Releasing the Silent Killer, Davide and India's Story (The Salvant Brothers #5)

Chapter 1

Davide

“Davide, voi ragazzi venite via da quella porta (Davide, you boys come away from that door)!” My mother, Aurora, would fuss, catching me, Luca, and Matteo outside of my father’s office as he and the other Dons were having a meeting.

We were little raggizi (boys) back then, always into shit, and of course, I was the ringleader.

My Papà, Alessandro Russo, instilled in me ever since I was old enough to understand his words that I was one day going to be the Don of my family.

Some people are born with confidence and are natural-born leaders, while some were born to be followers and needed an extra push. I definitely was not the latter. I have always been a leader, and for those who said otherwise, let’s just say those words will never fall from their lips again.

I am all of what they whisper behind my back.

I’m cocky, arrogant, and a ruthless killer, but it comes with the business I’m in.

Men hate me, and women love me. Why wouldn’t they?

I’m a sexy mother fucker who keeps himself in shape and cares about my appearance.

They fall for my perfect white smile and mesmerizing brown eyes.

I’ve been called a pretty boy a time or two and beat the shit out of the ones who said it.

I’m not pretty, I’m fucking handsome. People see my six-foot-three, large muscular body and are stricken with fear.

You can’t be the Don of one of the most feared families and be a pussy. My Papà held his own, and so do I.

I wanted to be just like my Papà when I grew up, so I became his shadow.

Everywhere he went and everything he did, I wanted to be right there with him, learning my family’s business.

Often, he would take me on his deals around the city, but if he had to travel abroad, I wasn’t allowed to go.

My Papà didn’t hide how our family made its money, he said why hide it when someday it would be me keeping the family business going on.

My mother would voice her concerns that I was too young to witness what he was doing, but papa would have to remind her it was my birthright, and as my Papà, it was his duty to teach me firsthand.

Eventually, she let it go. She knew that having a firstborn son of a crime family, this was eventually going to happen.

With papa being the Don of the Russo family, it was only natural that Luca, Matteo, and I would become friends. Matteo’s father was cool, but Luca’s father was a prick. He was so far up Don Giovanni Romano’s ass it’s a wonder if he wasn’t doing him.

Papà began training me in weaponry and hand to hand combat at an early age. By the time I was ten, I could carve a man up into small pieces and shoot any son of a bitch right between the eyes without batting an eye.

I got the moniker of The Silent Killer one day my papà took me to Little Heaven, a café in the city Cefalù where we lived.

Luca, Matteo, and I were having lunch while our fathers were in a meeting in the back.

A guard who was supposed to be watching over us sat at the counter talking to the clerk as we sat at our table laughing and talking about the goings-on at our school when I noticed a man come in.

This was not my first time here while a meeting of the Dons took place, so I knew no one was allowed in during that time.

Mario Panazzo, the owner of the café, was in the back with our fathers, while a man behind the counter nodded to the guy who entered.

Luca and Matteo were so into their stories they didn’t notice him making his way to the back.

I quickly told them and the guard that I needed to use the bagno (bathroom) because something was not right.

Quietly as I could, I crept down the hallway and found the man kneeling on one knee loading a gun that had a silencer attached to it.

I didn’t know who he was there to kill, but I’d be damned if my Papà got caught in the crossfire.

Slowly, I pulled out my knife Papà gave me on my last birthday.

I never left home without it, so it was on me pretty much twenty-four seven.

Stealthily nearing the man, I had my knife ready in my hand.

He was so occupied in loading his gun, he didn’t even realize death was upon him until I was a mere few inches away from him.

He turned around and saw me, but before he could react, I brought my knife down, plunging it into his neck.

The sound of him gurgling for air only spurred me on as I continued to stab him over and over again.

It was as if everything around me went black, and all I could see was the man who thought he could bring harm to my Papà.

When I finally came out of my haze, papà was holding me with one hand locked around my wrist with the hand holding the knife. The others gaped at me with bewildered looks.

