Marked by the Mafia King

Chapter2

The hairs on my body stood up at the appearance of the man. The air chills as he makes his stride toward us, each stride majestic as he strikes one foot and then the other.

The rough-looking men gave way and he appeared, narrowing in on Michael.

I swallowed. My dry throat constricts. He stood tall as his chiseled jaw tightened, shoulders squaring exuding an air of authority.

Finally, his piercing gaze landed on mine, his presence unwavering and impenetrable.

Tension coiled in the air as he spoke up, “Eccolo lì.”

(There he is!).

He draws closer.

Michael stood up abruptly and staggered backward.

“I-I d-didn't m-m-mean to, b-boss” he stuttered, his voice tumbling out in layers.

My heart was pounding in my chest as I tried to understand what was going on.

“Save. It!” his voice sharp as a knife.

“P-please d-don’t k-kill m-me, I have a wife and 2 kids,” his hands trembled, clasped together in supplication.

As His words registered in my head, I felt a surge of disgust. This man, a father, sought nothing more than a cheap thrill. I clenched my fist as my eyes glared at him, my face twisted into a scowl.

The man whose formidable aura sparks, raked his gaze through Michael as he blabbered.

“Tu. Hai. Fottuto. Sbagliato. Con me. Now I'll show you what happens to people when they cross me.”

(You f*****g messed with me!).

Suddenly, I found myself trapped in Michael's grasp as he shouted, “if you don't let me go. I'll kill this lady right here and now!” his fingers dug into my throat, squeezing tightly.

I was being choked, and panic set in as his fingers dug further. I was suddenly transported back in time to the worst days of my life. No! I can't go through this again! My mind raced with desperate thoughts.

“That will be two bodies to clean up,” I heard the man say as I struggled to break free.

“It'll be a very painful death. Ti pentiresti Di non essere stato ammazzato oggi stesso!” the man whose voice raced with venom roared.

(You'd wish I killed you right now!).

In a split second, a loud bang pierced my eardrum. Michael had been shot, his body jolted as his grip on me loosened. A pained cry escaped his lips as he held his leg, crimson stains could be seen spreading on his wounded leg. His legs buckled, weakened by the bullet's impact.

My eyes widened, as my breath caught, then came in ragged gasps. I shut my eyes trying to calm my nerves. My hands clutched tightly at my racing heart.

Then, I heard the sounds of shuffling feet, I lifted my gaze and saw him being pulled away, his heels scraping against the marble floor.

The man whose name I wish I would never know narrowed his gaze on me, sizing me up as our eyes collided. His expression darkened, eyebrows drawing closer, forming a crease between his eyes. His lips pursed slightly, a subtle scowl shadowing his face. Instinctively, I grasped the table as he turned around and walked towards the door, leaving the tension behind if there was any.

Shaken, I picked up my bag and hastened towards the door and made a stride to my car. Taking a moment to myself, I shut my eyes and drifted to the moments when I was happy, it was short-lived but still a memory. The drive home was a marathon of anxiety. I walked into the house to meet darkness, my sister had gone to bed, and my father went to work and which till now I still have my doubts but I didn't pry into that, I couldn't.

I collapsed on the bed, one leg dangling over the edge of the bed, my foot brushing against the cold floor. I buried my face in my arms as I slid into my own nightmare.

~~~~~~~

Loud bangs woke me. Is it my father? But why would father come in in the middle of the night like a thief? I wondered. Maybe it's my sister doing one of those sleepwalking.

I looked for my flip-flops and pulled open the door. I was at the stairs when I started hearing voices. I clutched my nightgown tighter and crept quietly down the stairs.

“Where's the girl?” I heard one of the men ask. People were definitely in my house. I walked slowly to the living room to come face to face with about 5 men.

“Our sleeping beauty is finally awake?” One of the men says with a grin on his face.

“How did you enter my house?” I asked with a visibly shaken voice.

“Shut up b***h! Either you follow us quietly or we go the hard way. Either way, you're coming with us!”

“Maybe we can do one or two before bringing her with us, the Don will never know,” the man with the tattoo on his face suggested, licking his lips.

“You want to marry death, don't you?. You don't ever touch things that belong to the Don.”

“I'm not a thing,” I glared at them.

“Tell that to the boss then,” the men were already sizing me up, probably thinking of how to pocket-fit me.

I made a run to the door but wasn't fast enough because one hand grabbed my shoulders and the other seized my two hands. They lifted me chest level to them and carried me out. Attempting to shout, I got a quick slap to the face and I definitely saw stars.

“We may not have slept with you but we sure can hit you,” the scarred man thundered.

I was carried to the back seat of the car and the next thing I knew a white cloth was forced at my nose, inhaling that meant not being in control of myself so I tried hard to resist but in the end, darkness succeeded and I surrendered.

I slowly opened my eyes to a room or what seemed to be a room. It was so dark that the only light seen was from holes in the wall. I frantically scanned the entire room. My hands trembled as I felt the floor. A suffocating sense of claustrophobia surrounds me as the space feels tighter.

Suddenly, the door was pulled open, and a silhouette appeared blocking the light, the only thing I could discern was his broad shoulders and chiseled physique which radiated an aura of power.

As the figure stepped forward, its presence seemed to fill the room and I shrank back, my heart

pounding to the unseen face.

He drew closer and stopped a few meters near me.