Obsessed with Darkness

Chapter-3

Avalana's POV

As instructed by Anthony I got as far away at possible. I drove like a maniac on cocaine. I was constantly checking the front mirror to see if anyone was following me. 

With my mind in shambles I almost hit the car two times and met my early doom. I let out a sigh of relief once I touched the highway but kept driving for another ten minutes to ensure no one was following my car.

After I stopped, I took a few moments to catch my breath. I rested my head in the steering and tried to clear my head. So many questions lingered. So many thoughts. Each more scarier than other. It's like I was suddenly thrown in some thriller movie.

The bloody images of those two men didn't leave my mind. Death always scared me. And seeing something so violent tumbled my world upside down. I felt suffocated so I loosened my hair and tied it up in the bun. I ran my hands on my neck in nervousness and felt something stick to my palm.

Red. Blood. I had dead man's blood on my hands. Just like that my tears poured out as I rubbed my hands all over my clothes to get rid of the blood. My mind went in hysteria add my vision swam. I could hear my loud sobs as I struggled to hold onto my consciousness.

After a few successful attempts I managed to calm down. Blasting the AC to the full I took out the water bottle and took big gulps. Then I fished out the little piece of paper from my shorts pocket that Anthony  gave and read it. I input the address in the GPS. The destination was a one and half hour drive. Without wasting a moment more I started my journey.

As I neared the destination the buildings disappeared and trees became denser. In more teen minutes I was surrounded by thick forest. I glanced at the GPS. According to it I was to drive fifteen more minutes. Nonetheless I kept driving until I had to take a turn right into deep forest. I slowly drove between the trees on the rocky path. 

Within few minutes I came across a giant black gate with giant fire torches  on each sides.  As soon as I stopped the gates opened revealing a concrete path ahead. I accelerated and followed the road until I stopped in front of another big mansion. Not knowing what to expect. Because of everything that went down today I took out the gun kept beneath the seat. With my phone in my pocket I went out. Not a soul was in sight so I slowly creeped up to the door and rang the bell. I pointed the gun to the door, ready to blow anyone who tries to attack me.

Son enough the door opened and I was ready to attack.

"Woah." The man for alarmed and stepped back.

"Who are you?" I asked stupidly.

"Lower the gun Princess. I wont harm you. I'm friends with Anthony and Elijah." He said carefully assessing my actions. I raised a brow.

The man had thick Italian accent. He was a brunette with grey eyes and pale complexion. With a strong muscular physique he looked like he could crush me in one attempt.

"Anthony called us to inform about your arrival. I must admit you are one brave ragazza." He chuckled in amusement.

"Stop laughing I'll shoot." I scowled tensing my muscles.

He raised his arms in mock surrender and cackled. And in next swift moment I was pinned to the ground with my gun kicked few feet away from me.

I started thrashing violently; kicking, screaming, punching, scratching. "Let me gooo. Please let me go." I screeched and cried.

"f**k. Settle down. No one's harming you." He yelled holding my hands down.

"No please I want Anthony. Let me go." I continued my yelling. In a moment my paranoia turned to anger and I kicked him in nuts with all the energy I could muster. The man rolled on ground while singing profanities in Italian. Taking my chance I darted for the door only to be pulled by the leg. I kissed the ground in a painful way and groaned in pain.

"You little b***h. You are lucky you are Anthony's cousin or else I would've put a bullet in your head the moment you pointed that damn gun to my face. Now rest in peace." He said and I felt a stinging sensation on my arm. Just like that I was out.

"Fuck." I muttered as I woke up. My head felt as if being crushed under hydraulic press. I gently sat up and looked around the unfamiliar room. I was sitting on a queen sized bed in a big room. The room was equipped with a large 52 inch LED TV, a book shelf, balcony and two doors what I'm assuming bathroom and closet. There was an armchair in a corner alongside a lamp. A set of cloths was placed on the chair. I sat up with disoriented body and went to bathroom.

The relief I felt after taking a bath was so satisfying. Yet my mind was in chaos. Not even a week passed since I came here and my life had been threatened. Twice. I was worried for my brother and Eli. I wish I could see them soon. Alive.

This feels so surreal. Going from normal to chaotic in mere seconds. Never in my life I thought I would be caught in gunfire or point a gun at someone or being drugged by some unfamiliar man and stuck in middle of a forest. I shook my head and went out.

I went down the stairs and followed various voices from the direction of what I'm assuming is kitchen.

"I think she broke my dick." I heard that familiar voice. It was followed by a loud mocking laugh.

"Man I should've been there to see the show. Forget about having children now." They laughed.

"Shut up stronzo(asshole)." The man yelled.

