Chapter 8：Fallen Angel

"Do you believe in fate, Maso?" Gael sat in an armchair and exhaled the smoke from his cigarette, clouding the air around him. The visible vapor swirled once before it got sucked by the vent in the ceiling.

The smell of his cigarette wasn't enough to mask the mustiness in the room where it was dingy—and the only light that sheepishly entered from outside the basement came from the small window that was the size of a shoebox.

Maso, the man kneeling in front of Gael De Luca, had his head lowered. He could only stare at the floor below him, afraid to look at Gael in the eye. He was naive to think that he could get away with his secrets. He shouldn't have given in to the Morellis.

Six Families – the six major organized crime families of the Italian-American Mafia. De Luca and Morelli were two of them. Each of the crime families had leaders: a Boss, an Underboss, and the Capo/s or the Caporegimes and Gael's uncle, Giovanni, was a Capo.

The Morellis used to be part of the De Lucas but due to conflict in the family decades ago, a war broke out, causing a split. Since then, the two families had been rivals.

Maso was one of De Luca's fixers who dealt with their illicit activities. There had been odd incidents happening within Esmea lately while Gael was still in Italy. But after an initial investigation and Maso's report, it was deemed negligible and didn't seem like a threat — it wasn't, until his men found Maso with the Morellis.

When Maso didn't respond, Gael dragged his gaze from the ceiling down to the latter's head. Leaning forward, he rested his elbows on his knees and tilted his head as he observed the man before him. "Hey, I'm asking you a question," he drawled.

"I don't know," was all that Maso could respond.

Gael chuckled and it sent chills down Maso's spine, making him shiver. "You don't know…" he muttered in almost a whisper. "Well, I'll tell you... I believe in fate. Do you remember how Giovanni adopted you in the family? That was fate. Don't you think so? He found you almost dead in the streets. He took you in, clothed and gave you a job. It was what made you who you are today."

Gael took a drag from his cigarette and blew the smoke towards Maso's head, the acrid taste lingered in his throat before the rich tobacco taste stayed in his mouth. "So, don't you think fate led me here too? I wasn't even here on business and yet you…" He lifted Maso's chin using his fingers that were holding his cigarette, the lit end of the cigarette burned the latter's skin, making him hiss but he did not dare to move.

"You were having transactions with the Morellis." He clicked his tongue and leaned on the backrest of his chair. "You do know what happens to traitors, don't you, Maso?"

Maso's eyes shut close. He was afraid of the man in front of him and could only accept his fate. "I accept your punishment," he settled.

"Oh, you do?" Gael got up from his seat. He raised his knee and planted his foot on Maso's chest, pushing down until the latter's back touched the dirty floor. Maso's body was rigid as he was bent backwards while his lower legs were under him, but he could only clench his teeth.

"Hmmm... You're not really afraid of me, Maso. And besides, I couldn't possibly punish you." Gael lifted his foot off the other, throwing his cigarette to the side before digging his hands inside his pockets. He watched as Maso looked at him with a baffled expression and it changed into a terrified look when he added, "But Giovanni will."

"No… no, Gael. Please! Just kill me now—" Maso begged but Gael had already left the gloomy room.

"Gran' disgraziato," (Big disgrace) Gael spat on his way out.

While Gael was infamous because of his background, he stuck to his principles and only acted when necessary. Though Maso betrayed the family, Gael believed that Giovanni was the only one who could deliver the retribution because of their circumstance.

Gael's mother was American and his father was Italian. He grew up with his mother and grandmother in the U.S. until he was a teenager when his mother died of cancer. His father, whom he only met at his mother's wake, took him in and brought him to Italy where he met the rest of the De Luca Family.

He had no idea what kind of business his father had since his mother refused to tell him. He grew up as a sweet boy who always took care of his mother whenever he could. He took part-time jobs while he was studying in middle school in order to help buy medicines for his sick mother.

So when he came to know about the grim world that he was living now, it changed his whole life entirely. He dressed, walked, and behaved differently. The once innocent Gael became a tainted soul the moment his father took over in raising him.

He was grateful for his father, but he was the only one who knew that deep inside of him, he was ashamed because wherever his mother was now, she's probably watching him and shaking her head.

And the tattoo of the fallen angel on his back was the constant reminder of his sins.