Angelo’s hotel was an uppity establishment in the 1st District, he had barely been there for three months, living downtown prior to moving there.
He often moved around, either to carry out a job or for safety reasons, this meant that he had few belongings.
Angelo pressed his card against the scanner that led to his room, it didn’t matter where he lived, all places were the same to him. It didn’t matter if it was a shabby motel with leaking ceiling or a five-star hotel with top grade utilities, they were all the same to him.
He pulled off his hoodie after making sure that the door was securely locked, he wore a cotton shirt underneath and that went off as well, leaving his upper body bare.
Angelo’s body was thin, his collarbones stood out in stark relief, a faint outline of his ribs poking through his pale skin. Despite this, he was toned, his thin body made up of corded strength.
His hair fell around his shoulders, it was long enough to reach his mid-back, the satin black hair brushing lightly against his skin.
He ditched his pants as well, putting all of his discarded clothes into a biohazard bag and tossing it in the trash.
He went straight to the shower after that, the temperature hot enough to be scalding as he sluiced himself down, making sure to wash his hair as well.
Angelo sat on the sofa in the hotel room when he was clean, wearing simple pants and a brand-new t-shirt he had just taken the tag off of.
Silvia moved quickly, despite her obvious reluctance about his final job. Angelo really respected his boss, he owed her everything but he had to do this.
In a way, his quest for revenge kept him alive. It gave him a reason to get out of bed everyday and deal with his monsters, internal and external.
So Angelo didn’t mind dying, if anything, he was hoping he would. Because, there would be nothing left of him after Mafia King Nikolai was dead.
He had burnt himself out for the past decade, his body would soon cave in from the constant strain. But he doubted there would be time for that to happen, he would hopefully already be dead.
He curled up on the sofa like he did in Silvia’s office but it simply wasn’t the same, there was still screaming in his head - it was his own screams.
Angelo’s damp hair was in a loose knot on his head, his head drooping to the side as he let his eyes slip shut. He was exhausted.
It wasn’t something a good night’s sleep could fix. He had been in constant fight-or-flight mode ever since he could remember, his body was giving out.
He tried to draw up a memory of his mom, he wouldn’t be able to end up with her. There was enough blood on his hands to dye them red, he wasn’t worthy to be by his mom’s side after he died.
But that was fine with Angelo, he would drag everyone down to hell with him.
His mom’s warm face materialized in his head, she was always smiling, even with a black eye and a split lip. Soon that smile twisted into something else, his mom’s lips went slack and her smiling soft green eyes grew cold and empty, blood spilling out of her eyes and her smashed-in nose.
Angelo jolted upright with a gasp, he had just taken a hot shower but there was cold sweat down his back. He rubbed his face with a hand and focused on his open laptop.
Silvia had already sent the necessary documents, the floor plan of the apartment suite was the first thing he opened. His boss had even gone through the trouble of highlighting escape routes for him, he could picture her cursing colorfully with a stern expression as she did.
A faint smile played across Angelo’s lips. He genuinely appreciated all that Silvia had done for him but Angelo had no use for escape routes. He paid extra attention to them regardless, in case Mafia King Nikolai decided to use one of them.
Even if he survived and the Mafia King didn’t, he would have an entire Mafia House gunning for him. It would be much easier to let himself be found, being riddled with bullets was a pretty quick way to go.
Angelo spent hours committing the map to memory, as well as, all of the other documents sent to him by Silvia. The security was changed thrice daily to ensure they were always at their best.
Mafia King Nikolai sure was particular about his safety.
It wasn’t too surprising, the other two Mafia Kings most likely did the same to their homes, it was a danger that came with the territory.
By mid-afternoon, he got a text from Silvia. She let him know that she had food sent up to his hotel room while scolding him generously.
Angelo wasn’t hungry but he meticulously ate every bite, getting ready to leave his apartment in a few hours.
Silvia had invited him out, it was rare for her to do that but Angelo didn’t turn her down, he had an idea about what she wanted to talk about.
He put his hair in a half-knot, putting on a dark gray, silk dress shirt. It was half-tucked into his pants, the shirt loose on his broad but sharp shoulders.
Because of his physique and unique features, Angelo tended to draw attention wherever he went. It was why he favored hoodies and all-black clothes.
But today was different, Silvia had invited him out, he could go out of his way this one time.
He looked like a model in the simple clothes but Angelo couldn’t see it. There were no mirrors in the hotel room, he had them all removed.
The sun had gone down when he stepped out of his hotel room, the lobby was bustling but at 5"10, Angelo stood out more than most. He paid no attention to the whispers and stares he got, striding right out of the hotel.
He had very few nights left to spend at the hotel so it didn’t matter if he stood out.