Chapter 7: Alek Russo

Chapter 7: Alek Russo

I'm following Mae Kazimi.

Yes, you read that right. I'm wasting my fucking time to follow Mae Kazimi on my fucking motorcycle.

I don't trust her, and when she left in a hurry after our argument, I knew something was up.

And I was right.

The moment I had caught Mae, she'd already climbed onto a motorbike after ditching the guards that my father had placed around to watch her. And zoomed off.

And so, I followed her.

Now, I sit on top of my red motorbike, roaring down the streets of New York, hot on Mae's trail. She's flying down the street, running red lights and speeding so fast she's a blur amidst the cars.

That spoiled brat.

I grip the handle of my motorbike tighter and increase my speed, my hair flying wildly in the wind. Thank God for my leather jacket, it's shit cold outside and goosebumps are already appearing on my skin.

BEEP.

Cars honk loudly as I get in their way, trying to keep a distance between myself and Mae so she does not realize she's being followed. But with all this noise, she'll know.

So I take a risk.

I turn left to another street as the darkness finally begins to take over the night. The glowing orb in the sky steals my attention for a second, before the whirring of Mae's motorcycle brings me back to reality.

I can't lose sight of her.

As I get onto the same street as her, she's already gone. But I think I know where she's going.

In this part of New York, there's only one place Mae would have interest in. And that's the Crimson Bar. The home to all sorts of illegal activities. It's the one and only most dangerous bar where crimes and illegal activities thrive.

I'm Alek Russo, the heir to the greatest Italian mafia of all time, they'll have to let me in.

I skid to a stop behind the bar and hide my bike near the dumpsters. I find Mae's already waiting and I purse my lips. I walk to the front as the lights flash and the dancers rage inside, the music blaring down the streets. I run a quick hand through my hair before turning to the guards standing at the entrance.

"Move out of my way," I snap, giving them a look.

Without a word, they step aside.

I can't help but smirk. Power is a funny thing, but I'm glad it's in my hands.

My eyes scan the crowd as bodies move around, jumping to the music. Lights are blaring and the music is bursting my eardrums but despite all the noise, my eye catches a familiar movement from within the crowd.

Mae.

And she's dancing.

I frown, pushing through bodies after bodies, trying to stay hidden within the crowd. I feel hands grabbing me, yelling to dance but my attention is somewhere else.

What is Mae doing here?

And in a blink of an eye, she's gone.

What?

I make my way towards the drinks, my jaw set. Anger is already starting to make my hands twitch and curl into fists. I hate not knowing what is happening. I hate not being able to understand what the hell Mae is doing. What my fathers doing. What both of them really want.

And if finding out means torturing it out of Mae, then I'll do it.

I don't mind getting my hands dirty.

Just as I'm about to turn around, a familiar face-or should I say mask-catches my attention.

The Shadow is here.

This means, someone is dying here tonight.

And after what happened at Sammy's bar, I am on high alert. I'm not stupid, I know Shadow is dangerous. She's more dangerous than I'd like to admit.

And when someone is that level of danger, I have them eliminated. Or eliminate them with my own hands.

But Shadow….she interests me. The way she kills with her knives, the way she moves.

The way she holds herself.

Shit, I think. Could Mae possibly know Shadow personally?

If that is the case, then I am in danger. Who is to say Mae wasn't the one who sent the assassin after me at Sammy's bar? But then again, why would she want me dead? Perhaps her parents contacted her? But no, the American mafia wouldn't get involved into a fight with the Italians, no. They weren't stupid.

Then what the hell was going on?

I ignore the bartender who waits for my order, and began to make my way to the red curtains that hang in the back. Smoke is rising from the floor as I make my way to the back of the bar, where most of the fishy business is conducted.

The way Shadow went.

The further I walk in, the further away the music and shouting gets.

My hand is already going behind the gun I keep in the waistband of my black jeans, in case I need to pull it out.

"Bringing a gun to a knife fight is kind of unfair," speaks a voice.

I whirl around, pulling my gun out in a swift movement and pointing it straight towards the voice's head.

Shadow.

She's in her gear, a black mask on her face and is using a voice changer to hide her voice. She blinks straight at me, her green eyes glinting and her blond hair messy on her head.

I'm not stupid. I know both the wig and eyes are fake. I have no idea who she's trying to fool.

But there's blood on her hands, and some on her neck. Shadow steps closer until my gun is touching her forehead and lets out a laugh, "Are you going to shoot?"

"No," I say, my voice calm. "But I am going to ask where Mae Kazimi is."

The girl blinks innocently, "Mae Kazimi? Never heard of her."

"Mae Kazimi, Denez Kazimi's daughter. Or should I say….your friend?"

Shadow snorts, still looking up at me as I lower my gun and put it to her chest, "You know, you'd be hotter if you smiled a bit more. All that scowling is going to get you wrinkles in your 20s."

"Says the assassin who has murdered hundreds of people."

"Don't act like you haven't."

"I have," I grin, watching in satisfaction as her eye twitches when my gun presses harder against her skin. "But I'm more interested in Mae Kazimi right now. Where is she?"

Shadow sighs loudly through her nose, "Not here. I sent her out to dance after I killed my HIT. Now can you move this hideous gun from my chest? It's really starting to trigger my breathing issues."

"Breathing issues?"

"Yes, Signore Alek, my breathing issues. You know, when you can't breathe and need an inhaler because you can't breathe-"

"Asthma," I deadpan.

"Yes, that whatever," she waves her hand. "Now move."

I step back.

I know she's lying about Mae, but I don't press. There is no way she would spill her location so easily, especially if they knew each other personally.

But also, could Shadow be….Italian? She had called me Signore five seconds ago….

"Are you going to stand there all day?" Shadow asks, as she pulls out a small towel from literally nowhere and begins to clean the blood on her hands. "Don't you have better mafia heir things to do?"

I scowl, twirling my gun once in my hands before slipping it back into the waistband of my jeans, "Don't tell Mae I was here."

"Of course, love," she purrs, as if she finds this whole encounter oh-so hilarious. "Do watch yourself on the way out. There's nasty people in the crowd."

I don't bother wasting my breath with a reply and began to make my way back to the red curtains and towards the booming music. The Crimson Bar is suffocating and hot and I need to get out of here before I go insane.

I turn back to ask Shadow if there's a back door, but she's already gone.

Gritting my teeth I pull the curtains aside and step into the crowd.

What a wasteful night.