Things were finally settling. Kyle had managed to flip the entire situation on its head, turned what should’ve been his execution into a power play that put him on equal footing with the most dangerous people in the country. All thanks to Nakamura’s information, ironically enough. The man who’d been manipulating him had accidentally given him the tools to break free.
Isabeau had been reminded of her place, beneath Kyle. She knew what he could do to her now and knew he had the leverage with the position to make her life hell if she stepped wrong.
But Kyle had accomplished sothing bigger than just saving his own skin. If Marcello actually listened to him, if the Don pulled back from whatever expansion plans he’d been pursuing, the entire mafia structure might return to the shadows where it belonged. No more public displays of power, no more drawing attention that would eventually bring federal scrutiny crashing down on all of them. Kyle might have actually prevented an all-out war between the families and law enforcent.
Though if he was being honest with himself, preventing war wasn’t really Kyle’s end goal. He didn’t give a damn about the families’ long-term stability or whether they operated in the light or shadows. He just wanted to survive, protect the people he cared about, and figure out how to navigate this world he’d stumbled into without losing himself completely.
But none of that mattered if he couldn’t verify the information he’d used to buy his life. Which ant he had to go to England. Had to find Angelica Vescari, or whoever she’d beco in the seventeen years since her supposed death. Had to confirm she was real, alive, breathing, before Marcello demanded proof Kyle couldn’t provide.
He’d put it off long enough. Hell, he’d been putting it off since Nakamura first ntioned it, making excuses about timing and logistics and needing to handle other business first. But now? Now it was urgent. Marcello would want answers soon, and Kyle needed to have them.
The morning sun felt harsh after the controlled lighting of Marcello’s mansion. Kyle stood in the circular driveway, his shoulder aching but manageable, watching one of Marcello’s drivers wait by a black town car.
"Mr. Kyle," the driver called. "Don Vescari asked to take you wherever you need to go."
"I’m good," Kyle said, pulling out his phone to call a rideshare. "I’ll find my own way back."
The driver looked uncertain but didn’t push it. Smart. He probably knew Kyle’s new status ant he didn’t take orders anymore, even polite suggestions dressed up as offers.
Kyle had co far in his plans. Farther than he’d ever imagined when this whole thing started. He’d removed the single biggest obstacle stopping him from really using his rebate system to its full potential. Before, he’d been limited by fear, by the need to stay under the radar, by the constant worry that making too much money or gaining too much power would paint a target on his back.
Now? Now he had protection. Recognition. A seat at the table that ant people thought twice before coming after him.
But sothing in his gut told him this wasn’t over. Not by a long shot.
If word got out that Kyle had told Marcello about his daughter, if Nakamura sohow found out that Kyle had betrayed that secret, there was no telling how the man would react. And if Nakamura had the capability to kidnap a girl from one of the most powerful mafia families in the country, hide her for seventeen years without anyone finding out, what else was he capable of? What other pieces was he moving on a board Kyle couldn’t even see?
Kyle knew better than to step on toes unnecessarily. He’d learned that lesson fast. But there was a bigger monster lurking in all of this, one that made even Nakamura seem manageable by comparison.
Cleopatra.
Kyle hated her with a passion that surprised him. The way she’d grabbed him, groped him, made him feel powerless in her estate. The casual cruelty, the gas, the complete disregard for boundaries or consent. She was everything he despised wrapped in expensive perfu and designer clothes.
But sohow, impossibly, he was in her good graces too. Just like he was with Marcello and Nakamura. Three major players, three people who could destroy him with a phone call, and he’d managed to position himself as useful to all of them. Valuable enough to keep alive, dangerous enough to respect.
It was exhausting.
His phone buzzed the mont he cleared the mansion’s gate, signal returning in a flood of delayed notifications. ssages from Ella and Jane stacked up on his screen, concern and confusion and questions about where he’d been.
Kyle opened them as he walked toward the main road where his ride would pick him up. Jane’s ssages were worried but trusting. Ella’s had more edge, more frustration at being left in the dark. He needed to see them. Both of them. Hell, all three of his won.
It had been too long since he’d seen Jane properly. And maybe what they all needed was a break from this chaos. A vacation sowhere far from mafia politics and Yakuza manipulation and underworld sches. Just him, Jane, Ella, and Cassandra. Sowhere quiet where they could pretend to be normal for a few days.
Calista wouldn’t fit. She had her career blowing up now thanks to the movie, press appearances and auditions and opportunities she’d been chasing for years finally materializing. Plus she just didn’t have the chemistry with the others. She was part of Kyle’s life, but separate from the core group that actually ant sothing to him.
The rideshare pulled up. Kyle slid into the back seat, gave the driver his address, and leaned his head against the window.
Fresh air hit his face as the car pulled away from Marcello’s estate. Cool morning breeze, carrying the scent of normal life, of a world that didn’t revolve around power plays and death threats.
"Fucking finally," Kyle muttered, closing his eyes as the mansion disappeared behind them.
-
Jane had finally gotten a job. Well, an internship really, but it felt significant enough to call it employnt. The position was small but it gave her structure. Sothing to do with her days beyond wandering the apartnt and worrying about Kyle or missing Ella.
Jane was grateful for the opportunity to work at KNOX Beauty Salon. Deeply grateful. It kept her busy, gave her a reason to wake up early and put on real clothes and leave the house. She was getting accustod to her new environnt slowly, learning the subway routes, finding the good coffee shop near the office, figuring out which coworker smiled genuinely versus who was just being polite.
She loved this new life Kyle had given her. The apartnt, the stability, the chance to actually build sothing instead of constantly surviving paycheck to paycheck. But making friends was harder than she’d expected.
The other interns were nice enough. They invited her to lunch sotis, made small talk by the coffee machine. But they’d grown up in different worlds. They talked about college experiences Jane never had, referenced cultural touchstones she’d missed, made plans for weekends that assud disposable inco she was still getting used to having.
It got lonely.
Jane found herself pulling out her phone constantly, typing ssages to Kyle and then deleting them before hitting send. She didn’t want to blow up his phone with her feelings, her small victories and daily frustrations. He’d already done so much for her. Given her everything, really. The last thing she wanted was for him to think she was completely dependent on him, unable to function without constant reassurance.
She was stronger than that. Had to be.
Her phone buzzed during her lunch break. Kyle’s na lit up the screen and her heart did that stupid flutter it always did.
[[Hey. Pack your bags. We’re taking a trip.]]
Jane blinked at the ssage, reading it twice to make sure she understood.
[[A trip? Where? When?]]
[[Details later. Just pack for a week. Warm weather. And tell Cassandra to pack too.]]
[[Cassandra? She’s coming?]]
[[You, , her, and Ella. We all need a break. You free to leave this weekend?]]
Jane’s chest tightened with sothing warm and overwhelming. He was thinking about her. About all of them. Wanted to take them sowhere together, away from everything.
[[I’ll ask for the ti off. Kyle, are you okay? You disappeared for two days.]]
[[I’m fine. Long story. I’ll explain everything when I see you. Just pack, okay? Trust .]]
Jane smiled at her phone, the loneliness from monts before evaporating.
[[Okay. I trust you.]]
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