“Davide, what is going on? Why did you kill this man?” Papà asks.

“Because he was outside the door loading his gun. I wasn’t going to let him hurt you, Papà.” I reply with my adrenaline on high, ready to strike at anyone else I thought was a threat against him.

“This is an outrage! Alessandro, you need to get that son of yours in check, he just killed an innocent man!” Giovanni booms.

I feel Papà’s chest tighten against my back.

“Really, Giovanni?! It seems to me, Davide just saved all of us...well maybe some of us from death. I don’t know what the fuck is going on, but The Silent Killer here just fucked up anyone’s plans of destroying any of the Dons.

” From that day on, I was known as The Silent Killer.

At a young age, my name rang out in the city.

I didn’t care if people knew it was me or not, as long as they knew not to fuck with my family or me.

When I wasn’t in school or training, Papà would sometimes allow me to accompany him and his right-hand man, Antonio Trevisan, on their trips to the lower levels, the Level as they were called, to collect money owed to him.

My first time going there, I was amazed at how even though they were poor, most of the people still walked with their heads held high and always smiling.

The kids ran around, laughing and playing as if they didn’t have a care in the world.

“Davide, always remember this; just because some are not as fortunate as others that doesn’t make them bad people. We are blessed for what we have. Never look down on the next man just because he wears rags.” Papà told me that day.

Those words have always stayed with me. I didn’t give a shit if you were rich or poor, I treated everyone the same.

Which is how I met one of my oldest friends, Piero Saccone.

Of course, we didn’t start off as friends.

Piero was two years older than me, but we were the same height and build.

I saw him and his gang of friends the first few times I went down there.

They would give me dirty looks, but Piero’s expression was the worst. I would stare them all down because they didn’t intimidate me.

The only person that put fear in my heart was papà.

If Piero or his band of merry boys thought they could scare me they were gravely mistaken.

On one particular trip down there, papà asked me to wait outside the bakery as he and Antonio went in. I didn’t know it then, but papà had witnessed their glares at me and decided it was time for me to show them who I really am.

I stood outside the bakery tossing a small ball I had up in the air then catching it.

Through my peripheral vision, I saw Piero and his crew slowly approaching me.

I continued tossing the ball as I ignored them when they surrounded me.

On my last toss, a hand reaches out to catch the ball.

I elbow the person hard in the side just before catching the ball.

I resume what I was doing as I watch Piero clutch his side, staring daggers into me.

“I want that ball.” He demands, standing tall.

“Then, you should buy one,” I respond with a smirk.

Piero peers at me with such hatred. “I’m not going to buy shit. You’re going to give me that ball, or I’m going to beat you down, then take it from you.”

I stop my actions, glaring at him, before falling into a fit of laughter.

“Listen, I don’t know who you think you’re dealing with, but if I was you, I’d turn around and go back to where you came from.

This is not a fight you want.” See, I was trying to be nice and spare the kid.

Back then, I would give you a chance to walk away.

Piero chuckles, his gang joining in. “Will you listen to this little asshole? I don’t know who I’m dealing with?

This is not a fight I want.” He stops chuckling.

“I know exactly who I’m dealing with, just because you’re the son of a Don don’t make you better than any of us.

Your father doesn’t scare me, and you sure as shit, don’t either!

See, I just wanted the ball, but now I want everything you have in your pockets too.

” Piero digs into his dirty jeans and pulls out a small folding knife, opening it.

His friends move back, widening the circle around us.

Looking at the knife then him, I’m wondering what he was think he was going to do with that little ass knife.

I put the ball on the ground next to my feet, then reach into my lightweight coat and pull out my knife that had to be three times as big as his.

His friends begin to whisper as they take in the length of the blade.

A hint of fear flashes across Piero’s face.

I smirk, as I begin to twirl the knife in my hand.

“If you want what I have, then come and take it from me.” I dare.

Piero growls, as he charges me as the kids cheer him on.

I stand still waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike.

