Chapter 2

[LUNA]

I puffed my cigarette, inhaling, sucking the smoke gently into my system. I closed my eyes and let the smoke settle into my lungs for a few seconds before I exhaled. The life of a Mafia is not as easy as it seems; it is not as ideal as everyone imagined, as if you could kill whoever you wanted. We, Camorra provide security and protection to our clients at a reasonable price. But that doesn't mean we're the good guys. We're bad, really bad. We kill people who try to come in our way. We do everything both legally and illegally. We have businesses, too. We deal in smuggling, human trafficking, gambling, selling drugs, prostitution, and any other criminal activity you can think of. Simultaneously, we have legal enterprises such as petrol stations, restaurants, pubs, and nightclubs that we utilize as a front to conceal our illicit activities.

I'm Luna Salvatore, the daughter of Camorra's Boss, Marco Salvatore. I am a Caporegime. It would have been nice if I’m Camorra's lone Caporegime, but no. There are others who are in the same boat as me. But let me tell you frankly, I’m the coolest among them:

My older brother, Jacob. He's a serious, arrogant man who always seemed to be competing with me for our dad's attention. I called him "J" for short.

Then there's my younger brother, Vance, who's known for his stylish looks and charming demeanor. He had a head of sleek, flowing hair that seemed to be perpetually perfect, no matter what he did. I called him "V".

My cousin, Brandon Sanchez, is a womanizer who took great pride in his physique. He had a tan, muscular build and a winning smile that made the ladies swoon. I called him "B".

And last but not least, there's Kylie Park. She's the daughter of our Under Boss, Maverick Park, and my best friend. But our relationship went beyond friendship. She had blonde hair, and green eyes, and was about my age and height.

Each of us is responsible for supervising our respective crews. Every crew must report all of their activities and earnings to us. We must also compensate them to maintain their loyalty and diligence. They work alongside associates on all illicit jobs. As Capos, we report directly to the Underboss. Camorra's earnings go to the Boss in full, but we receive a portion of the profits first, before it is given to the Under Boss and then to the Boss.

We are like any other business, except we operate under the radar. Since we are above the law, we do not pay taxes. However, this does not make us invincible. We have a rival Mafia - the Sinaloa Cartel, who also has their own businesses. I messed up one of their firms, which is why their Boss wants me dead.

I have the best crews in Camorra, and one of my most trusted subordinates is Ivanna Lewis. With her seductive prowess, she helps me eliminate our rivals' businesses. You can never resist her charm. Once she sets her sights on you, you're done for. In Camorra, loyalty is crucial. Betrayal means death, regardless of your rank or position in the family.

Despite being the coolest Caporegime in the family, I have a strange habit of visiting the Museum just to gaze at an odd painting hanging on the wall. I'm not entirely sure why, but it has a calming effect on me. Whenever I'm feeling overwhelmed or need an escape from reality, I come here to look at it.

"Where are you going again?" Brandon asked me, sounding like my dad. I rolled my eyes and ignored his question as I jingled the keys in my hand.

"Let me come with you, L!" Kylie called out, running after me and hopping onto my motorcycle as soon as I started the engine.

"You don't have to come," I said, offering her an extra helmet.

"I know, but you'll enjoy it anyway," she giggled, kissing my nape before donning the helmet. Feeling playful, I revved the engine and turned the throttle, causing her to lose balance and hug me tight. She squealed and laughed, and I could practically see her rolling her eyes. I'm a dork to my best friend, but she loves it anyway.

Now, I’m here standing in front of this night sky painting, awestruck by how it affected my emotions in every possible way. The signature on the painting says it was painted by A.G., but I still do not know the artist. I can't help but wonder how this masterpiece on the wall can have such a profound effect on me. It is one of those rare things that can make me forget all of my troubles and worries.

In this crowded place, I am usually acutely aware of everyone's emotions: anger, greed, love, lust, happiness, and grief. But when I gaze at this painting, it's like a shield that protects me from all of these emotions. It makes me feel like any other human being standing inside this room, disconnected from everything else.

Just as I was lost in thought, my phone started ringing again, interrupting my peaceful moment. Goddammit, B! Can you at least be less annoying? I groaned and fished my phone out.

"Where are you?" B said on the other line.

"Don't look for me," I said quickly before hanging up.

I heard Kylie laugh and said, “B just cares about you.”

“He doesn’t need to,” I nonchalantly muttered. I know I’m being an ass right now, but I couldn’t really care less. Being considerate of others’ feelings is not really my thing.

"You always come here to the museum, but you've never looked at any other painting," Kylie remarked, changing the topic. I didn't mind her question and just looked at the painting in front of me. I'm not sure why, but staring at this painting makes me feel calm. It relaxes me and makes me feel at ease; it reminds me of home, but it also makes me feel sad. Even though it's merely a night sky, it gives off that kind of feeling.

Before I could even get more emotional, Kylie gripped my arm and whispered, "Babe, we need to go."

I abruptly looked around as I started to sense their presence. Shit! Just as I had suspected, some of Sinaloa Cartel’s members were already inside the gallery. I clenched my jaw and grabbed Kylie's arm. It would be easier if Kylie weren’t here, but right now, I can’t risk her safety.

"Let's go," I muttered under my breath, leading Kylie toward the exit. As we stepped out, my instincts kicked in, and I snarled at the sight of our pursuers. How did they find us here?

Annoyed at their intrusion in my secret spot, I hustled Kylie onto my motorcycle, yelling for her to hold on tight. With a rev of the engine, we were off, racing down the street at breakneck speed. I could feel their malevolent presence following close behind, determined to capture us.

I knew I had to think fast. If they caught up to us, we'd be in deep trouble. I shouldn't have underestimated Sadie's abilities to track me down. Sadie Davis is one of the Sinaloa Cartel's Caporegimes, and she's been after me since the day I shut down their client's business.

Well, we have our own client too, and they paid us good money, so we did our job of shutting down their competition. It's easy for me. Killing people is as simple as blinking my eyes.

As we careened through the city streets, I couldn't shake the feeling that we were being watched. Kylie's grip on my waist became tighter, but I knew she was just scared. I shouted for her to hold on tighter as I swerved around a tight corner, trying to lose our pursuers.

But they were good. Too good. They kept following us, their intentions clear in the dark glint of their eyes.

I cursed under my breath. I didn’t know how they found out about me hanging around the art museum. But it didn't matter now. All that mattered was getting Kylie out of there alive.

"Hold on tight!" I yelled, shifting gears as we thundered down the street. 

This was turning into a nightmare of a ride, but I wasn't about to risk our lives by stopping and getting caught by those jerks.

I pushed the motorcycle to its limits, swerving around corners and barely avoiding collisions with other cars. Kylie's screams filled my ears, but I couldn't focus on that now. All that mattered was getting us out of here alive.

As we approached a busy intersection, the streetlights turned red, but I didn't slow down. I gritted my teeth and passed through the intersection just as a car almost hit us. Kylie clung to me for dear life, and I couldn't help but release a mocking laugh as our pursuers were forced to stop.

"That was close!" I shouted over the roar of the engine.

"I know! You almost got us killed!" Kylie yelled, her voice shaking with fear. I couldn't help but chuckle at how scared she was. But deep down, I regretted bringing her along for this ride. I wasn't exactly known for my concern for others, though, so I just shrugged it off.

"You know that's impossible," I said with a smirk.

"For you, maybe. But for me, it's not!" Kylie yelled, pounding her fist into my shoulder. I brushed it off, trying to focus on the road ahead. She was right, though. I am Luna Salvatore, and I can’t be killed.