His Corruption

Chapter 24

~Elena~

My head thumped against the wall as I laid it back. Men. What were they talking about? I'd been sitting here at the top of the staircase for an hour now trying to hear them, but it was useless.

Was the attack all an act? And if it wasn't, why did it happen? It must have been serious, otherwise those random men wouldn't be gathered in our living room debating over it.

Sighing, I made myself sit still for five more seconds before I had enough. Screw this.

I stood at the highest step, before slowly tiptoeing downstairs. Yeah I was going against Papa's order, but I was sick of it. Stay in your room. Mind your own business. Don't ask questions.

The intruders had plenty of Ricci's here to hurt, but they only hurt a guard and left. Something was up.

Once downstairs, I followed the light spilling from the living room and though the sound of Papa's voice made my lungs tighten with fear, it didn't stop me from moving closer to the room.

My hand rested on the the doorway and I peeked through the crack of the slightly open door.

Beside the red L-shaped couch, Papa paced around swearing at another man. Sometimes grabbing his hair, at others scowling at my brother Tony who sat there playing with plastic grapes.

"I don't know how the hell it happened, but you need to destroy them." Papa seethed before throwing his finger at someone else. "Destroy them Russo I'm telling you!"

"In case you forgot, I don't answer to anyone." A low voice spoke, a sudden blush reaching my stomach at the sound.

Cristian stood by the standing lamp, arms crossed with not enough tension on his face, like this situation barely fazed him. The last night I saw him, he'd kissed me softly on the lips. I found it hard to believe it was the same man standing here with a gun in his holster, who held no concern for anyone around him.

I should have been wary of Papa, but the curiosity of what Cristian has with this situation made me a little nosy. Nosier. Trying to get a better view, I placed my hand on the other side of the doorframe. It was only my luck that it'd slip and I'd stumble through the door, exposing myself and my Victoria's secret pjs to dozens of strange men.

The room fell dead silent. Every eye was on me. I felt like running towards the bay window so I could throw myself out of it, but I couldn't move.

My eyes fell to the ground and I opened my mouth to explain but Papa just rolled his eyes and turned to Cristian again, who didn't take his attention off me until Papa spoke. "Give me the number you want. The advance will be in by tomorrow."

Cristian glanced my way for a second. A hand in his pocket, the other flexing like he'd used it all day and it was sore.

"Six." Cristian finally spoke, and when he looked at Papa his jaw clenched. "And this is the last job, Giuseppe I'm warning you, these numbers are starting to sound useless."

Papa pulled out his phone. "Money is all everyone wants." He said as he typed. As usual, he wasn't getting to the root of the problem. He was just throwing money at it.

Lost in cold thought, Cristian took a step back from my father. A rush of lightheadedness struck me as he ran his palm over his stubble. His 250,000 dollar watch gleaming. Inked fingers spelling out mercy.