The Mafia’s Good Wife
Chapter 54

- Damon -

It was dark with only flashlights flashing around. Damon could barely see a thing. He was walking down a long hallway in the estate with a sense of urgency, but he also had to be quiet. Outside the window, the moon was shining bright. Slowly but surely, he started hearing footsteps. Before long, men dressed in all black were walking in the opposite direction of him. They were rushing to get away and Damon kept pointing them to the door. "Go! Go!" he told them.

He saw Liam and Beau passing by with Talia. Violet, Dylan, Ivy, and her mom also went by. Damon was counting all the people that went by, making sure everyone had left the premises safely. He was sure he counted everyone, but somehow it felt like someone was missing.

Damon found himself walking into his office. The room was emptied out. Even the safe behind the painting was open and empty. All the money and weapons he stashed in this house had been moved away. Everything and everyone had gone. And yet, he felt something was still left behind.

"Where the hell is everyone going?"

Suddenly, he heard a voice. Damon turned around and saw a familiar figure standing at the doorway. His jaw fell to the floor and he blinked several times, making sure he wasn't seeing things. "Adrian?" he gaped.

Adrian took a step closer, standing right in front of Damon.

"Where are you going, man?" he asked.

Damon put a hand on Adrian's shoulder. He was real. He could feel his muscles and bones. Damon then immediately remembered what he was doing. Pulling Adrian towards the door, he said, "We gotta go. It's not safe here. We gotta move everybody away!" "Where?" Adrian asked.

"Storm King,"

"Why?"

"Celina's coming with an army. She's got Mark Benzino wrapped around her finger,"

"Mark Benzino working with the DeSantis?" Adrian scoffed. "It must really be the end of the world,"

"I know. It's chaos out there, Adrian. Since we decided we step away, a lot of the smaller families are fighting to get ahead and take over our spot,"

"And you're surprised?" Adrian stifled a laugh. "It is what it is, Damon. One man's trash is another man's treasure. You know full well this is what's gonna happen when you step down,"

Damon threw his glance down and let out a sigh. It was naive of him to think that this transition was gonna be smooth and painless. Of course, there was going to be a lot of chaos. This was why it took Adrian and him so long to make it work. Because as soon as they leave their spot, his supporters will hate him because they've been supporting a lost cause and his enemies will start wars because they want to take his spot for themselves. Not to mention, taking down Hugo DeSantis will have repercussions. Even though he had anticipated all the worst case scenarios, even going as far as killing Hugo's illegitimate sons, there was always someone on the other side waiting to take him down.

At this moment, having someone like Adrian as a counsel would be crucial. Adrian would act as a negotiator and mediator between Damon and his allies and enemies. But since Adrian wasn't around, Damon couldn't exactly do all that. A lot of people were left with no communication and they resorted to doing whatever the hell they like. Including banding together with his enemies and fighting against him. Whatever they can do to gain more power, they'll do it.

"What am I gonna do?" Damon asked Adrian. The desperation in his voice was clear. "Will the fighting ever end?"

"I.."

*BANG! *

Before Adrian could continue, they heard a loud banging sound coming from the door. It was definitely a gunshot.

"What was that?" Damon asked anyway, hoping it might not be what he thought it was.

"They're already here! It's too late!" Adrian said, pulling out a gun from his back pocket.

"What are you talking about-"

*BANG!* BANG! * BANG! *

Suddenly and without warning, gunshots pierced through the door of the office, hitting Adrian straight in the chest and stomach. "Adrian!!!"

Damon caught Adrian's body in his arms. Blood was splattering everywhere. Adrian's face turned pale and blood was leaking out of his mouth.

"Go...!" Adrian croaked, his finger pointing to the window.

"No, I'm not leaving you!"

*BANG! BANG! * BANG! *

More gunshots were heard and Damon had to cover his eyes. The door to the office came down with a loud crash as a man was kicking it down. The man stepped inside and Damon peered through his arm. He was wearing a silver colored suit and a fedora hat, a menacing smirk playing on his face.

"It's good to see you again, mio figlio,"

Hugo DeSantis stood tall above Damon and Adrian's weak body. Damon was trying his best to put pressure on Adrian's wounds, helplessly trying to stop the bleeding. Meanwhile, Hugo pulled out a gun and aimed the mouth right at Damon's eyes. Damon glared at him with fire in his eyes. Hugo let out another smile, and suddenly, he aimed the gun towards Adrian instead.

"NO!!!"

*BANG! *

Damon woke up with a jolt. His breathing was labored and his entire body was sweating. It took him a moment to realize where he was. He was in his office, yes, but there was no war or gunshots. There was no Hugo DeSantis. No Adrian. He was sitting on his desk atop a pile of documents. It seemed like he had fallen asleep there. And finally, he heard a soft voice calling out his name.

"Damon? Damon?"

Damon turned around and saw Violet's worried face. Her hands were on his back, holding onto him tightly. "Violet...?"

- Violet -

"Violet...?" Damon croaked. He was still panting and his eyes looked lost like he didn't know where he was.

"Hey, it's me," she said reassuringly. Her hand continued stroking his back.

Damon still looked confused. His face was pale like he had just seen a ghost. He also didn't say anything for the longest time. He just kept staring at her, waiting for his soul to return to his body.