When he’s close enough, I turn just barely missing his knife piercing my skin, then lock my left arm around his neck, and with my other arm, I place my knife flat against his cheek with the tip close to his eye.

As the other kids try to advance, I press down on the knife before whispering to Piero, “Drop your knife and tell them to step the fuck back.”

When he hesitates, I push the blade into his skin, breaking it. Piero grunts, as a line of blood begins to run down his face. “Tell them!” I hiss.

“Step back!” He shouts. They grumble as they retreat.

The doors of the bakery open behind me. Papà and Antonio step out, coming to stand next to me.

“Davide, is everything okay?” Papa calmly asks.

“Yes, papà,” I reply, keeping my hold on Piero.

“I saw everything that happened, and being who you are, it is within your right to finish him,” Papa informs.

“I don’t want to finish him, papà. I just want him and his friends to know who I am.” I respond, looking at the crowd.

“Then, by all means, tell them who you are, Davide.”

I glare into the crowd. I’m sure most of them already knew who I was, but it was time for me to let these assholes know who exactly I am.

“I am Davide Russo, son of Don Alessandro Russo and future Don of the Russo family. I might be a boy, but don’t let my size fool you.

I will kill anyone that threatens my family or me.

As my papà stated, it is within my right to end this kid’s life, but I won’t.

He’s just a kid like me and has a chance at life but make no mistake if he... ” I look at Piero, “What’s your name?”

“Piero Saccone,” He whispers.

“If Piero Saccone tries me again, I won’t give him that chance again. I am not here to make enemies or friends for that matter, but you will respect me.”

I release Piero with a shove. He turns to me, touching his cheek.

He looks down at the blood on the tips of his fingers, then back at me.

He smirks, before extending his hand out to me.

This kid was crazy. There was no way I would want to shake the hand of the person who left a cut on my face that would eventually heal but leave a permanent scar.

But then again, maybe becoming allies with Piero would be a benefit to me.

The other boys seem to look at him as their leader, so perhaps becoming friends with him would be beneficial to both of us in the end.

I smiled at him, before shaking his hand.

Papà pats my shoulder when I let Piero’s hand go. “It’s time to go, figlio.” He says, before he and Antonio walk over to the car. I begin to follow them but stop when Piero calls out to me.

“Hey, Davide, you’re coming back again, right?”

I cock my head to the side and smirk at him. “Yeah, I’ll be back,” I reply, before getting in the car.

“Davide, ho visto le ultime due volte che siamo stati quaggiu' come quei ragazzi ti stavano dimensionando, ed è per questo che oggi ti ho fatto aspettare fuori. Sapevo che se ti avessero visto da solo, ti avrebbero provato. Mi hai reso molto orgoglioso di affrontarli. Non tirarti mai indietro da nessuno, mi senti? (Davide, I saw the last couple of times we were down here how those boys were sizing you up, which is why today I had you wait outside. I knew if they saw you were alone, they would try you. You made me very proud standing up to them. Never back down from anyone, do you hear me?)” Papa asks staring back at me.

“Sì, papà,” I reply, giving him my full attention.

“Un Don non fa mai i conti da nessuno grande o piccolo. Solo vigliacchi e pussies se ne andano. Non temere nessun uomo, Davide e non far mai conoscere a un uomo le tue debolezze e che include i tuoi amici. Lo useranno contro di te. (A Don never backs down from anyone big or small. Only cowards and pussies walk away. Fear no man, Davide, and never let a man know your weaknesses and that includes your friends. They will use it against you.)”

“Sì, papà,” I tell him, before he turns around in his seat.

I glance out the window at Piero and the other kids as they start back playing.

As Antonio began to pull off, Papà’s words ran through my mind.

I knew one day I would be a powerful Don, and as long as I kept to his advice, no one would ever dare to test me.

From that day on, Piero and I did become friends. When I got older and took over as Don, I made him Caption over the Level. Piero runs it like a boss and isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty.