alarm beeped 12pm as the bell started tolling, I curled my hand around the detonator.

"May god have mercy on your soul, I will not." I signed the cross over myself before pushing the button.

A huge explosion of pressure shock the air before the sound hit us. Dust and debris exploded into the sky and we all stayed down, sheltered from the rocks and glass. Within moments it was quiet and we tentatively peeked over the top to see the result. Where the cathedral sat was now just a pile of rubble, it looked like it had collapsed into the catacombs beneath it as well. I think it was safe to say there would not be any survivors from this.

"Time to get back to the US of A me thinks." I said as Nestor pulled me up and we wiped some dust off each other's hair and clothes.

"After a shower first." He said with a chuckle.

We quickly climbed down the fire escape to the waiting vehicles and were long gone by the time the authorities were on their way. When we arrived at the mansion everything had already been packed up into the trucks to go to the airport. Nestor and I took our time in the shower since most of the people had left with the convoy already.

I did a final walk through of the house, stopping to pick up some of Alex's favourite books and photo albums from his room. I opened my jewellery box and pulled out a long gold chain that 'Alex' had given me for Mother's Day and held it. We were taking a separate jet to New York while the Mayans and Cole's men were flying to San Diego. Soon, baby boy, I'll hold you soon. I unclasped the chain and removed my wedding rings before putting them on the chain and moving them to my neck. My fingers felt naked without the rings but I felt it was the right time. KJ had done the right thing in the end but the man I loved was not who I thought he was. Just like the little prince I finally saw the truth with my heart not the lies of my eyes.

Nestor watched silently the whole time, there was nothing that needed to be verbalised. This was me taking the final step to move on, from being a widow to being a partner. Nestor stepped up behind me and took the chain ends, clasping them for me. He let the chain rest and the cold metal made me jump. He chuckled and kissed the top of my head.

"Come on," he said as he opened the door for me, "it's time for us to get Alex."

He led the way to the foyer where Ivanka was still sat chained to the chair. I looked at her and smiled.

"Everyone is dead. Tahlia, Kirill, the Bratva. Everyone." I knelt down to her height. "You don't fuck with a Galindo, didn't anyone ever tell you? I'm not Lady Macbeth, Lucrezia Borgia or Catherine the Great. I am a woman doing what she has to do. I am the woman you made me."

Nestor laughed and I smiled, happy he got the reference, while Ivanka looked angry and confused.

"Don Winslow's Savages. I think Kirill would have liked that one. Perhaps there is another more fitting: Smart people sometimes get stupid, but stupid people never get smart."

Hand in hand we walked out the front door and climbed in my Range Rover. As the SUV crossed the bridge I armed the detonator and hit the button. Goodbye Ivanka. The boom of the explosion could be heard and I saw the plume of debris rise high in the sky behind us.

"Thank you Nestor."

"You never have to thank me. Te amo Lily."

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