Mafia Born

Sweat. Cold sweat was all I could feel creeping down the back of my neck. I couldn't see my surroundings but I could tell I wasn't where I should be. I could smell iron and heard men talking in another language that oddly sounded familiar. I tried to move but I found that I was actually strapped to a chair. "Let me go! I don't know anything and you'll never get me to talk!" I shouted in the direction where I heard the men conversing. "Stai zitto! Nessuno ti ha dato il permesso di parlare!" One of the men shouted back at me. I went to try and respond but was quickly stopped with a strong smack across my face. I groaned at the sudden pain but refused to shed any tears. Just as I was about to respond, I could hear a door opening and someone else enter the room. I could sense this person demanded attention and oozed power. All the other men stopped chatting and were waiting for the new arrival to speak. "Ah! Finalmente! Ho aspettato questo momento per molto tempo, Veronica Valentino ..." My nightmare was quickly stopped as I slowly opened my eyes to see the sweet older flight attendant smiling at me with a cup of coffee in her hand and her other on my shoulder. "Good morning, Ms. Veronica. I wanted to let you know we are about 20 minutes from landing and thought you might like some coffee." "Thank you. I'm definitely going to need it." I said with a small smirk. I turned to glance out the small window to see the country slowly getting bigger as the airplane descended the sky. I was a little dumbstruck to be honest. I knew Italy was beautiful, but I never expected it to be THIS beautiful. My mom often told me stories of her little adventures over here with my sperm donor. She told me how they met, fell in love, and attempted to live "happily ever after." Unfortunately, my mom would never get the ending she deserved. Emma Wolfe was my mom's name. I say "was" because I lost her a little over a month ago. My mother was everything to me. She was my mom, my best friend, and my confidant. I miss her more than anyone will ever know. *Flashback...* I was locking up the little coffee shop I purchased a few years ago when I felt a strange and eerie sensation come over me. Like someone had reached inside my body and had a strong hold on my heart. Gripping harder and harder. I quickly shook it off and continued my nightly closing duties. This little coffee shop has been in my life throughout high school and even some college. One of the luxuries of living in a small town is that some things never change. After college, I wasn't able to find any steady work with my business degree due to a poor economy and not really knowing too many people out of town. I tried for a few months until I decided to just move back home and take care of my mom. Going to a college in another state was really hard for both of us. But she wanted me to be successful and I wanted to live my dream. She wasn't sick or anything. It was just the two of us most of my life that I can remember and I want to be there for her as much as I can. After moving back into town, I looked to see if anywhere was hiring and to luckily, the coffee shop was looking for a business manager. They hired me on the spot the same day I applied. The owners were an elderly couple who were looking for someone reliable to turn the shop over to once they were ready to retire. I worked for a couple years before they both soon approached me about the future of the shop. At first they wanted to sell it to the typical big business coffee pushers but I suggested purchasing the store myself. I had a good amount of money put away in savings from growing up. Even though I don't remember my father or sperm donor, he would always send me cards for every holiday, which included flag day. I don't know why that man decided to send me a card on flag day but I wasn't gonna say no. When I was little, I was always excited to get those cards. I was naive and stupid to believe one day I would actually see him instead of some cheesy greeting card. That never happened. Once I turned 10, I gave up. Those cards were just his pity money to say he tried as a father to maybe help him sleep at night. What an asshole move in my opinion. Soon, the coffee shop was mine and I also was able to purchase the small apartment above the store. It was a perfect set up. My mother also didn't live too far from the shop so everyone was happy. I was cleaning and wiping down the counter when I heard the door chime alerting me that someone had come inside. "Ronnie..." I heard a voice say. Only a handful of people actually know me by that name and I don't have that many friends. "I'm sorry. We're closed for night, Bub." I said before turning to see who had come in. I turned around and see Captain Josh Carter with a very grim look on his face. Josh Carter was usually cheerful, bubbly, and always flirtatious with me. Back in high school, we dated a few times but it was never anything serious. I just never really had feelings for him like he did for me. Carter was of average height, well built, blonde hair, and green eyes. He was attractive for a small town country boy but I was never into country. Even after high school, his looks remained the same. "Closed even for you, Carter." I said as I rolled my eyes and started walking around to the other side of the counter. "Ronnie, you need to come with us to the hospital. There's been an accident." Carter said avoiding all eye contact. "An accident? What are you talking about? What happened?" I started to feel the panic slowly creep in. "It's your mother." He paused for a moment before continuing. "She's been in a car accident and has been taken to the hospital." Carter finally made eye contact with me and I could tell it was bad. Really bad. I hurried out the shop, locked the door, and drove as fast as I could to the hospital. I didn't even notice