Chapter 6: Mae Kazimi

"He knows?" Avery hisses, following me around my bedroom as I quickly pack my things. "How the fuck does he know?"

"Stop swearing, Avery," I snap as I pack my bags. I have no time to think about the 'hows' and 'whens.' Tomasso's men are waiting for me outside my building, and I don't have much time to pack.

Rashid is angrily pacing my room, clumsily hitting my side table and catching the expensive glass lamp before it hits the floor, "He-he can't know! I made sure to erase every single trace of you from every single camera to possibly exist and left breadcrumbs leading the wrong way if anyone was to ever even think Shadow was you-"

"Look, I know you did your best," I say, breathing heavily as I try to close my suitcase. "I don't blame you Rashid. It must have been a mistake on my part."

Before Rashid can open his mouth, we all hear my front door slam open. Avery freezes, fingers hovering over where she hides her gun.

Kai barges into my room.

"Mae?" he whispers, eyes widening as he spots me and my packed luggage. "Mae, Hale is furious. He trashed his entire study and locked himself inside."

I run shaking fingers through my hair. For the first time, none of us know what the hell to do next. Usually, one of us always has a plan. But this time, everyone is quiet.

"It's going to be fine," I say, swallowing. Avery stands across from me, pale skin flushed with anger. "We can still meet up and talk, you know. And plus, it's only for a month."

"A lot can change in a month," Avery says.

She's right.

My phone begins to ring and Kai crosses his bulging arms over his chest as if he is ready to beat the men Tomasso sent to pulp. I give him a small smile, "Time to go."

Rashid gives me a hug before helping Kai bring my suitcases downstairs.

Avery and I are left alone in the room.

"Avery-"

She turns to me, eyes red and mouth in a thin line, "I have a horribly feeling about this, Mae."

Avery's institutions are usually right.

"It'll be fine."

She cocks her jaw before making her way to my door, "Pray that it should. Because I'm going to say 'I told you so' when shit goes down and you come to me for help."

I say nothing as she disappears out of my apartment, leaving me standing with my hands at my sides.

This was not how it was supposed to go.

______________________

It's 8 PM and I'm going insane.

Five hours ago, I moved into the Russo mansion for a month and guess what? The Russo family aren't even home!

I'm furious. I'm so angry I want to sit down and cry and scream and burn their stupid and horribly expensive paintings until they are nothing but ash.

And then I want to throw that burning ash into Tomasso's face and choke Alek with my bare hands.

And I still won't be satisfied.

I want Tomasso dead.

So, with anger coursing through my veins, I stomp outside of my room, ignoring the guards trailing me and walk blindly down the maze of hallways, pretending I know exactly where I'm going.

But obviously, I don't.

I'm pretty sure I've walked past the same painting at least five times and I'm going in a circle over and over, but I can't stop. I keep walking and walking and walking until I run face first into a rock.

Sorry, not a rock.

Alek.

His eyes narrow onto me as I slowly step back, my jaw clenched so tightly I feel like my teeth will fall out.

He slams me against the wall and my guards step back in surprise. There's a knife at my throat before I can even blink.

"I warned you Kazimi. I told you that the next time I saw you here-"

I roll my eyes as his grip tightens on my shoulder, "You'll kill me, blah blah blah. Now get your filthy hands off of me, Russo. You don't want to lose those pretty fingers, now do you?"

He gives me a cruel smirk, "You don't want to lose your tongue, now do you?"

His smirk gets bigger when my mouth twitches ever so slightly, as if he realizes that I've heard the rumors of him.

He is not human, Signorina.

"Get off," I grit my teeth, my years of training leaving my body with a single breath.

"You have one minute to get out of my house."

"Will you get off so I can breathe?" I shout in his face, bringing my forehead down onto his with all my might.

The blow makes sparks appear in my vision but I watch in satisfaction as Alek moves backwards with a grunt, hands going to his forehead which is already turning red. I let my lungs fill with air, hands clutching my stomach.

And then, I turn to Alek Russo, and punch the heir to the Italian mafia hard in the face.

His face swings to the left, and by the blood that is already running down his nose I know I've hit him square in the nose.

"Touch me again, and I'll make sure the next one hurts worse," I hiss in his face, my fist already beginning to throb.

Alek laughs angrily, wiping his nose with the back of his left hand, "You're begging me to drag you to the basement."

"What's in the basement, Russo?" I challenge.

He leans forward, bringing his bloody lips to my ear before whispering, "Death."

Before I can give the man another punch, one of the guards watching speaks up, "Signore Alek, your father has requested her presence at the Russo mansion for a job. She will be staying here for the month."

Alek whirls towards the guard who spoke, eyes flashing, "Oh? And when was this?"

"This morning, Signore."

Alek shakes his head, as if he can't believe what comes out of the guard's mouth.

"Looks like you're stuck with me, Russo," I grin, wiggling my eyebrows in his direction to make his anger spark. By the looks of it, it works.

He manages to control himself and returns my smile, "You're going to regret taking this job."

"Maybe," I shrug. "But I'll be a couple million dollars richer after it."

"Pathetic."

"Money rules this world, Russo," I say in a sing-song voice and began to walk down the hallway. "The sooner you learn this lesson the better."

"Perhaps I should teach you a lesson or two, aswell," he says after me, his voice sharp. "Maybe you'll learn to keep your mouth shut."

I laugh loudly, flicking my middle finger up without looking back. I don't have time for his bullshit.

An hour or two ago, I accepted a HIT from the network. But that was when anger was hot in my veins and I'd been prepared to murder the first person I saw in my sight. After seeing Alek and speaking to him, all the fighting had left my body. And I feel….empty. My stomach is churning and I feel unsteady on my feet.

But it's too late now because I have till tonight to complete this HIT and get my money.

Damnit.

I make my way towards the elevators I saw during my five laps around the floor. I press the button over and over in impatience and clear my throat, eyeing my guards.

Step number one, get rid of the guards.

Step number two, slip into my Shadow gear.

Step number three, get my HIT and take her out.

Sounds super easy, right? Well, let's hope it's as easy as it sounds.

As the elevator slides open, fear of being caught knots into my stomach.

I cannot get caught.

And so, as the guards follow me into the elevator, I take in a deep breath and began to plan.