7

Enzo drives off and gets to a coffee shop. He makes his way inside and grabs a sit opposite a man who was busy reading newspaper.

"If you keep acting blind. We might as well get you a stick for safety." Enzo chuckled as he relaxed on his seat.

"Eh— Always the sarcastic one." Marco replied putting down the newspaper on the table and taking a sip of his coffee.

Marco was Enzo best friend right from childhood and when Enzo joined the cartel 10 years ago, he managed to convince Marco to join as well and they have been working together ever since.

"So how was the job?" Marco asked about Enzo's recent hit.

"The fool tried to play smart, of course I sent him to hell." Enzo replied softly but his response made Marco crack up.

"They always think they have a better idea." Marco muttered before taking another sip of his coffee.

The waitress approaches their table with a smile. "Hello sir. Is there anything else I can offer you?" She asked.

Marco was captivated from her beauty. The stunning brunette had him short of words, he gazed at her for a few seconds before regaining his composure.

"I'd like some extra doughnuts. Thank you." Marco muttered almost inaudibly. Enzo was perplexed about what was going on as he stared at both the waitress and Marco back and forth.

"And what about you sir?" The waitress asked Enzo.

"I would have expresso. Black." Enzo responded and the waitress left to get their orders.

"So what's with you and the waitress?" Enzo asked Marco. Curiosity all over his face.

"What do you mean? There's nothing between us." Marco tried to deny it but his poor composure already gave him away.

"Hey... It's me Enzo. You don't need to act all tough." Enzo reassured his best friend.

"Alright. We've been seeing each other for sometime now. I really like her." Marco confessed.

"That's nice... But you know you have to keep the cartel a secret from her." Enzo advised but Marco shrugs without saying a word. "So how long has this been happening?" Enzo asked.

"2 years." Marco murmured with his head down.

"2 years?!" Enzo retorted. He was shocked that Marco could keep such secrets from him for an awful long period of time.

"Keep your voice down. You're overreacting." Marco mumbled.

"I'm overreacting. She could be a spy for Godsake. You're putting not only yourself in danger but the rest of us." Enzo responded looking disappointed.

"I've checked her. She's clean. She's just a regular waitress." Marco explained.

"Yeah right, just like any cartel that has been cracked down, there was an unexpected mole. And even if she's not a spy, you're putting her in danger cause if Carlos finds out she's dead." Enzo muttered.

The waitress arrives at the table and serves them, sending a warm smile to Marco before leaving once again.

"Carlos would never find out." Marco declared.

"Here we go... The man has eyes and ears everywhere. You could be reprimanded for this." Enzo complained tried to keep his tone down.

"He won't find out because I'm planning on leaving." Marco confessed, a wave of shock gripped Enzo, it was like his eats went numb and he was deaf, he tried to make sense of what Marco just said. "I was hoping you would come with us, we could run away, start a new life, start a family away from all these bloodshed." Marco added.

"Are you crazy?! Carlos will hunt us down and kill us and everyone we have ever met." Enzo mumbled the shock still evident on his face.

"That's why we need to join forces. You and I, we are unstoppable. If you leave with me, no one would dare pick a fight against us. Of course few would try but we will crush them." Marco proposed.

Enzo shakes his head slowly in disbelief. "You're a mad man. You're going to get yourself killed. I won't be a part of it." Enzo responded defiantly.

"Of course. I didn't expect anything less, you've always been the golden boy for Carlos. Always gotten special treatment from him. If only the old man knew you were fucking his only daughter." Marco said with his tone stern.

Enzo eyes widened. "How do you know that?"

"Carlos is not the only one with eyes and ears everywhere. If you are not going to join me escape. It's best you don't stand in my way either." Marco responded with a menacing tone before getting up to leave.

Enzo did not utter another word. He just watched Marco leave the coffee shop, he was caught in the dilemma of joining his best friend escape plot or remaining loyal to the Baltimore family. Given the fact that Antonella hinted at being open to an escape plan did not make the decision any easier.

Enzo's phone buzzed and it was Antonella that was calling. "Speak of the devil." Enzo murmured inaudibly. He picked the call.

"Hey papi, where are you?" Antonella asked.

"Please now is not the time." Enzo responded with a dull tone.

"I was asked to bring you to the office. My father wants to see you." Antonella said.

"Why? Is anything wrong?" Enzo anxiously asked, his heart began to race but he managed to control his breathing.

"I don't know. Where are you? It's urgent. Unless you want to keep my father waiting." Antonella responded.

"I'll meet you at the olives in 5 minutes." Enzo replied before ending the call. He called over the cashier and cleared his bill and left almost immediately.

Antonella meets Enzo at the olives. "Did anything happen to the documents?" Enzo asked again looking distressed. He could not understand why Carlos wanted to see him out of the blue, not after the tensed conversation he just had with his best friend.

"What do you think I am? G****e? Get your ass in here, let's leave this place." Antonella trolled Enzo's uncertainty. Enzo got into the car but couldn't wonder what the issue could be.