how bad the rain was until I finally parked my car and headed inside. I rushed to front desk and quickly asked the nurse which room my mom was taken to. "Excuse me, where's Emma Wolfe? I'm her daughter and I heard she was transported here not too long ago." The nurse quickly punched something in her keyboard to see what the computer said as I patiently waited biting my nails. "Ms. Wolfe?" I turned around and saw a doctor standing behind me. My last name is actually Valentino but I wasn't in the mood to correct anyone. I just wanted to know what was going on with my mom. "That's me. Yes, what's going on with my mom? Is she okay?" I was holding back tears just waiting to here what this doctor had to say. "We are currently operating at this time. I don't know too much but apparently the brakes on your mom's car malfunctioned and caused her to to run off the road straight into a ditch. Her vehicle was the only vehicle involved apparently. She has some severe internal bleeding and a few broken ribs. We are doing everything we can right now to stabilize her condition but I will be honest with you, she has lost a lot of blood." I was in disbelief and a state of shock. I couldn't even think of anything to say. Hearing all the pain my mother was currently going through was heartbreaking. The only thing I could do was pray and hope she still had some fight left. She was always a tough and strong woman. Hell, she raised me on my own. I paced back and forth in the waiting room for what felt like days anxiously waiting on any news about the operation. Four hours later, the doctor who spoke to me first re-entered the lobby and seemed to be looking for me. I quickly got up and went over to him. "Ms. Wolfe, I'm so sorry but we did everything we could. Your mother lost too much blood and we were not able to stabilize her. I'm truly sorry." Carter had entered the lobby not too long after the doctor and stood next to me. I could feel my whole body giving in and I collapsed on the floor. Carter got down next to me and just held me as I started to ball my eyes out. The pain you feel when a loved one is taken from you unexpectedly is one of the worst feelings anyone could ever feel. It doesn't leave you, it stays with you; as a memory or even a nightmare you can never shake. The following couple of weeks were nothing but a blur. I don't remember eating, or sleeping, or even breathing. I was on autopilot listening to everything going on. I had to plan her funeral alone and it was tough. Carter was by my side the entire time. He was always a great friend and a person I could always count on to be there when I needed them the most. After another long week of grieving, I got a phone call from my mother's lawyer. "Hello, this is Veronica." I said as I answered the phone, attempting to sound like a normal person. "Morning, Ms. Valentino. This is James Jackson and I'm calling on behalf of your mother. I'm her lawyer and I do have her will we need to go over once you're ready." I could tell James was trying to avoid being pushy but his tone said otherwise. "I'll head over today if you have time?" "Of course, Ms. Valentino. How does 3:00pm work for you?" I took a deep breath before I responded. "That works for me. See you at 3." I needed a drink and it's not even past noon I thought to myself. I casually sat down in one of the overly large plush chairs in the lawyers' office and immediately began bouncing my leg. It happens when I'm in uncomfortable situations. "Ms. Valentino, I do want to start off this meeting by greatly apologizing for your loss. I was around your age when I lost my own mother." I wanted to roll my eyes but I was raised better than that. "Thank you, Mr. Jackson." "Now, your mother was very specific with her final wishes when it comes to her estate." Estate? I thought to myself. My mother didn't come from money and worked as a teacher. What kind of estate is the man talking about? "Your mother has precisely 10.5 million dollars in an offshore account through a bank in Italy. That money belongs to you. However, you must sign for the account in person after meeting your father." I felt my jaw hit the floor but physically I didn't move. I didn't care about money but the amount baffled me. Who exactly was my mother when she met my father? Yes, she would tell me stories but never told me about her family. "Your father has been notified and has made all the arrangements for you to travel safely to Italy." "Whoa, slow down there, pal." The lawyer was taken back by my response. He had a puzzled look on his face. "Listen, do I have to accept the money? Can't I just donate it to charity or something like that? I don't remember my father at all and would like to continue my life without having to do so." "Ms. Valentino, unfortunately you must go to Italy in order to make any changes to the count or even close it. She had it set up that way." I sighed heavily. "I guess that makes sense. When am I supposed to leave?" I really hope I had time to get things ready before I left the country. I wasn't about to leave my shop without a plan. "Mr. Valentino has you booked on a his private jet that is scheduled to arrive at the end of the week." Private jet? Oh lord. I had a feeling this trip wasn't going to be easy and now this man who's my father wants to be extra. "Thank you, Mr. Jackson. Is there anything else?" He shakes his head no, and I head towards the door. "Oh wait, there is something." He got up from his desk and handed me an envelope. "This was also to be given to you after your mother's passing." I thanked him, and headed home. I placed the envelope on the passenger seat of my car on the ride home and instantly regretted that decision. I was eager to find out what was in the package so I raced home and ran right into the kitchen. The envelope was slightly heavy but I could tell there was some type of