I decided to let my presence known and walked into the kitchen as if I owned it and sat on the chair.

"You." I pointed to the man that drugged me. "Get me coffee. Black, only one cube of sugar." I dismissed him and held my head in my hands.

"I'm not your servant. Get it yourself." He said.

"Look. First of all you drugged me. And second of all you are the reason I feel like s**t. So stop being annoying and get me my damn coffee." I glared at him.

"Puttana" (b***h) he muttered and went into kitchen.

I felt another set of eyes on me. I lifted my head to see another unfamiliar man looking at me with humor.

"May I help you?" I snapped.

He burst out laughing and shook his head.

"Here you go. Princess." The man sarcastically bowed to me placing the cup before me.

"Thankyou." I flashed him a thankful smirk and gulped my delicious coffee down in few sips.

"So mind telling me your names." I said to two strangers.

"I'm Felix." The one who drugged me said.

"And I'm Adrian." Another one said. He was a brunette with brown eyes, a long beard, fit physique and a charming face. Both men were alarm at least 6'2.

"I'm Avalana. But you already know that." I said meekly. They both nodded.

"I know what are you gonna ask next. Yes there are many things you don't know but only your cousin can answer them for you. Right now you only have to know that you are safe." Felix said emotionlessly when I went to open my mouth. I sighed and nodded.

"Well with all the s**t that happened I need to rest and wrap my head around everything. I saw my cousin kill a man before my eyes. And that's not something I'll forget. Ever. Plus I don't even know if I should trust you people." I huffed.

"Trust me Princess you are safe with us." Adrian said grinning.

"Then I'd like my gun back please." I said standing up.

"No can do. Hell knows I don't want to be on the other end of your gun again." Felix argued.

"Look. Trust is earned. If you are not going to harm me I won't shoot you. Simple. Plus I hate the feeling of being helpless. I don't wanna be in yesterday's situation ever again." I was on verge of tears again. Anger and sadness clouded my mind.

"Please." I whimpered. Felix sighed and nodded.

"Wait here." He said and went upstairs.

"I know it's overwhelming. Everything that happened in twenty-four hours. But trust me it'll all get better with time." He said softly.

"No it won't. I was caught in gunfire, saw two men getting killed right in front of my eyes by my cousin and friend and then I find myself stuck in middle of nowhere with two strangers who I don't trust. I haven't heard anything from Anthony since yesterday. Tell me how is this gonna be better?!" I screamed. His eyes widened.

"It's not okay. Nothing's gonna be okay." I whispered, my eyes blurred with more tears.

I was more worried for Anthony and Elijah. I didn't hear anything from them since yesterday. I don't even know if they are alive after the yesterday's ruckus. All I can do is pray to God.

I heard a sigh and then footsteps descending down the stairs.

"What happened?" I heard Felix ask. I heard another sigh.

I gripped the edge of the table and closed my eyes trying to calm my raging breathing.

"Here's your gun. And by the way yesterday the safety was off so even if you would've liked the trigger the bullet won't go off." He said amused.

I scowled. "Good for you." I snatched the gun from his hands. "How do I take the safety off?" 

He cackled like a little b***h before answering. " See that switch? Just flip it."

I aimed the gun at the wall in front of me near the entrance and with shaky hands pulled the trigger, and nothing. Just a click.

I looked back at Felix to see him leaning on the adjacent wall and giggling like a schoolgirl.

"You took the mag out didn't you?!" I glowered at him. He nodded like a child and took out the magazine from his pocket waving it in front of me.

Snatched it from him and loaded it in the gun and aimed the wall again. Just as I pulled the trigger someone entered.

"Jesus pumpkin don't kill me." Eli squeaked flinching back. My brother came in after him looking bruised and battered.

"Oh my god." I breathed the such of relief and ran to him launching myself straight in his arms.

"You are alive. You are okay." I sobbed into his arms holding him tight.

"Sshh it's alright littlr bird. We are here. Your are okay. We are okay." He said running his hands through my hair.

"I-I thought I lost you. Please never do that again to me." I continued to cry.

"Never again. I promise." He said and put me down.

"Aww no hugs for poor Eli." Elijah pouted sulking in the corner.

"Come here you goof." I smiled through my tears and opened my arms to him. He immediately trapped me in a bone-crushing hug.

"I'm glad you both are fine." I said and squeezed his waist and he hissed loudly.

"Eli?" I said stepping back. He just scratched his neck and looked towards my cousin.

"What are you hiding?!" I asked.

"Nothing." His typical reply came.

"Don't lie." I hissed and lifted his t-shirt up.

A big bandage was wrapped around his stomach with a blood stain on his left side.

