“I was getting tired of playing the good little sidekick,” Iago replied.
“I see,” Othello sighed, his voice heavy with sorrow. “You played me for a fool, Iago. I put my trust in you—above everyone else.”
“When did you figure it out?” Iago's voice dripped with malice, eyes narrowing.
“Two days ago,” Othello replied, each word edged with betrayal. “I had an unsettling conversation with someone just before they left town. You’ve not only burned bridges but shattered hearts. I warned you to treat her right. A woman scorned, Iago. You should know better.”
Iago’s fury erupted in a primal growl. In an instant, he threw his gun to the side and lunged, delivering a vicious punch to Othello’s face. “You bastard!” he barked, gripping Othello by the jacket lapels, keeping him from collapsing. “Tell me where Emilia and my twins are!”
“No,” Othello snapped back, his rage igniting as he shoved Iago away. “You don’t deserve her! Just as you don’t deserve to be the head of this family!”
“How dare you say that?” Iago shouted, his voice cracking with fury.
“You have some fucking nerve,” Othello roared, not hiding his anger. “After everything Maria and Alessandro have done for you, after they’ve given you a home and love, you turn your back and join the enemy?”
“Love?” Iago spat, dark eyes blazing. “What love did I ever get from them? It was you. Always you! They never wanted me. No one wanted me. You’ve been the apple of everyone’s eye sinceour days at Willow-Brook. Do you know what it’s like to be compared to you? It made me feel less than human. Do you want to know when my hatred for you began, Othello? I overheard Maria and Alessandro deciding whether to adopt us or just you. But deep down, they knew you wouldn’t go without me. Your littletagalong, right? I despise them just as much as I hate you.”
Othello was surprised to hear that, but his expression was firm, masking the turmoil inside.
“I did everything I could to please Alessandro, to show him I could be a worthy heir, but it was a lost cause. He had already decided. You were the golden child, and I was left to stand by your side, bearing it all. It’s fucking humiliating, and I refuse to be anyone’s second choice.”
A gasp echoed in the warehouse; Othello had forgotten that he and Iago weren’t alone. Othello stared at Iago, wondering if he had ever truly known the man he’d called brother. Othello couldn’t say that he hated Iago even now, with death looming over his head.
“I forgive you,” Othello said, breaking one of his own codes.
“I don’t want your fucking forgiveness,” Iago sneered.
“Then what do you want?” he said, completely exhausted in mind, body and soul.
“To erase you from existence,” Iago said.
“I can’t let you kill me, Iago. Because, unlike you, I have someone who truly loves me and whom I love back.”
“Oh, are you talking about your whore? Don’t worry. He’ll be joining you right after I put a bullet through your skull.”
Othello furrowed his brows, hearing the threat against Des. “What did you do?”
“I’m glad you asked. You see, I wasn’t sure how this was going to go, so I brought some insurance. To think, your own lover is fucking a cop right under your nose. Bring him in!”
A door opened in the far back of the warehouse, and a large man walked in, dragging a reluctant Des into the room. Des had tape covering his mouth, and his hands were tied behind his back. He looked scared but unharmed, which was a good thing, but Othello knew if he kept his lover here for too long, he might get hurt.
“Iago, what the fuck are you doing? Des isn’t a part of our fight!” Othello growled.
“He became part of it when he got mixed up with you. I tell you he’s fucking a cop, and you don’t even flinch.”
Othello ignored Iago and looked at Des, who was shaking his head vigorously, struggling to escape his captor, his eyes wide with fear glaring back at him.Why is he here? Why didn’t he get out of town like I told him to? Fuck, where the hell is Gratiano?
"You have broken my heart, Iago! You’ve torn our relationship apart, and despite that, I was ready to forgive you. But dragging Des into this? That’s something I will never let go! If one hair on his head is harmed, I will kill you all."
"You and what army?" Iago scoffed, then boasted. "Look around, O, you're outgunned and outnumbered."
Othello quirked a brow. "Are you sure about that?"
A sharp whistle pierced the air, cutting through the tension like a blade. For a single, heart-stopping moment, everyone froze.Then nothing—silence, thick and suffocating. Relief washed over Iago’s face, his lips curling into a smug grin.
“You had me there for a minute,” Iago laughed, glancing at Cassio. “Cassio, the whore is yours, a token of thanks for your help in making today happen.” His voice oozed with cruelty, the words sharp enough to sting. But before the moment could settle, the ceiling exploded into shards of glass.
Chaos detonated like a bomb in the warehouse. Armed men swarmed the room, gunfire erupting like a violent storm. The once-solid ground turned into a battlefield.
