Noelle

Franco has been asleep for the past hour, just long enough for me to take his ass away from any of the De Santis people and drive him forty-five minutes away from the club. The best option was this little, nearly crumbled house that no one has used in the past two decades.

However, I’m starting to get bored. I slap Franco’s cheeks as harshly as possible, but all it does is sway his head to the side. I got rid of the wig as soon as we came in here, and one of my men brought my bike.

I need utmost privacy for what I’m about to do.

My hands reach inside of his coat jacket, rummaging through it until I find his phone. It’s password protected, but I have his face, so I easily unlock it. I make sure his GPS is turned on and then snap a couple of pictures.

His contact list is rather short, but it’s interesting.

Among his immediate family and a couple of wannabe mobsters, I find my brother’s number. My brows narrow at that, but I leave all the questions for Niko himself. Now, I’m in a rush to kill this motherfucker before I’m caught.

His brother, Hudson, is the one I send the pictures to. As soon as they are delivered, I block his number and toss the phone to the side, not caring if the screen cracks.

“Wake up, sleeping beauty.” I poke his cheek.

Franco is tied to a chair with quite a few layers of thick rope. He doesn’t have a weapon on him, and getting out if it wouldn’t be easy. For him, at least. I don’t think I would struggle in his place

Franco groans, his mouth parting.

“Come on. I don’t have all night.”

Slowly, he blinks. He’s confused but slowly returning to reality. It takes him a minute or two of muttering and stuttering while he’s glancing around, disoriented. His eyes slowly find mine. I crouch down, look up at him, and lean my cheek against my knee.

“What? Who are you?”

“Oh, come on, I didn’t drug you that much.”

It dawns on him, and the confusion morphs into anger. He’s trying to intimidate me with the look of fury on his face, but I only raise a brow in return. He has no power over me. Not now, not ever.

“Noelle Campbell,” he hisses and tries to break free. He fights briefly but quickly understands the predicament he’s found himself in.

I grin. “Yes?”

“You damned bitch,” he yells. “Let me go, and I’ll forget this happened.”

“How tempting.” I sigh and stand up. “I’ll have to decline that offer, though. I’m out for blood—your blood.”

He grits his teeth, and his jaw locks. His eyes narrow at me, and he’s desperately trying to find a way out of this situation.

There isn’t one.

I’m not one to act completely on impulse. Even my most impulsive decisions had some rationality to them. Franco De Santis’ death is no different. He’s about to pay the price of daring to lay his filthy hands on a member of my family.

“It wasn’t me.”

So he does know what this is all about.

I lift a shoulder and whip out the pocketknife. “Unless you’re willing, and I’m assuming you’re not, to take me to whoever did kill my aunt, the only way out for you is in a body bag.”

Franco clamps his mouth shut.

He’s loyal to his family. It’s to be expected of the heir. Too bad the family is about to lose their hope of a bright future. Well, unless the younger brother turns out to be more capable. But then he’ll be my next target.

“I’m not saying anything.”

“You just confirmed it was someone from your family, which I didn’t know for certain. Thank you for the information, Franco

I walk behind him and grab a fistful of his hair. I yank it roughly and he’s looking up at me with wide eyes. He’s afraid because he knows there isn’t a scenario where he’s able to walk out of this place alive.

Just as I place the knife against his throat, I hear a car pull up.

“Seems like your little brother is here. Shall I give him a little bit of hope that you can be saved?”

“He’ll kill you,” he spits out angrily. “There will be a war.”

I lower my head, the blade tight on his throat as I whisper in his ear, “I’m counting on that.”

In one swift motion, I pull the knife from the right to the left, cutting his arteries. Blood immediately starts to gush out, a few droplets hitting my face as I go over the wound for the second time.

I have to ensure he is truly not coming back.

His eyes are wide, lifeless. The last moments of his life, and he gets to see the face of an enemy. I grin at him sadistically. I want him to know it’s Noelle Campbell who killed him. I want him to know that he isn’t smart enough to outsmart me. I want him to know that he’s nothing but a small fish in the sea.

And I don’t have to say it out loud.

He sees all of it in my eyes. He’s aware that he’s a failure and that his family will consider him a disappointment. Not only did he never focus on business and was only named the heir because he was the oldest child, but he also allowed himself to be killed by a Campbell woman.

Franco is making gurgling sounds, and I release the hold on his hair. His head falls forward while he’s choking on his blood. It’s rather messy—the blood drips from his open throat onto the floor.

Now I’m truly happy I didn’t wear anything white tonight.

As I ensure he’s not breathing anymore, I step back and rush toward the window. We’re on the first floor, and jumping out is a piece of cake. I turn my head to the side at the same time as his brother strolls in.

He’s breathing heavily, eyes locked on me. He barely notices his brother’s dead body in the middle of the room. I’m not sure what about him makes me halt.

He holds steady eye contact with no emotions. His dead eyes make goosebumps tug on my skin, and, for a moment, I’m speechless. The danger in his eyes manages to make my bottom lip quiver and my hands tremble.

He’s dressed in a fancy outfit. All he’s missing is a jacket, and he might as well be a model. His tie is loosened, and the top two buttons of his shirt are undone. Presumably, he did it on the way here.

“Noelle Campbell,” he says, his voice flat.

“Another De Santis.” I nod in acknowledgement.

That’s when he notices his brother’s dead body. He freezes on the spot, staring at Franco with wide eyes. He doesn’t blink, doesn’t move, and doesn’t speak. It’s terrifying just how calm he’s acting.

Until his body starts trembling. It’s pure rage and disbelief. He can’t believe that the Campbells sought revenge. Well, what did he think was going to happen? I take care of my people. I couldn’t save my aunt, but I can get my revenge for her. She would’ve wanted to see their blood.

Hudson’s eyes snap back to mine, and I realize it’s time for me to leave.

“Happy holidays!”

And with that, I jump out of the window.

I left my heels inside, and I’m barefoot. I’m running as fast as I can, reaching my bike in record time. I put on the helmet quickly and rev the engine to life. It takes me a minute to drive off, just enough time to see bullets rain down from the window, aimed at me.

Luckily, not a single one scratches my baby or me, and I’m able to speed off without a hitch.

But even as I lie in my bed, hours after I killed Franco, an uneasy feeling sneaks its way into my brain. I don’t regret killing him; I only regret not bringing a gun with me and taking the other brother down in one go.

His dead eyes haunt me. This isn’t the end.

He’ll come for me soon, and I need to brace myself. The difference between the two brothers was as big as the sun and the moon. Where Franco lacked in abilities, Hudson made up for it with his brain and logical thinking skills.

Franco was right; there is a war ahead of us.

Instead of fearing for my life, it makes me excited. By now, I’m a walking contradiction, but my feelings are complex about this situation. However, there is only one correct answer.

The Campbell family will annihilate the De Santis family.

All of them will feel my wrath and pain. I’ll kill every last one of them until they’ve been completely wiped from the face of the Earth.

That’s the least I can do to restore my aunt’s honor

THE END

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