Rose Petal (ongoing)

Chapter 1

Death is only the beginning...
**
I squeezed one eye shut as I inhaled deeply. I concentrated intensely, exhaling slowly as I squeezed the trigger, rinse and repeat until I spent my bullets. I stared at my target on the other end of the field, proud of my aim. It has improved over the last few years. Setting my handgun down, I grabbed my next weapon, my rifle, loaded it and calmly aimed at my target again.

I could do this all day, I thought to myself as my shell casing fell to the soft earth beneath me.

As I was planning on reloading, I heard the sound of a car door in the distance. Turning my head towards the commotion, I smile as I see my big brother walking down the path towards me.

"Cecelia," he smiles down at me, embracing me tightly.

"Antonio," I mutter happily into his shoulder as we hug. We didn't see each other nearly as much as we used to and it ripped my heart in two.

"I see you never change," he says, smirking down at me as he pulls away. He's looking at my arsenal of weapons that I have laid out. I smile up at him and ask if he would like to join me.

"I would love to Principessa, but actually I came to deliver a message," he says, his smile faltering slightly.

I gaze up at him eyeing him warily, keeping my emotions in check, trying to keep my face expressionless.

Show no weakness, Cecelia, my fathers voice echoes in my psyche.

"Father has requested your presence at the office next week," he says, his emotions showing a look of pity on his face.

I stare at him in disbelief. Our father had shoved me to the side years ago when I fucked up one of his business ventures. He practically disowned me but not really. I still had access to everything in the family like bank accounts, cars and weapons, but my father wanted nothing to actually do with me.

I sighed, pulling away from him and picked up another handgun, loaded it and let my frustration out on my target. Even without properly aiming, I still hit my mark each time.

"What does he want, Antonio?" I asked, gritting my teeth as I reloaded, aimed and fired again.

I couldn't stop. I was trained to be a killer and when I was pissed off I was at my most violent. I could see him eyeing me warily from my peripherals. He was uncomfortable, I could tell easily. Although I love my brother, I knew he didn't actually deserve to be head of my dads business but since he was the only boy and the first born, he automatically would take over when my father either died or stepped down. He was too easy to read, too easy to manipulate and understand his next move.

He was going to get himself killed one day.

"I'm unsure of the exact details to the request. I just know he expects you at the office next Friday at noon," he sighs out, running a hand through his hair.

I nod my head in confirmation as I set my gun down and grab my bottle of water, that actually isn't water but tequila but no one needs to know that, and I take a swig.

Antonio hung around for a bit longer before heading out. I now stood in my empty home, cleaning the dishes from dinner and pouring myself another drink.

I step outside onto my patio and plop down in a lawn chair. Reaching around under the chair I find my pack of cigarettes. After lighting one up, I sip my drink as I stare into nothingness.

What the fuck could he possibly want from me now?