Page 75 of Saving Grace

“I’ll tell him you said goodbye when I visit his mother. I’m going to put her in one of your whorehouses. Pretty young thing like that. Get me a hundred a pop. Isn’t that what you told Grace the going price was back in your precious Italy?” I was bluffing. But I wanted to make his last minutes on earth hurt.

“You-.” He started. I didn’t want to hear another word from him. I raised my hand to cover his mouth. He finally struggled, barely. Digging his nails into my wrist, he tried to pry my hand away.

I pressed down harder, making sure to avoid his nose. Wouldn’t want to smother him to death and ruin my plans.

I had the perfect words for the occasion. A prayer he’d taught me

I started “Signore, fa di me uno strumento della tua Pace.” It was fitting, so many people would find peace in his death.

He gasped as I plunged the needle into neck. Unshed tears wet his eyes.

“O! Maestro,

fa ch'io non cerchi tanto:

Ad essere consolato, quanto a consolare.

Ad essere compreso, quanto a comprendere.

Ad essere amato, quanto ad amare.”

Raised his hand to clutch his heart.

I waited. Watched the life drain from him.

“Poiché: è Dando, che si riceve:

Perdonando che si è perdonati;”

He gurgled his last breath.

“Morendo, che si risuscita a Vita Eterna.”

When his body went stiff I removed my hand. I bowed my head and closed my eyes “Amen!” The amount of weight on my shoulder lessened and everything in me felt light, but I’d celebrate shedding my greatest burden later.

I gave Tank a faint nod. He knew what to do. There was no need to speak to him.

Turning, I fixed my shirt, smoothed my hands over my wrinkled pants. I Watched Chino’s eyes sweep over me, then my grandfather.

I smirked at him, amused with the disbelief on his face. He didn’t think I would do it. What I did next would surely shock him.

I raised my hand, encouraging him to step towards me for a handshake. The last step he took was his last. I made my move. Seconds later, his eyes went wide, blood streamed from his mouth. I put power behind the blade I shoved into his guts. I Pulled it out, plunged it in his neck, then removed it, leaving room for blood to flow. Crimson immediately began to color his crisp white dress shirt.

The look of betrayal in his eyes baffled me. He couldn’t have thought I’d let him live. Not even if he hadn’t been involved in hurting Grace, he was disloyal. He staggered, reaching for the gun in the holster on his side. I shoved his hand away. His body collapsed making a thumping sound. Ironically, he too, like my grandfather gurgled his last breath.

With a final sigh. I dropped the knife for my grandfather’s people to find.

He would be the scapegoat when I told the story of why I had to kill him. He would be responsible for all that went down today. I’d be a hero for killing him. Removing my blood-soaked gloves, I’d shoved them back in my pocket.

Now, I had only had Sophia to deal with. I’d left her brothers alive so they could take care of her. She was about to find that out.

I rush of adrenaline hit my body. I was so close to the end of this oppressing life I'd been living.

I headed towards the door. I was just over the threshold when a phone rang. I looked back over my shoulder in time to watch Tank pull it from the pocket of his jeans and answer it. The way he dropped his head I know something was wrong.

“Find them, now!” He barked into the phone.

My heart dropped. Blood rushed my ears.