The Demon's Captive- In love the Mafia king

EMILIA My lungs burned, and I gasped, trying to find my breath as I sped through a dark, narrow alleyway. I ignored the dull slap of my purse strapped over my shoulders against my body while my feet hit the cold, wet ground repeatedly as I increased my pace. I felt the tears gather in my eyes, my vision blurred, but I refused to stop. "Oh, please, please, please," I prayed desperately, hoping I would somehow escape. I shivered, my ears picking up the noises coming from behind me. I could hear my father's men closing in on me; the sound of their heavy footsteps echoed through the walls. "Porca puttana!" One of the men swore in Italian; his voice echoed through the space, sending a shiver down my spine. Usually, I would get offended at his insult, but I didn't dare look back, for fear that I would get caught if I spared even a second. I just couldn't allow it. If they ever got to me, they would mercilessly drag me back to my father. I had no idea what he would do to me if that happened, but I would likely be forced to get married to some grumpy old drug lord to settle his debts like he planned. Which was exactly what made me escape. My chest tightened as I gasped in pain. I couldn't allow my father to throw my life into a ditch; it was unfortunate that my father had noticed my absence before I could make it far and sent his men after me. If not, I would be long gone. I winced when I felt my thighs begin to ache. I was getting tired, and I needed a break. The entrance of the alley came into sight, and I gasped in relief when I saw the sunlight shining in the distance. I increased my pace, and suddenly I couldn't move again. "Ah!" I screamed as I felt one of the men grab my hair from behind. My hairband snapped, and my black hair came loose over my face. I struggled, feeling my scalp burn. He clasped one hand around my neck, releasing my hair as he turned me around to face him. "Marcello!" I shrieked as I recognized him as my father's terrifying assistant. He had always had little patience for me and thought of me as a brat. "Stay still, Signorina!" He spat at me. I growled. "Leave me alone!" My fingers clawed at his hand against my neck, but he only tightened it. I wheezed; air began to leave my lungs. Marcello must have noticed my fight grew weaker; he loosened his grip, and I immediately dragged in a deep breath. "I will tell my father about this. You will not survive putting your hands on me." I threatened. "I don't plan to." He scowled. "My orders were to take you home no matter what. And if you try to make it harder for me, I will knock you out." I shivered at his own threat. I knew Marcello would not joke around. Defeated, I broke down and whispered, "I can't go back." "You have to. Signor Romagna will not survive the day if you escape. Your father's life depends on you." He didn't smile. I shook my head in anger. "I don't care. I never asked him to put himself in trouble. He should have asked me before he decided to exchange me for a f*****g few million dollars." "You don't have a choice. This is business," Marcello pointed out. "No, this is my life." I spat back. My feet went cold when I heard the others come closer. Their voices rang out in excitement. "He's got the Signorina." One of them shouted. I still knew I had to escape. I couldn't let them drag me back. Never. Desperation clawed at me, and without thinking about it, I kicked Marcello in between his legs. He growled, his voice deep and rough as he loosened his grip on me and cupped his balls. Finally free, I used as much strength as I could gather and threw a punch in his face. He staggered backward and cussed at me. I was back to running. The other two men who had just reached Marcello's side took a moment to understand what had happened. They tried to help Marcello, who screamed at them, "Get that little Puttana!" They came after me, but I had already given them a good head start. I busted out of the alleyway into the bustling Chicago street. Up ahead, I could see Clark/Division Station where I intended to board a train. The cool night air melted on my sweaty skin as I weaved my way through the people making their way on the sidewalk. Most of them gave me strange looks, wondering what was making me run. I suddenly bumped into a stout man who slowly dragged himself along, and I stumbled, hitting my toes against the pavement as my face hit his shoulders before I fell to the floor. "Hey! Watch where you are going." The man shrieked; his eyes bulged in anger. "Sorry," I said in a hurry, and scrambled back to my feet. I adjusted my purse on my shoulders as I continued. I couldn't stop now. I dreaded the fate that awaited me if I got caught. My heart raced as I fixed my gaze on the train station ahead. I looked behind and noticed that amidst the sea of people, I had lost the men on my tail. I felt a little relieved as I sprinted into the train station and headed for the ticket counter. "One ticket," I said quickly. My hands trembled as I rummaged through my purse for money. The middle-aged woman behind the counter eyed me curiously. "This train is moving to New York, miss. Is it what you want?" "Yes!" I snapped. I couldn't care if the train would take me to the ends of the earth; the further it is, the better. "Are you okay, miss? You look like you are in a hurry." The woman frowned. I glared at her, but nothing seemed to make her move towards giving me a ticket. I sighed. "I'm fine. I'm just in a hurry to get home. Please hand me the ticket; I need to go." "Do you need help?" She whispered. I shook my head quickly. "No!" The last thing I wanted was to have the cops ship me back to my father's house. After a long look at me, the woman finally smiled and said, "Okay dear, that will be $50." I nodded and gave her the money in exchange for the ticket. I turned away from the counter and headed towards the train entrance as it pulled to a stop in front of the passengers. I smiled; relief flooded me as I smelled my freedom. I tucked a strand of hair behind my ears, and my eyes shone with anxious excitement. I can't remember the last time I was allowed to go on a trip or do anything fun. For the first time in my twenty years of life, I finally felt like I was free. I joined the crowd that rushed into the train, and I almost made it when I felt someone grip me from behind and a hand covered my nose with a cloth. "No…N…" My screams were muffled. My nostrils inhaled the strong chloroform smell as I began to slip into darkness. The last thing I remembered was a few words whispered in my ears. "You can't escape the boss." I blacked out.