Angel’s Trumpet by Sem Thornwood

Blood.

So much blood.

Turns out it was not a good day to wear my nice shirt. Since I never had the skill to remain clean while torturing, I’d usually strip down to my pants, but I wouldn’t do that for attacks. Tonight’s turned out to be extra bloody.

We were planning this attack with Antonio since I talked to Franco. He didn’t give me anything to accuse Duran of treason, but he gave me a glimpse of his plans. He was trying to gain power using my father’s name to bring me down, but of course, that was not a very successful plan. So, the fucker was connecting with the Russians.

After we got some more digging, we found the warehouse. He didn’t visit here himself, but the people he met did. He also didn’t meet them directly. He was an old mobster and knew how to keep himself clean so that I couldn’t execute him. But still, he was underestimating me.

I really didn’t want this shit to be public knowledge. For one, I didn’t want Duran to know my moves, but more importantly, I didn’t want people to see I kept traitors alive. I had to get him with my way, and I had to get him quietly.

Cutting off the help of the Russians was the first move. I wanted them to know who the boss was, and I was also hoping to get some information from them. And in fact, I did.

To keep it quiet, Antonio, Alessio, and I attacked the warehouse alone. We could have gotten a few more loyal soldiers, but we decided we didn’t need them. It was bloody, probably bloodier than anything I did in these last months, and the crazy bastard I was, it actually felt good. It also felt like shit because it felt good.

After we got answers from the ones that didn’t die during the attack, all three of us were both worn out and jumping with adrenaline. We cut off the heads of the fuckers to send our message. They might step back or get even angrier, but anyway, this would make them reconsider how beneficial it was to help Duran Ricci.

“That needs stitches,” I said, pointing to the cut on Alessio’s chest. We were leaving.

Alessio looked down to his chest like he didn’t even feel it. It was normal because of all the adrenaline. “I’ll take care of it at home.”

My eyes narrowed as I lit up a cigarette. Torturing for so long usually meant no smoking. I liked my hands to be free to give as much pain as I could. “You go home like that?” he did before, but since he didn’t live alone anymore, it seemed weird. He really wanted Bella to see him like this?

He shrugged. “Bella is not scared of blood. She even stitches me up.”

“That’s disturbing.”

Antonio came beside me. “The word you are looking for is cute,” he said, but his voice held nothing but a hint of sarcasm.

I could not even imagine going near my sister after I was done doing such horrendous things. “So, I hid my crazy side from Bella for years for her to end up with you. Be careful, Alessio.” They might be married, but I’d still kill him if he hurt Bella.

He seemed too casual with it. “Don’t worry, Sal, that’s what I do for years. I used to call for an angry fuck after I killed or tortured, but that’s very stupid. I realized talking to Mia or Pippa was so much better. Remembering my life was not only about being a monster gives me calm. That’s why I always seek Bella.”

My chest filled with unbelievable jealousy. How could he so easily do something I longed for my entire life? I was even scared of showing my real face when there was no reason for my crazy to come out. For god’s sake, I haven’t fucked my wife because I was so scared of showing that side of me, and Alessio was out there spending time with his loved ones to get rid of the darkness.

I never wanted to punch somebody so much.

“Why are you looking at me like you want to kill me?”

My eyes were already on Alessio, but I also brought my attention to him. “I just don’t know how you do it.”

He again shrugged. So calm, so casual, so fucking annoying. “You should try it.” And then he disappeared inside his car.

I got into mine with a high temper. I also seek a hard fuck after a killing spree like this, but right now, I didn’t want to fuck anyone. Well, anyone but my wife. Yet, it was too dangerous. I was a bad man in bed, but I was even worse when I was trying to get rid of the darkness. It was something she should never see. It was something that could make her hate me.

So, what the fuck was I going to do? Go back home in this state where my siblings and Mia waited? Could I find peace in them like Alessio did?

I didn’t know the answer to that, but I knew I wanted to. You should try it, huh. Why the fuck not?

 

After a while, I got used to my room. I mean, it was my room for years, but for the first few days, I felt bad sleeping away from Sal. I was still not very happy about that, but busy days and my relaxing, colorful nightlight helped with the sleep. I usually went to bed at midnight and woke up early.