"You were shot?!" I gasped with widened eyes.

"Yes." He sighed and looked down.

"Alright. I've had enough." I hissed again and took Anthony's and his arm and dragged them both up while the two other men just silently watched me fume.

I shut the door to my room and made them sit in the bed while I sat in the chair.

"Explain. No more hiding things." I gritted out to both of them.

Anthony clenched his jaw while Eli sighed. But nonetheless my cousin spoke up. "I'll tell you everything I can. But there are somethings that I cannot expose. I don't have position to do so." He said.

"So you are telling me some higher authority is involved in this s**t and you work for them?!" I raised a brow.

"Yes. Something like that" He said carefully gauging my reaction.

"Are you f*****g kidding me Anthony?!" I yelled. " I was in middle of gunfire because of you, nearly lost my damn life and you are telling me that you cannot explain shit."

"Look Avalana.." he started.

"No. You listen to me. I don't give a f**k about what you do but risking your goddamned life is not worth any f*****g thing." I screamed.

"It's not easy okay. I can not get out. We both can't. We are in too deep." He sighed.

"What the f**k is that supposed to mean?!" I scrunched my face in vexation.

"What he means is we are the part of Italian mafia." Elijah answered calmly.

And just like that a thick silence feel into the room. I swear you could hear an airplane somewhere far away.  Exact seven seconds passed before I exploded in disbelief. I aggressively got up.

"WHHHAAAAATTTTT?!"

They both watched as I struggled to process Elijah's words.

"Don't f**k with me both of you. This ain't a f*****g joke." I fumed. My thoughts were literally slamming in my head left and right.

"We are not lying Avalana. We really are a part of Italian mafia." Anthony said looking at me with clenched jaw and hard eyes. My loving brother was no longer there. All I saw were two criminals; murderers sitting in front of me, confessing their sins.

I slumped back in chair trying to wrap my head around the fact that my brother was a mafioso.

"So that explains your wealth and weird behavior." I said meekly looking at the floor.

"Yes." He replied back.

"And now I'm caught in the shitstorm." I said again but got no reply so I looked at my cousin who was just sitting there with clenched jaw while Eli looked down.

"I don't even know what to say. What about your injuries? How did you get them?!" I asked.

"Yesterday when you escaped we were going to leave too after wrapping up your things. We couldn't let them know who you are but we are suspicious that few of them already saw you. We were out of ammo too so we had to engage in fist fight. We managed to take few down but more men came and we were ambushed. Elijah got shot in midst of all that. Hence we had no choice but to escape leaving everything behind." He said with pained expression.

"Get out." I murmured after few moments.

Elijah got up and went to door quietly while Anthony was hesitant.

"I said get out Anthony. Please don't expect me to be okay with all this. I need time to grasp everything and the fact that my life is in danger because of you." I hissed in anger.

One look into my eyes and he knew I meant every word. It was rare for me to get angry on him. But everything that happened in last twenty-four hours left me shaking.

Without a word he left the room along with Eli. That day I didn't leave my room or let anyone in. Everyone called me for lunch and dinner but nausea got the best of me. Images of those men being murdered rather violently played in my mind like a broken record making me want to throw up. By the night I was dry heaving as there was nothing left in my stomach to throw out.

I decided to sleep it off hoping that next day maybe I'll feel a little better. Emotionally and physically.

Next day I woke up before even the sun was out. Clock showed the ungodly time of 3:51 am. With sleep long gone I decided to read a book to keep my mind off the things. I tried not to thick about how my life took a 180° turn in just one night.

I didn't realize it was seven forty in the morning until Anthony knocked. I kept my book down and opened the door.

"You were awake?!" He questioned looking at me. He looked cold and distant.

"Yea. I couldn't sleep. What are you doing here this early?!" I asked.

"Get ready and be down we have somewhere to be." He said with a blank face. I just gave him a nod and closed the door. The tension between us was very high but there was nothing I could do about it.

I quickly took a bath and wore a crop top and black skinny jeans. I decided to braid my hair and no make up. I tucked my gun in my jeans. Within forty-five minutes I was down for breakfast. Boys were silently eating not even glancing anywhere. I decided not to question as I was still pissed on the situation.

I poured myself a cup of coffee and a toast. I didn't have any appetite. I was afraid I'll throw up again.

"So where are we going?!" I broke the tense silence.

"Airport." Adrian said drinking his coffee.

I looked at everyone confused. " Are you going somewhere?" I asked. He shook his head.

"We are going to pick up the boss." He said hesitantly looking at everyone.

"Boss?" I got more confused. "You mean the person you work for?" I asked looking Anthony.