jewelry inside. As soon as I opened it, I knew what it was. In my hand was one my mother's favorite rings. This ring was white gold coated with tiny diamonds in a shape of star. She wore it everywhere we went. She told me it was her mother's and her mother's before her. A ring that was passed down through generations and now it was mine. I sighed deeply before putting the ring on my finger. It was a perfect fit. It shined brightly off the lights in my kitchen. I instantly felt my mother's presence in the room. Like she was here with me as I put on her ring for the first time. It was a wonderful heartwarming feeling. A week flew by fast and before I knew it, I was packing for my trip to Italy. I had already spoken to my managers and I knew my store was in good hands. I decided not to pack too heavy since I planned not to be there too long. I know my mother wants me to have a some kind of relationship with my father but I'm selfish and refuse to give that man a chance. I know I shouldn't before I even meet the man but where has he been for the past 25 years? Why does my mother dying bring him out of the woodworks? I had so many questions and I was going to get my answers once and for all. *Present Time* Getting off the private jet, I could see a black SUV not too far with two very well built men standing by. They were tall, muscular, tan, and had mysteriously sexy vibe to them. They were dressed in all black wearing sunglasses even though it looked like it was going to rain. I grabbed my bags and made my way over to the vehicle. "Ms. Valentino?" Asked the first man with a strong Italian accent. "Yep. That's me." I try to sound confident but I swear I think I heard my voice squeak at the end. "Welcome to Italy. Welcome to the home country. We will be escorting you to your father's Mansion. Is this all your luggage?" The man looks at me and notices I only have two bags with me. I also brought my book bag that carries my laptop and all other things I need for work. The other bag is my mother's old suitcase that's average sized. "Yes sir it is. I don't plan on staying too long. Just here to sign some papers and then back to the states." I could tell both gentlemen were surprised with my answer. The second man took my suitcase and put it in the back while the first one opened the door for me. Both men sat in the front of the huge SUV and were quiet once the vehicle started to move. To say I felt uncomfortable would be an understatement. These men had a strange aura around them. Kind of like a bad boy you definitely can't bring home to mama vibe. I sucked up my pride and attempted to break the ice. If I'm gonna be stuck in this car, I might as well enjoy myself, right? "So do you guys work with my father or something?" "Yes. We work for you father, ma'am." The first man said. I took my time to really look at him since he was driving he couldn't really see me stare. He had bleached blonde hair and a strong jawline with little stubble. I could tell he was handsome without seeing his eyes. "How long have you done that?" I asked. "I've been with the Don for five years and this guy has been with him for ten years." The second man hit the other in the gut. "Shut the f**k up Marco. You heard what he said." The second man was obviously upset about something but I didn't know what exactly. I was curious about what Marco said though. The Don? Is that like my father's nickname or something? "I apologize, ma'am. Sometimes he doesn't know when to keep quiet. We will be arriving in about five minutes." The second man turned back around and the rest of the car ride was quiet. The second man had a short buzz cut and looked like he was from the army or something of that nature. I just shook my head and looked out the window. It wasn't long until we pulled up to what I assumed was my father's house. There was a long gated paved driveway that led to a huge manor with beautiful Italian architecture and columns. The plants and flowers that graced the property were all elegantly placed. There were little lights all the way up the driveway that led to the water fountain right near the front entrance. Once you reach the end of the driveway, you pull up into a circle that had the water fountain placed perfectly in the middle, completing the grand entrance on the outside. If the outside was this elegant, the inside would probably be breathtaking, I thought to myself. I will admit, I was highly impressed with his house and I have only seen the outside. As I go to pull the door to the car, Marco beats me to the punch and already opened it for me with hand extended out to be helpful. I carefully placed my hand in his as he helped me out of the vehicle and took my book bag out of the backseat. It wasn't until I finished straightening my outfit did I look up to see a man standing on the steps of the front door. I instantly got butterflies in my stomach. I made eye contact with him and I had to use all my strength to keep my knees from giving up on me. He had to be at least 6'2 or 6'3, black hair slicked back into a modern flip, and definitely worked out but not too much. Just enough to see his muscles peaking through his plain black T-shirt paired with matching ripped black jeans. Painted on his muscles were tattoos. There were tattoos all over his body up to his neck, but his face remained untouched. He looked like he was an Italian God or something very similar. He had bright blue eyes which paired well with his naturally tan Italian skin. This man was handsome and I sensed trouble. **********/*************************************** (Updated 02/08/2023) Message from the author: All images are found on Google and edited when necessary. This is my own story and it's not been copied from anything. Will try to update at least once a week. Any questions, just ask! Instagram: toria.von.d.writes AND THANK YOU FOR READING!!!!