VICENZO

Chapter 19

TRIGGER WARNINGS:
EXPLICIT LANGUAGE
SWEARING
VIOLENCE/GUN VIOLENCE
ALCOHOL
BLOOD/DEATH/GORE

The plane landed. It finally landed in Albania. It wasn't home so a few guards and Sergio accompanied me.

Mara and Raf walked ahead of me while I lingered back slightly. The air was cool, the sun shone and it smelt fresher. This was nice, I don't know why I haven't visited before.

We took a car to Lira's house, apparently everyone knew who they were. I was impressed when I saw the fear in men's eyes when I spoke of Admir. He was one powerful man.

The journey was silent mostly. Raf would make the occasional remark and Mara would gaze out of the window to point out animals and beautiful buildings. I however, spent most of it thinking. Thinking about her. I could not think of anything else no matter if I tried. It's as if she invaded my mind without even trying.

We soon stopped at her house. It was big and beautiful. It reminded me of my home back in Italy. The white pillars, the polished marble floor, the gleaming windows. There were birds nesting in the nearby trees, nature was invited in. There was a small fountain at one end where colourful butterflies circled overhead.

"Raf and I are going." Mara said as she took in her surroundings. I looked at her before she stepped forward. "You have to do this yourself Enzo. We can't hold your hand." She walked towards the door and before I could even take a step she had knocked on the door and rang the doorbell.

She gave me a sly smile and entered the car once more. "Let's have breakfast and go shopping." She smiled happily. Raf looked at me. "I'd rather talk to Lira then take Mara shopping." He muttered under his breath. He was right about that. I patted his back and grinned at his dismay.

I watched the car leave and I heard the door creek open. I turned to face the lady at the door. "Hello. I'm here to see Lira." I looked down at her. She wore her auburn hair in a tight bun and her neatly ironed shirt was covered with a loose jumper.

"Who are you?" She asked in broken English. "Admir më dërgoi (Admir sent me)" I said in Albanian. I feared if I told her who I actually was she might turn me away. The lady looked me up and down as if she tried to figure out my intentions. "Shume mire. Hajde. (Very well. Come on in)" She said. She gestured for a guard to come and he searched me, taking my gun off me.

"Any other weapons?" He asked. "None." I said as I looked around. The inside was beautiful and elegantly decorated. You couldn't tell if anyone lived here, it was that pristine. I noticed some paintings on the wall and upon closer inspection I noticed that they were signed LQ.

"What is your business here?" The same guard asked. I turned to face him once more and looked at the time on my watch. "Time is of the essence, I have some very important information to get to Lira. On request of her brother, Admir." I said confidently.

The guard nodded and spoke into his earpiece. "Follow me. You should know that she doesn't want to see anyone so she might kill you." He said seriously as he led the way.

"I highly doubt that." I smirked as I followed him. He scoffed as if he heard me utter a joke. We went to an elevator and he pressed the basement button. Thankfully there was no elevator music because that would have been atrocious.

Once the elevator stopped, the button pinged and the guard walked out. It was now I could hear the agonising screams of a man. I didn't once flinch or respond in any way to the screams and perhaps that's why the guard observed me with keen interest. I also just lied to get my way inside, pretty pathetic security. Unless she knew it was me and allowed me to come.