He gave a confirmation nod and instantly my anger went from zero to hundred. But I maintained my cool by taking deep breaths.

Phone's ringing distracted me from my thoughts. Felix got up and went into another room to answer the call while we all ate our breakfast in silence.

"Let's go. Boss said they will be landing in an hour and half. It's a forty-five minute drive from here." H e said.

After breakfast we all piled up in a black SUV I assumed was bulletproof and equipped. Adrian was behind the wheel with Felix in the front and me, Eli and Anthony in back.

Again it was silent, only Adrian and Felix conversed occasionally. I was looking out of the window taking in the beauty of Italy and trying to keep my thoughts contained. I was angry no doubt but I remained calm. Suddenly my phone ringed making everyone turn towards me.

"Hi dad." I answered. Everyone stiffened.

"Hello sweetie. How are you? You didn't call yesterday so I decided to call you. I was worried." He said with a hint of worry in his voice.

"I'm okay dad. I was busy settling in so I didn't get time to call. How are you doing? And mom?" I said playing with my braids.

"I'm good honey. Mom is also fine and dying to talk to you. By the way is Anthony taking good care of you?" He asked.

"Yes dad don't worry he is taking good care of me. Everything's fine here. Please give mom the phone." I said. I glanced at Anthony, he looked down with balled fists.

"Hey sweetheart." My mom's sweet voice echoed in my ear.

"Mom." I whispered and my eyes watered immediately. Everything came crashing down and I wanted nothing more that to embrace my mother.

"Honey what's wrong?! Why are you crying? Everything okay?" She asked worriedly.

"Uh yea-yes. I just missed you guys." I said sniffing.

"Oh darling we miss you too. How's Italy so far?" She asked.

I wanted to say shitty but refrained myself. "It's good mom. Italy is so beautiful." I said.

"Good. When are your classes starting?" She asked.

"In about four days. How's Archie and Ari?" I asked wiping my tears.

"They are good. Sad about your departure." She chuckled.

"Okay. I'll call Ari later. I gotta go mom, I'm in middle of arrangement." I lied. My mind already in pain.

"Okay darling. I'll talk to you later. Be safe." She said and hung up.

Her last words broke me and I turned into sobbing mess.

I felt Anthony squeeze my hand in comfort but I was quick to snatch it away. He doesn't get to comfort me when he is the reason I'm in this mess in first place.

I'm still not in terms with the fact that my brother is in mafia. He is a criminal who kills people with no remorse.

Soon the awkward ride came to an end as we reached the airport. Instead of parking in the parking lot Adrian drove through the right straight to the airstrip.

As soon as everyone was out Anthony held my hand in tight grip and spoke coldly. "Don't say anything or do anything reckless."

I snatched my hand away and got out after slamming the door loudly.

All the boys stood in front of SUV emotionlessly in rigid stance with their hands clasped in front of them.

This keeps getting weirder and weirder. I shook my head and leaned on the bonnet of SUV.

A few minutes passed and I heard few cars approaching us. Six to seven SUVs pulled up and parked in line next to us. Big black suited men stepped with machine guns in each one's hands. They looked like typical bodyguards with all black, earpieces and big ass guns.

"We are waiting for president or what?!" I scoffed loudly and walked to my cousin. He gave me a warning look as if to tell me to shut the f**k up. I scoffed again and looked ahead.

A big private jet landed in front of us and everyone straightened. I looked in awe as the doors opened and another two guards stepped out and stood on each side of stairs.

A few moments later a man stepped out of the jet. He looked like he came straight out of Vogue. He was tall and muscular just like other men in the vicinity. After buttoning his blue suit jacket he descended down the stairs and headed to where we stood.

"Luciano." My cousin nodded. The Luciano guy nodded slightly and turned to Felix and began conversing in Italian. I was least interested in the talks of these criminals.

Next came out another man. With height of at least 6'4" he looked most muscular of them all. His dark midnight Black hair sleeked back. His big biceps threatened to tear his black shirt.

As he came down the stairs and started walking towards us I got a good glimpse of his face. His face so angelic yet dangerous. His steps exuded power, danger and dominance. He walked like a king. As he neared I caught the colour of his perilous eyes; mysterious bluish grey. One look into those and I was already intimidated a bit. His skin tanned and and toned.

"Boss." I heard Felix's voice from my right. And just like that anger consumed me like acid.

Not thinking, I walked towards the boss man and punched him in the face. Pain surged through my knuckles like I just punched a brick wall but it was quickly overpowered by the immense satisfaction when I looked at his bloody nose.

"You asshole." I screamed. 

No one dared to utter a word at my reckless stunt. The man shocked for a second instantly recovered and put a gun on my face forcing me to point mine at him.