Trapped: A Billionaire Romance (Love, Lust and Lies Series)

Chapter 13

Anitta's POV

When I woke up my body was aching all over like a truck just ran over me. I could feel a hand and leg pinning me down as if protecting me from all dangers and a very protective position. Looking over, I could see Jared and his head in my neck trying to comfort there. I didn't want to wake him up but we got work to do. I laid there as Jared's grip started to get harder and stopped me from moving anywhere. For once, I felt protected but I knew this feeling wouldn't be for long. It would be long gone after the contract was finished.

"Jared, it is now seven thirty, come on wake up or we are going to be late for work."

"Don't move, we can always call in sick you know."

"But you can, not me. Come on, I have work to do. We need to get up now."

He scowled but then he had no choice but to wake up with me. With his smirk and wicked smile, we ended up in the shower longer than I have intended to.

This morning, Jared was very protective of me and he always kept a hand on me every single time. He was now more protective than ever. He would open the door between his office and mine and would usually come in and check in on me like I am a piece of paper that could vanish easily into thin air.

Today, dad would come pick Rosie and I up and she would officially move into his house. Since Rosie has never met him before, she was really excited but also felt confused on why he left her. I had to come up with a story that mommy actually divorced daddy so she wouldn't know the whole story. I usually keep her in the dark so she wouldn't interfere with anything and would live a happy life.

As I was deep in my thoughts, I felt two strong arms holding me in a tight embrace.

"Don't you have work to do Mr. Dimitrou?" I asked Jared hoping that he would give me some free space. To be honest, I didn't want him to go but I also didn't want any emotions attached to this fake relationship that we were having.

"I like holding you close. I have always wanted to do this for a long time. Don't mind me. You can do your work while I hold you close."

"Come on. I have to pick Rosie up and put her to dad's house you know that."

"Yes, I do remember that. It amazes me how you are one of the strongest mafia's leader daughter and you are working at my company. You can literally break free from work and be at home you know."

"I know but I like working and I don't think I can give this up."

Jared let me go for a while but then came back to pick me up and drop me off of dad's house. I though for a while about how the arrangements are going to work between us. I absolutely trust dad on being a great dad and keeping Rosie from all the mafia business but eventually she would have to know but she is too young to know that. Rosie is just 16 and I would have to wait until she is 18 to fully tell her. I think dad would work on that since he would be living with her for a few months before I move in after the contract is over.

"What are you thinking about? Come in. He's waiting for you and Rosie." Jared cut me off from my thoughts. He's right, dad's waiting for me and Rosie and unite us as one. Finally.

"Rosie, come. The butler and housekeepers would bring your things up for you. Don't worry about it." Dad announced himself as he made his way to us. The house was nothing smaller than Jared's house. It was way bigger and more majestic. I guess people in the mafia gang like their possessions powerful.

"Welcome, Anitta to your house and Rosie's of course. Why don't three of you make yourselves at home in the living room while I tell the housekeepers to take care of Rosie's belongings. Come!" Dad seemed very excited that both his daughters were there to finally unite him and come back to him.

I walked around the house and familiarize myself. A feeling clicked in. I have been here before and I have lived here. It was not just all new. I could navigate myself through this. But how? Along the walls, I could see my mom's and my portraits painted and hung up. Mom was very pretty. Without these portraits, I could gain some more memory of her and that night that she was killed. All the flashback came back to me all at once. I once was a Romanov and I remember it clearly now. I actually was not raised by just my mom, I was raised by both my mom and dad.

Dad's saying comes back to me, "Once a Romanov, always a Romanov." He said this to keep me safe and prevent me from losing my identity. Then why did mom not leave my name but change it to Raynott? Her birth name? Everything did not add up to one another and I was determined to find out why.

I called out dad and wanted to speak to him in private.

"Are you sure, Anitta? I can come with you if you need to," Jared asked. He was more affectionate and protective of me than ever.

"No, I will be fine. Actually, I want to spend the night here to see how things are going for Rosie and I will be back home tomorrow. You can go back home and spend the night there and I will just go back on my own."

"No, I will stay here with you and that's final. I think your dad doesn't mind me staying in the same room with his daughter."

