LILY’s POV The blazing sun is starting to dip below the horizon and it is a beautiful sight. It bathes everything it touches in a pale dusky pink glow, melting like molasses beneath the horizon of towering trees. Overhead, a flock of birds soar across the sky, all dashing back to their nests to settle in for the night. But it is far from over for us for we have now entered the final round of this trial.“Alright people, get your asses on the shooting range. Now!” Russo yells, waving for us to move faster. We all stand in a horizontal line but just as I step forward to take my spot, a spasm of pain shoots right up my wounded arm and I wince. Looking down, I see that the makeshift bandage is now soaked with blood. A trickle has somehow escaped the confines of Kane’s shirt and it drips onto the ground. “Move it, Lily! We don’t have all night!” Russo yells in my ear and I cringe at his deafening

LILY’s POV   “You don’t choose your family. They are God’s gift to you, as you are to them.” ― Desmond Mpilo Tutu   It took us hours to get here but the sky is still dark by the time our cars come to a halt at the edge of town. Jonas’ turf lays ahead but the marketplace where he usually collects his money is rather empty. There is an almost serene feeling to the entrance of his turf as a shroud of early morning mist envelopes the place. And as I stare out the heavily tinted window, I can see but a few trades there, all getting their stalls of fruits, poultry and vegetables ready for the coming trade that the day will bring. I wonder how much Jonas robs them of their wages of hard work. Back in our village, we had to pay more than half of our earnings to the Mafia. I exhale, funny how I am now on the other side of the fence. Tore kills the engine of the black four-wheel drive and scrolls down his window,

KANE’s POV   MOMENTS BEFORE THE GUNSHOT   Jonas’ residence looms ahead of me. He lives in a pristine colonial-style mansion with an endless sea of trimmed lawn and fancy cars; a stark contrast to the muddy slums the residents around him survive in. My lips curl downwards into a snarl and I shake my head in disgust. It is people like Jonas who give the Mafia a bad name. I step forward onto his freshly mowed lawn and men suddenly pour out, all with rifles in their hands. But one look at my face and they cower. They know very well who I am. One of them mouths, “Ibraco….” and quickly runs back to the mansion, his arms flailing as he shouts to alert his boss. It doesn’t matter, I walk on and head towards the massive double door entrance where two more of his men stand guard. “Hello,” I greet them and I swear one of them starts weeping. Wow, I didn’t know Jonas hired crybabies to guard his territory.

LILY’s POV   I am holding onto one of the most important persons in my life right now. My sister, my Rose is here. It feels so surreal, so much so I feel like pinching myself just to make sure that this is not merely a beautiful dream. I pull back to take a good look at her, my fingers caressing every inch of her face, taking in the structure of her cheekbones, the bridge of her nose, the fullness of her lips….and I let out a pent up exhalation. She is slightly thinner than the last time I saw her but otherwise, she appears to be fine. With a quivering hand, I brush back the strands of her golden blonde hair and smile through my tears. This is real, this is not a dream so it’s okay to cry. I can cry happy tears, tears of joy are allowed. Then my gaze trails down to her bloodied dress and a frown immediately skirts across my face. Is she hurt? Reading my thoughts, she points to the fallen man behind us. A dead man lays on his side with hi

LILY’s POV The ride back from the edge of town is a stilted one. At Kane’s orders, Tore remained behind to oversee the turf and Big Bob is staying with him to help out. Ian’s plea to stay back with his mother however was flat out rejected. “This isn’t a country club where you can choose to come and go,” Kane had told Ian. “Once you join the Mafia, you can only leave when I say yes.” He softened somewhat at the end and he ruffled Ian’s mop of hair. “You’ll get to visit your loved ones on your off days.” Perhaps it is better this way. In Maria’s mind, Ian is no longer her son but some boy who could perhaps give her money if she lets him touch her and have 'fun' with her body. In a way, it is better for her to be in the comforting presence of my mother for the time being. “How about we grab dinner before heading back?” Ruso breaks the silence from the driver’s seat. We left a car back at the town for Tore, so Russo and Ian are riding back with u