Tonight was one of the first nights I actually went to bed without seeing Sal. After the night he kissed me goodnight, he came to dinner all three nights. Tonight, he had some business to attend to, and he informed me before, so I didn’t get angry like I did before. I knew it was not realistic to demand him to be home every night, but since now, I knew he was not doing it just to get away from me, accepting that was easy.

I was sad about not seeing him tonight, yet went to sleep pretty quickly, but after some time, I woke up because of a sound. I was a light sleeper, and the sound was not very quiet.

Even in my sleepy state, I knew the sound was coming from my door, and the fear helped me wake up easily. My heartbeat got so fast with all the horrible possibilities, but when I actually looked at the door, all of it went away. It was Salvatore.

I got up on my elbows. “Sal?”

He didn’t react to my voice. He just started to unbutton his shirt. He seemed off. He was just too focused on the task of getting undressed. It was like he was having a hard time focusing on few things at the same time and was trying to suppress something more. He was not himself.

That look on his face might scare or confuse another woman, but I knew that look too well. I have seen it on Alessio countless times over the years. It made it clear what type of business he had to attend tonight.

After he got rid of his shirt, his hands started working on his belt, and his dark gaze occasionally slipped to me. Something I saw there made me excited with lust, but I could see he was trying to suppress that side. He also looked much more twisted than Alessio. It was hard for him, but I didn’t know why. He was acquainted with violence as much as Alessio. Why did coming back home from that affected him so much?

When he stripped down to only his brief, he stepped towards the bed with a predatory look. My heartbeat got faster, but it was not from fear like before. Even though he looked at me like I was his next meal, I couldn’t find it in me to fear him.

I still couldn’t help but ask, “Are you okay?”

He only made a growling sound and got under the covers with me. For a second, I didn’t know what I should do. Was he finally going to make me his? Was this the time I was waiting for?

I didn’t know how I felt about sleeping with Salvatore while he was drunk with violence. I was not worried about how he was going to act or treat me. I wouldn’t mind pain anyway, but I was scared that he might regret it later. That would be something I cannot take. So, when he reached for me, my hands came to his chest in a warning. “Sal, what are you…”

“Please,” he rasped, interrupting me, and I saw some of his normal self slipping back. “Just let me hold you.”

Maybe I should have been disappointed, but all I could feel was a delicious warmth in my chest. I let him wrap his arms around me and pull me to his naked chest.

“Why?” I asked. It seemed like he wanted something else.

He tangled his hand with my hair and pressed my head to his chest. He was so close that I couldn’t feel anything but Salvatore, like nothing existed other than him. He buried his nose to my hair before whispering, “I just need to remember there are good things in my life.”

My breath hitched against his answer. “And I am one of them?”

“No,” Salvatore murmured, but his arms around me tightened, stopping me from pulling back. “You are all of them.”

After Sal exploded my heart last night, I fell asleep smiling. There was no more need to talk. All I wanted was to cherish that moment because I didn’t know if I was going to get that again.

To my satisfaction and surprise, I woke up in his arms again. I thought he was going to leave when he could think more clearly. I even thought he was going to regret it. But he was here. His arm was holding me close, and a hand was playing with my dark hair. I couldn’t help but smile. This was what I wanted from the beginning.

I yawned. “Good morning.”

When I propped myself on his naked chest, Sal brushed away my bangs and looked at me like I was something magnificent, like I was the sun and the moon combined. It was so intense that I blushed but managed to still look at his face. I didn’t want to miss a second of this moment.

A smirk played on his lips, and his dimples appeared as he touched his fingertip to my warm cheek. “Good morning.”

Even though he seemed pretty okay, some worry over his state last night filled me. “Are you okay?”

He still only smiled. “I am.”  His eyes were roaming over me like I was the most important thing in the world. He looked like he was fascinated with me and Mateo’s words came back to me. He told me that I changed for Salvatore. I made myself someone he could love, and Sal really looked at me like he could love me someday. It should have made me feel uncomfortable. Every time those words came to me in the last days, I felt bad, but right now, I only felt peace. Who I was now didn’t felt wrong. The way I acted in front of Sal didn’t felt like an act. Maybe change was not a bad thing after all.

I leaned in and pressed my lips to his. Again, to my surprise, he let me. When I pulled back, I smiled at him with all those magnificent feelings swimming inside of me. Then I whispered my sudden decision. “I’m going to move back to our room.”

And oh man, the relief and joy I saw on his face was a splendid sight to behold, so I kissed him one more time. First on his lips, then on his right dimple I loved so much.