"I do, Dimitrou. I am very protective of her. But if Anitta says yes, you can stay."

"Okay fine you can stay. I guess we can find you something for sleep. Right now I need to speak to my father so go and wander around."

"Fine." He muttered, gave me a peck on the lips and sauntered away. He must be very protective of me to be willing to stay overnight here.

"Dad, I have a question. Why did mom change my name to Raynott and not kept it as Romanov? Did something happened that I didn't know as a child?"

"Annie, there are many things that happened when you are young. It is a long story to tell. Your mother actually came from a very poor family and my family did not accept her as my wife. So I took her away and built my own business. After my father died, I took over the mafia gang he had and with my business I became a much more powerful man. Though we were in the industry of drugs, rapes and illegal practices, I have never actually encouraged it and was never caught or known for doing anything illegal. However, my competition, Staslias Arbitrov was always watching out for me and he knew that your mom was my weakest point. So instead of targeting me, he targeted on her so I would suffer from losing a family. We both realized that with his power, he would want to find everything to destroy me so I had to change your name and put it as your mom's to make sure that you are safe and he would never find you. You can change back your name but you have to be as quiet as possible and make sure that he would never hear of it. Rosie would not be allowed to change her name unless she had made the decision to join you and I on this road. That night, I had led her to a safe shelter because Arbitrov had came and found your mom and you in the rooms. I tried to protect her but I had failed and because of that I am paying a price of losing her. I knew that she was having Rosie at the time. It was a long and hard pregnancy for her but I was glad that Rosie is also here now with us. I am sorry Annie but everyday I would blame myself for the things that have happened when I looked at her and your portrait. It was impossible to forget what happened."

"Why did you leave me there at the shelter if you knew that the police was coming for me and Rosie? Why did you leave us alone after all those years?"

"I was there and I killed of Arbitrov and his demon son but Annie you must understand that I was scared that someone else might come and find you. So I made a choice to watch you over years and would silently support you instead of confronting you. I was scared of what you would say of me after all those years I have abandoned you as my own child. I never wanted to but I had no other choice. It was best for both me and you."

He made me think back of the times where I had to shift from foster family to foster family until I was stable on my own two feet to support myself and Rosie financially. There were days we did not have any food in the fridge and let alone the privilege of finishing school. I remembered crying hard over the days that I prayed for someone to save me from my own misery. But there was someone who helped. There would be free grocery in front of the door or some cash in weird letters being put inside our apartments. I never questioned them or even if I did I would thank the person for their support and help.

"So that person was you, putting free grocery and money when you knew we didn't have food or the bills were overdate. Why didn't you tell me then? I wouldn't resent you for anything. If you have told me this story sooner, I would make a choice of coming to you and ask for help."

"I know Annie and I am really sorry. I will make it up to you I promise. I will provide Rosie with a better education and with that she can work and be able to strive. But I have a concern. I need one of you to take over my mafia gang. I can't give it to anyone else just because a Romanov gang always belongs to a Romanov and no one else. It is up to you to decide what is best for you Annie. I know that you would be making a right decision and I think that it is time for a Romanov to stand up and show what's right. It is up to you now honey. Here are the documents if you want to read them over."

"I will think about it dad but just because I have agreed to change my name doesn't mean I would take over the gang. I need to find what's best for me too. Thank you, dad. For everything. You have done everything you could do to save mom and I don't blame you." I gave him a big embrace and felt it. The warmth of a father protecting you. Something I needed for a long time. I get it, having parents can sometimes annoy you just because of their nags but when you needed them the most they would fully support you with all they got.

"I love you Anitta and I promise that I would keep both of you safe from harm. Now, make sure that boy Dimitrov is far enough from my daughter so that he would do no harm to you. He is now one of the biggest mafia gang leader I have known."

"Dad, please. I got it. Don't get overprotective of me. I can handle things on my own."

"I know you young kids too well. Now hurry along and don't keep your fiance waiting. I hated waiting when I was younger."

I let out a small laugh and went to find Jared. I found him in our bed, dozing off and snoring softly. I made my way into his arms and smiled. This was what I needed. This was home.