Red
A Smirk

C H A P T E R T E N

Frost grew on the windshield and I watched the ice crystals grow for a while, yet inside the car the heating blasted out through the air con system so I wasn’t cold despite the lack of clothing .

Ace hadn’t said a single word to me since the office. He hadn’t so much as glanced my way or breathed in my direction. I had no idea why he even brought me along to this.

The darkness was a thick velvety layer that covered the Earth, nightfall was always filled with the unknown, secrets and wrong doings. I enjoyed it far more than daylight, there was a certain excitement, mystery and suspense that came with hiding among the shadows.

10:45pm flashed up on the LED screen, illuminating the car from the inside. Ace took a bite from his burger and then reached for the gun inside his glove compartment, piecing it together with the bullets and releasing the safety latch so it was ready to shoot. Then he took another bite from his burger. I watched on with irritation.

He went through the McDonald’s drive through and didn’t ask me if I wanted anything. Nor did he assume that I did and order for me. That was non redeeming, he was the worst kind of criminal - a fucking psychopath.

He put his burger down and opened up the central compartment of his car, taking out a collection of pocket knifes and slipping them into his pocket.

Fuck it.

I picked up his half eaten burger and took a massive bite. Aces eyes widened enough to fill out all of the mask holes. Once I swallowed I slowly wiped the crumbs away from my lower lip using only my thumb and giving him direct eye contact.

He slapped his hand down on my thigh and gripped his nails into my leg, opened his mouth to speak but was distracted by the sound coming from outside the car. Our eyes pointed towards the gym where Antonio was just leaving.

“Stay here.” He grumbled, pulling the key out of the ignition. I pulled on the car handle but didn’t push the door before he exited the vehicle, so when he beeped the car locked my door was still open.

Once I spotted Ace follow Antonio into the alleyway I jumped out of the car and hastily made my way towards them.

“Antonio Valentino.” Antonio spun around on the spot. There was no fear about him, just an irrational smirk. His eyes glanced at me, trailing my body and then he visibly shuddered, probably at the sight of his sister in lingerie.

Antonio raised his fists, he took a swipe at Ace several times but each time Ace blocked them or dodged them.

“Gonna have to do better than that.” Ace laughed. He was enjoying this, it was written all over his face. The life of crime was his foreplay and he enjoyed it just as much as the final climax.

Antonio raised his foot in the air and clashed it with Aces lower hip, his balance didn’t even falter. This was child’s play, I knew Antonio, I trained with Antonio. He was holding back and Ace was allowing him to tire himself out. Both of these men were playing a game.

Ace kicked him in the back and Antonio stumbled forward but managed to steady himself right up until Ace kicked him again, this time in the stomach. Antonio fell to the ground with the wind knocked right out of him. My natural instinct was to run over and help my brother but I kept my feet firmly still.

Love didn’t exist in the mafia.

Care didn’t exist in the mafia.

Emotions didn’t exist in the mafia.

Immediately Ace came after him, pointing the gun at him as he struggled to catch his breath on the floor but Antonio threw his full force into kicking Ace with both feet and then jumped up.

Ace fell backwards, falling into a brick wall that enclosed the alley way. I winced because it looked like it hurt.

The fight continued.

“That’s sweet, did Daddy teach you how to fight? Because my Daddy taught me how to kill. Want me to show you how he killed your mom and sister?” I gasped and Antonio glared at me for a split second. I placed my hand across my lips to stop any other involuntary sounds falling out.

It hurt that Ace openly mocked my mother’s death, he knew his father killed my mother and he was okay with that. This is what the plan was all along though, to avenge my mother’s death.

Ace turned to me and threw me a syringe automatically I leapt forward and caught it. In one swift movement Ace grabbed Antonio, restraining him and holding him in place.

“Red, stick that in his neck.” Ace ordered.

“What? No! What is it?” Antonio fought against Aces hold.

“C’mon, now Red.” I looked at Antonio who looked at me.

“What is it?” I questioned, feeling pressured.

“A tranquilizer, same one I gave to you now hurry up.” Ace encouraged. Antonio gave me a small head nod which went unnoticed by Ace and timidly I walked up to my brother and stuck the needle into his neck.

It was only a matter of seconds before Antonio’s body went limp, his eyes glazed over and then closed them completely.

Ace dropped his body to the ground like he was holding a sack of potatoes and I stood over my brother, looking at him laying on the dirty, wet concrete.

“It’s done.” Ace told someone down the phone.

It took sixty seven seconds for the alley way to be flooded with men from Aces club. They tied up Antonio’s arms and feet then blindfolded and gagged him in even less time than that.

“Put him in the trunk, take him to the warehouse and I swear to god if you speak to him I’ll rip out your voice boxes with my bare hands.” Ace ordered.

His men lingered after Ace gave them their instructions, they looked me up and down strangely as if questioning why I was even here and I squirmed on the spot feeling completely and utterly out of place.

My heart leapt out of my chest when a gun shot went off, Aces finger on the trigger. “Don’t fucking dare question the choices I make, next one will be in your head.” He spat out at the guy clutching his bleeding shoulder and biting back a scream.

Ace picked up Antonio’s gym bag and threw it into the dumpster. “I want pictures of his mom and sister, have them ready for when we question him.”

Shit.

“Yes boss.” Bloody shoulder replied.

Two heavily built men picked up my brother, supporting his weight underarm. They walked him out of the alleyway.

Ace glared at me with hatred, even his stare was degrading. He shook his head with disapproval.

“I told you to wait in the car, are you incapable of following instructions or do you just have a death wish?”

“You keep saying you’re going to kill me, yet I’m still here. I think if you wanted me dead I would be dead by now.” I confessed boldly.

A beautiful smirk stretched out on his lips, it brought out a sense of mischief and fun. It transformed him from someone cold to someone I wish I knew better. Just one simple smirk.

It told me so much, his weakness wasn’t the heart defect. It was the how unconvincingly bad he was at hiding his emotions. Hence the masks. One direct look into his eyes and he runs scared, one twitch of his lips tells the story of how alive he is on the inside. Ace had humanity within his heart and that was his biggest secret.

And for right now I’ll savor it, the smirk. Because in my mind I was already contemplating the when’s, where’s and how’s of ending his sorry little life.

“You’ll get your day.” He replied coldly.

No Ace, you’ll get yours.