Thirty-Five
1220 Words
Manon
I wake up alone. Which is unusual. He usually at least leaves a note. I get a towel and hop in the shower. I can get Angelo, or one of his other men to take me home.
I put on some clothes.
I walk out, searching for Angelo.
“Excuse me," I ask one of the men I'm semi familiar with. He glanced up at me. “Sí, signorina?”
“I'm trying to find Angelo."
He raises a brow. “Angelo? He's not here. What can I help you with?”
A sense of unease fills me. “Nothing. Thank you.”
I step away, heading back to room, I text Niccoló.
Where are you? I'm trying to get home.
I sit and wait. Is he okay? Is he captured? I've heard of Mafia dealings. What if he's being tortured?
My thoughts start spiraling, when a knock comes at the door.
“Miss Bordoeux, Capo has sent me to give you a ride home," Angelo calls.
I get up, opening the door cautiously.
It really is Angelo. “Where is he, Angelo?”
He nods in respect. “Capo is... unavailable at the moment but he's ordered me to take you home.”
Something isn't right. “Where is he?”
“Unavailable," is his robotic response.
“Well he can take me home when he becomes available."
Angelo bows his head. “I'm afraid I can't let that happen. Capo has ordered me to take you home now.”
Something isn't right. Something is happening. I eye Angelo. He shifts uncomfortably under my stare.
“Angelo, what's happening?”
He doesn't look at me as he repeats his orders to my shoes. “You're going home Miss.”
“Right.” I take a deep breath in. “Then let's go home, Angelo.”
***
The car ride is silent. Even though it usually is, I can't shake the deep sense of foreboding I feel.
Everything in me is screaming, protesting the obvious danger I'm in.
But, it evident Niccoló is involved with this somehow.
That, or he's in trouble. And if he's in trouble? I'm in trouble.
Everything is going smoothly, until we're hit. T-boned. The car flips. My world flips once. Twice. Three times.
There blood trickling from my forehead, and my legs are hurting but I feel fine over all.
“Angelo? Angelo are you alright?”
My heart drops. God. Is Angelo...
“Miss? You're fine?”
“Yeah—”
A gun goes off multiple times. I scream.
“Sorry Miss. That was me. I'll get you out of here.”
I sigh in relief. It doesn't last long though. I see the light. Then I see Kaleb's face and I know things aren't gonna brighter.
***
I wake up in pain with a groan. Holy s**t.
“I feel like I got hit by a truck,” I groan.
“You did.”
Kaleb? Oh, this isn't good.
“Surprised darling?” He forced my chin up. I sneer.
“Where is he?”
It's amazing. How concerned I am about him. Even though I'm tied up to a chair and my psychotic husband is standing over me with a—is that? Yes, a butcher knife.
I still worry for him, when it's pretty obvious I'm not making it out of here alive.
“Oh, you mean your little Mafia man? He was surprisingly easy to capture. He's right there actually. I thought you'd want to see him.”
“How thoughtful," I spit.
“Here," He pull the sack off his head. “He's a little beat up, but...breathing for now.”
Kaleb muses his hair, smirking. “Wake the hell up. Come on!”
Niccoló coughs. “You son of a b***h,” He lifts his head.
I swallow a gasp. His face is slashed, he's black and blue.
“Niccoló,” I whisper.
“I'm fine. It's fine.”
“Fine? Don't lie to your mistress, Nicky. You're both gonna die here.”
Niccoló clenched his jaw. “You don't think do you? So small minded.”
Fury flames him Kaleb's eyes. He punched Niccoló. Hard. Blood comes out of his nose, but he doesn't respond.
“That temper,” he muses instead. “You don't think before you act, Kaleb. You're a child. It's pathetic frankly.”
Kaleb fumes. He takes a stake, bringing it down on his shoulder. Niccoló doesn't make a sound.
His head drops ever so slightly.
“Does it hurt?” Kaleb taunts.
“Being this handsome?” Niccoló grins. “A little bit. But I can handle it. Thanks for asking.”
Why is he joking right now?!
“You cocky bitch.”
“If you have any questions about my c**k you can ask your wife.” Niccoló grins widely.
Kaleb screeches in rage. But instead of hitting Niccoló, which obviously doesn't affect him, he come over to me.
“This is who you want?” He demands, pulling my hair. “This guy, with his wise cracks, who doesn't even care about you?”
“Yes, I want him. Even if you kill me, I'll just keep wanting him. So just let him go.”
Niccoló is silent throughout all of this.
“No. You don't get to have him—’
“Why? You have a child. You have love. I'm giving you freedom. Just...let him go.”
He stares at me. The he slaps me. My face stings. “Give me the gun.”
A man hands him a gun. I say a prayer. I look over at Niccoló.
I smile at him.
I close my eyes.
The gun clicks. It clicks again.
Then there's a snap.
“See? Short sighted.”
My eyes open. Niccoló is standing, and Kaleb is on the floor in shock at the end of Niccoló's gun.
“What?”
“You don't even know who I am, do you?”
“You're a made man.”
Niccoló sneered.
“I'm the made man. And if you think it's that easy to take me, well, you're stupidier than you look. And you're incredibly stupid looking. It's a sin really.”
“Still tied up here, Nicky-poo."
He gives me a sheepish grin. “Kitten—”
“Don't kitten me, I'm mad at you.”
“This is disappointing.”
Charles? Is there no end to my exes from hell?
He's on me before I can blink, taking a swing at my leg. I go down like a sack of potatoes, with a cry.
Shit that hurts. I...I think he broke it. s**t. A dizzy spells hits me.
A gun goes off. “s**t! Angelo! Take him out!"
Niccoló eyes me. His hand reaching out for me. ”Come on. We have to go."
“I...I don't think I can—”
“It's alright," He soothes me, getting down on his knee. He puts his hands on my arms. “It's okay. Very soon this nightmare will be over, and I will take you home. So stand.”
His dark eyes pierce mine. “Stand,” He repeats firmly, helping me up. I close my eyes, mustering every bit of strength I have.
I breathe through the pain, as he helps me limp toward the exit.
- Writer