"....Are you okay?" Violet said as she cupped his cheek, leaning closer to see his eyes. "Are you having nightmares again?"

Gradually, Violet could see the color returning to Damon's face. He was gathering his composure and his breathing slowed down.

"I'm okay..." he breathed. "...It's nothing,"

Violet let out a sigh. She was waiting for him to be done with his meeting all day long. Turns out, Damon's meeting was over hours ago, but he had fallen asleep in the office. Violet only found him because he didn't come to dinner and Liam said they were done talking a while ago. Violet then checked the office and there he was, asleep on the desk on top of a pile of documents. All around him were boxes and boxes scattered about. It was filled with books, photographs, and all the important things from his office. "Damon, what's happening here?" she asked. "What's with all the boxes?"

Damon paused for a moment, looking around the room. He was thinking hard. Maybe he was thinking of what to say. Finally, he stood up. Violet kept her eyes on his face, studying his expression.

"Sweet girl, listen... I think we should move away," he said as he put a hand on her arm. "I'm thinking we can go to the mountains and lay low for a bit," "The mountains?"

"I have a safe house out in Storm King. It's gonna be fine,"

"Why do we need to go to a safe house?"

Damon let out a long sigh. He was reluctant to speak, but Violet pressed further.

"Damon, why do we need to go?"

Violet kept her gaze straight into his eyes. Damon knew he couldn't avoid telling her.

"...I don't wanna worry you, but Celina is building an army and we think she might come here to get revenge," he said after a while of silence.

Violet paused for a moment to let that sink in. Celina...? An army...? Coming here...?

"How long are we gonna be up there?" she asked.

"I don't know... Until we can figure out our next move,"

"So it's not over?"

Violet's voice was filled with disappointment. Damon assured her that it was over. After getting rid of Hugo's illegitimate sons, he said it was all over. But then it wasn't. There was always something else. There will always be something else.

Meanwhile, Damon also couldn't respond. His eyes looked sorry, but this was out of his control.

"What happens if Celina finds out where we are?" Violet asked again. "What do we do then?"

"We can move again," he answered. "I have a place in Florida-"

"Really? We're gonna keep running away?" She cut him off. "Is that what our life's gonna be like from now on?"

Damon's hand went to rake his hair. He was frustrated too, but this was the best option he had for now.

"Look, it's only until we figure out how to fight them back," he explained. "Our allies aren't coming to our aid because they know we're a lost cause. We're not gonna mean anything anymore because we left the world,"

"So we just keep running and buying time until then?"

"She's got the second strongest family in Italy on her side. Well, after Hugo's death, he's the strongest family in Italy. I'm gonna need more time and more resources to fight back,"

Damon stared at Violet pleadingly, but Violet's face was stoic. She was more than disappointed or scared, she was dejected. This was supposed to be the beginning of their happy ending. After everything they've been through and everything they've lost, including Adrian's sacrifice, was that not enough? Will they never be free from this dark and cruel world?

"No," Violet said suddenly. "We're not moving,"

"What?" Damon gaped.

"This is our home. Our family. She can't fear us into running away,"

"But-"

"We'll fight if we have to, but we're not running anywhere," she said firmly, catching him by surprise.

"Violet, it's not safe for you here-"

"It's not safe for me anywhere," she shook her head. "Look, we can spend our energy and resources on running away, or we can use it to stay and fight,"

Damon stared at her in disbelief. But also, she was somewhat inspiring. Unknowingly, his lips almost curved into a smile.

"But... she's coming with an army of two hundred people. We barely have a hundred," he argued.

"But we also have something else," she said meaningfully, her hand reaching for his hand, lacing their fingers together. "We have Damon Van Zandt,"

Damon's lips curved into a smile. He couldn't hold it back even if he wanted to.

"I believe in you, Damon. If anyone can take us out of this mess, it's gonna be you," she said, smiling right back at him. "Now, do you really think that moving away is the best use of our time and resources?"

"No," Damon shook his head. "I think we have a better chance at fighting them in our home turf,"

"Well, there you go,"

"But are you sure about this?" He narrowed his eyes. "I mean, your family's here too..."

Violet let out a sigh and tilted her head to the side. She appreciated that he was worried about her family and what they'll think of him, but that didn't matter anymore.

"I'm your wife, Damon, and this is our home," she stated firmly. "This is where we belong and no one's gonna take that away from us,"

Damon fell silent instantly. That word 'wife' really got to him.

"...Wait... So, you're saying yes?"

"Of course, I'm saying yes," she said, smiling from ear to ear. "I actually talked to Dylan earlier. He's agreed to stay. You have all our support,"

"Really?" his voice came out in a whisper.

"Really," she said, fully reassured and strong.

Damon couldn't move. He stared at her for the longest time. Until finally, he opened his arms and pulled her into a tight hug. Her face was buried deep into his chest. Violet could even hear the sound of his heart beating. It was beating extremely fast. "Damn...!" he muttered. "I have the most badass wife in the entire world,"

Violet let out a laugh. Standing on her tippy toes, she linked her arms around his neck and leaned for his lips, planting a long, sweet kiss.

"Alright, you're the boss," Damon smirked. "We're staying,"