A Heart in the Mafia's Grip

Chapter 2: Past Shadows

Setting her bag in the middle of her new flat, Kaia stared blankly at the immaculate white walls. There was no one hint of warmth or character to make the area seem like home; it was cold and objective. It was not at all like her mother's bakery, where memories permeated every inch.

She sighed, at last, the weight of the day striking her. Her phone buzzed in her pocket as she settled on the edge of the little, unmade bed. She drew it out and scowled. Liam's name sprang on the screen. Her hand hung over the Decline button, but curiosity-and a residual sense of obligation-won out. She gave a grudging response.

"What did you want, Liam?" Kaia said, her voice rougher than she had meant.

"What are you doing in Horizon City, Kaia?" Liam spoke rapidly, almost in a frenzy. "You cannot stay there. That place seems scary. You know nothing... it's Dangerous and"

Kaia cut in, her voice tinged with doubt. "You are alerting me to risk? It's Rich coming from the one who made my life into a disaster."

"Kaia, this is not a joke." Liam cried. "You believe I have no idea what is out there? Horizon City is not merely any large, glittering city. People who will chew you up and spit you out abound there. You must depart. Here now."

Kaia giggle and slanted back against the wall. "You may speak falsehoods to Liam, not a young girl anymore. I do not need your manufactured concern. I have no interest in any game you are trying to play."

"It's not a game," Liam remarked, his voice lowering to a begging note. "Kaia, I am serious On this, you have to believe me."

Kaia let out a sourchuckle. "Trust you, then. Following everything you've accomplished? You sold the one thing that's left of Mom. When I refused you still did what you wanted, you lied, stole, and even hit me. And right now you want me to believe you?"

"I know I have made mistakes-"

"mistakes?" Kaia cut him off and started speaking louder. "You are not entitled to call them mistakes. Liam, you destroyed my life. And suddenly you believe you could frighten me into paying attention to you? I've finished. I don't want to hear anything from you ever again"

She ended the call not waiting for him to reply. Her fingers blocked his number quickly before she could second-guess herself. Her chest heaving, she flung the phone on the bed and sat silently. Uninvited and sharp, the memories returned rapidly. She thought of the evenings she would hide in her bed, clutching her wallet firmly as Liam pounded on her door, begging for money. She recalled the first time he struck her-the burn of his hand against her cheek when she refused to turn over her funds. She also thought of how she had always believed he would change regardless of what he did.

But he hadn't, Kaia pushed herself to inhale after wiping a tear from her face. She was not going to let Liam drag her back into his mess; she had left Rosewood to start over and escape the suffering. Her opportunity to rebuild and at last pursue her aspirations of being an artist was Horizon City. Whether it was overwhelming or harmful made no difference. She would work things out alone. Kaia got up, her will sharpening.

She moved across to the big window overlooking the busy city below. The lights seemed to her as far as she could see, a sea of options just waiting for her. She silently said, "This is my life now. Not even Liam is going to take it away from me."

Driven to unload and settle in, she looked away from the window. But a tiny, nagging voice in the rear of her mind murmured that Liam's warning wasn't unfounded as she started to open her luggage. She shook it off. Liam had misled her too often before. She was not allowing his paranoia to control her life. Still, Kaia felt nervous as she walked about the vacant flat. She reminded herself it was only the anxieties of beginning afresh, but deep down she couldn't get rid of the feeling her brother might have been correct about one thing-Horizon City wasn't like Rosewood. It had rules, and she was going to discover them the hard way.

Kaia's exhausted hands stopped as she zipped open one of her suitcases; her mind kept playing back the exchange with Liam. Her fingers brushed something strange-an envelope-as she delved among her possessions, pulling out clothes and painting supplies. She scowled, took it out, and turned it over.

She opened the big envelope and her eyes grew wide. Monetary value. lots of money. Inside was a folded sheet of paper. She opened it fast, her uncertainty clearing when she saw Lila's sloppily written handwork.

• Hi Kaia, I had to slip this money into your purse as you would never take it from me if I offered it. I am a ninja; you cannot even try to deny it! This is for a crisis, then? Though not presently necessary, you might want it just in case. Love always. Lila.•

Kaia found herself unable to suppress the little chuckle she let out. She could practically see Lila's smug expression as she composed the note. Kaia said, "Thanks, Lila," carefully clutching the envelope. You always have a great eye for me.

Her heart warmed at the small gesture, which helped her to let go of her past conflict with Liam. Kaia put the envelope aside, pledging herself she would only spend the money if necessary. Still, Kaia felt less isolated in the large city when she considered Lila making the extra effort to do this. Kaia started sorting again, a little smile still visible on her lips. Her painting supplies-brushes, canisters of paint, blank canvases that seemed to call to her-were last to be examined.

She positioned them deliberately by the window, where the light poured into the room, already seeing the pieces she would produce. Kaia sat by the window drinking tea while night fell and the city lights lit her little flat, staring out at the foreign streets below.

Horizon City still felt scary, but Lila's comment helped her to realize she wasn't alone. She smiled to herself looking at the little envelope Lila had slipped into her bag earlier. Lila always knew just when Kaia needed a little push. And this time that push would be crucial. Kaia sat at her desk fixated on her phone. Her fingertips floated over the email app, going over the earlier that day message she had opened. Offering her a junior artist and curator post, it came from a downtown art gallery.

Not expecting anything, she had sent applications on a whim before she left Rosewood. But here it was-a fresh chance to reconstruct her life and pursue the ambition she had once turned aside. Kaia squeezed her lips together and debated just momentarily before responding. As she typed, her fingers danced over the screen. * I appreciate the chance. I take the post and will begin on the designated date*.

Hitting "send," she let out a long breath filled with both anxiety and exhilaration. Here it was, the beginning of something fresh. She would enter a world that had always seemed unreachable tomorrow as she walked into her first day at Horizon City's Green Art Gallery. Setting her phone down, Kaia gazed out at the brilliant skyline.

Before her the city opened out endlessly, full of opportunities she was only starting to investigate. Still, a cloud of uncertainty loomed in the back of her mind even as she got ready to welcome this new chapter. The city was large, erratic, and rife with hazards she had not yet come to know.

Still, Kaia said to herself, "This is my chance," turning off the lights and curling into bed. Nobody should take that away from me. She had no idea Horizon City would try her in ways she could never have imagined.