Rooftop – 3:27 PM
"She's is a fucking bombshell."Arturo grimaced,blowing a smoke ring in the air. "That's why they hide her so much,she's sugar.Too much sun and she might melt."
"Or,"Zane countered,dramatically waving his hand"Completely hideous,and has an adam's apple."
They erupted into wild laughter and looked my way for a comment they were soon to realize I will not bother to give.
"Grumpy."Zane grumbled as he accepted the cigarette from Arturo and took a long whiff.
My finger hovered just above the trigger. Breathing slowly. Steady. I've done this a hundred times,never missed once,today will be no different,what I might do,however, is to take Zane and Arturo out while I'm at it.
They were acting like we could afford jokes,I pulled out of my sniper duty retirement specifically because we had only one chance at this.
Evangeline was the first and only daughter of the Hidalgo don,he treasured her like he did his balls. It was easier to see a talking mouse than to see her in public,unprotected.
Which is why she must die,her death will change everything,Hector Hidalgo would likely rush into battle with us for revenge and would be wiped out immediately,too much delay and he might join the Albanians and actually become a threat.
Also,there's something oddly satisfying in watching your enemy mourn,addictive if I'm being honest,the spectacle is what brought me here.
This was why you dont cherish people too much,they become your vulnerablity.
Arturo tapped his comms and suddenly got serious.
"She's close.The next black Audi that turns the block is her"
Zane straightened up,killed his cigarette and sent the signal to the stand-by hitmen,not that we'll need them anyway
I didn't speak. Didn't blink.
Because the moment the car turned the corner—I knew it was time to end it.
And it did.
Her car stopped in front of the café and she stepped out with the same goddamn entitlement that ran in the family,a sheer black top with draped arms and a long silk dress clung to the curves of her hips.
If the lengths of the fabrics were meant to keep clothings modest,hers failed miserably,nevertheless,I forced my eyes to stay on her head,I can't afford distractions.
She turned her face to reply to a guard's question,a soft smile played at her lips and something weird tugged at my chest,or my pants,can't decide.
Its probably the forbidden fruit theory at play,I blame her incapable clothes.
One guard moved his head to close the door and space appeared.
It's a clear shot,I smirked,hovering my hand over the trigger,but it's not a perfect shot.
The killing needed to send a clear message,an invitation to war,I needed the bullet directly between her eyes.
She pushed strands of blonde hair behind her ear and began to mutter,or was it pray?
Who the fuck randomly prays in the parking lot.
"Look at me princess."I cooed internally.
She raises the rosary to kiss it and only then did I notice the rosary dangling from her neck,pearl white,delicate and a chipped cross at the bottom.
A flash memory struck me,is that who I thought it was?
My heart twisted so hard I thought it would stop working from the pressure.I squinted at the rosary and the images in my memory became more vivid,more certain.
My hands are stiff,locked in place,I couldn't pull the trigger even if I was under one.
Fuck no,this cant be happening.
Her face turned to me,And for a moment—our eyes met.
She looked right at me. Not through the scope. At fucking me.
I whispered, so soft even I almost didn't hear it
"Santarella?"
The moment cracked like glass. Her guards noticed her hesitation, and one of them barked something I couldn't hear. They reached foward, gripped her by the shoulder and began to push her back in.
She kept her eyes on me,terrified.The look stung a bit but probably didn't help that I had a gun aimed for her head so I'll forgive her that.
"Vincenzo?" Zane voice cut in through the comm. "What the fuck happened?"
The gaurds scurried to push her fear-frozen body back into the car. I narrowed my eyes at them,they were lousy. If I wanted to kill her,I could have done it at least thrice with the pace they were using.
I should.
Fuck,I should.
Arturo hissed. "Clock's ticking, man. If you're not pulling that trigger, someone else will."
Red lasers flicked on from the far rooftop. The Backup team was ready to finish it.
"Vincenzo!" Zane barked. "Are you freezing up on me?"
I let out a breath,and took the scope off the car,speaking calmly.
"Stand down. We're not taking the shot."
Silence.
"...What?"
Sounded mad to me as well.
"You heard me," I said. "Stand. Down."
"He said stand down–"Arturo stopped mid message delivery. "Wait–"
"Evangeline stays alive."
Zane and Arturo exchanged a glance. I didn't need to see it to know.
Arturo growled. "The boss–"
"I will deal with my father."
Zane panicked."We could lose our heads man!"
The back up team's top sniper started lining her up.
My scope shifted. Fast. Efficient,shooting two of them in the head.
Zane picked up his gun and shot three precise shots at the last man standing from that team.
My target speeds out of sight and a gentle frown begins to form,I wonder how soon I can see her again.
A shot came from our far left and missed my shoulder by a millimeter.
I looked up at the man who attempted to hit me in disappointment.
"Even in crisis,they still can't aim right."
Arturo grunted and picked up his gun and joined as we eliminated the last team.
Smoke coiled from my barrel.
"So we just killed half of our best snipers."Arturo made his very obvious observation and clicked his tongue. "I need a cigarette."
"Jesus fucking Christ,we are fucked."Zane chuckled without mirth. "You do realise that now her father is going to loose his shit right? We better hope these masks hid our identity well enough cause if not–"
"I need her alive."I hoarsed,cutting him off. "Don't worry about anything else,Ill handle it."
"I always knew you'd run mad"Zane muttered,packing his gun. "I just didn't know I'd loose my head in the process."
His comment brushes past my ear as my own subconsciousness picks up on my choice of words earlier.
I had used the word "need",not want,not desired…need.
I havIe never needed something–moreover someone before. All this and I have never even spoken to her,yet here I was–
I should've turned the gun on myself. Salvaged whatever was left of my soul. But I didn't. I'm a fool. I've seen heaven now-and it'll take the devil himself to drag me back to hell.