Thorns of Roses

Stranger, Danger.

Song for this Chapter:

Ceilings-Lizzy McAlpine

CHAPTER 96

ERIKA

Mama’s still frantically shaking and crying even if we hide inside our kitchen, when I know these thick walls inside the house couldn’t protect us from the man outside.

I didn’t hear anything after the exchange between him and Papa when Mama shove me inside the kitchen, we didn’t leave ever since.

Mama can’t even barely look at me in the eyes. She’s just avoiding my gaze as my mind were running a thousand miles away from here.

Should I just call Nigel? No, I can’t mix him up with our family’s trouble and get him in trouble instead.

I am not even sure if I heard them right when they asking what’s my price like I am just a toy or a thing that can be bought on a*****e.

“Mama? Who are they?” I start.

Mama is pouring us a cup of water and the glass instantly slipped on her hand when I asked her who is the man outside. “Not now, Erika.”

“If not now, when? For five almost five years you’ve been shoving all my questions about anything.”

Mama sat down in front of me, cupped my face with her shaking hands with tears in her eyes as she looks at me tenderly “He won’t hurt you, I swear he can’t hurt you.”

“What do you mean? I don’t understand what is happening?” my voice breaks.

“Sshh.” She gestures me to keep quiet and constantly looking behind her. As if she’s trying not to get caught. “—Just—follow him, whatever he told you, just follow him, obey him. He won’t hurt you. He won’t even lay a finger on you, I swear.”

I stood up and gasped in disbelief “So, are you really going to sell me of with him? You’re going to let Papa sell me to the man who I barely knew? Mama, I am your daughter!” I snapped, and Mama kept following me as I am heading back towards Papa and the suited men on our living room.

I can’t believe what I am seeing right now.

“Erika, please.” Mama’s pleading, crying.

As soon I stepped foot inside the living room, I saw Papa signing a piece of paper and he and the scary man is sitting calmly, but I noticed the eagerness and the frantic movements of the scary man.

Papa chuckle “Everything settled then? In exchange of my daughter, I am no longer indebted to you and the Cosa Nostra, Mister Mayhem.”

Mayhem? I think that last name seems so familiar, I think I’ve heard it before but I can’t quite pinpoint when and where.

“What the f**k?” I walk inside the room, and all of them eyes were now looking at me. “Papa, you can’t do this to me.” I walk towards Papa and cry, and beg him, “—I promise I will work harder, but please, don’t do this to me, Papa.”

Mama’s crying on the side unable to look at me and my begging to her husband, my Father.

I know my Father’s useless and drunk, and sometimes he may hurt us and Mama. But I didn’t think that his greediness will take me to this situation. Where he can easily sell his own daughter for, I don’t know why?

He cupped my face and kissed my forehead, I am not even sure if he’s looking at me with sadness and sympathy genuinely, it looks like fake for me. “I am sorry, Honey. But I must do this to protect your Mama and Cora.”

I stilled “What do you mean?” I look at him, then looked at the scary man in front of us just watching the scene calmly, like he used to in this situation. Where am I even going? Should I just run away? But Papa says it’s for Mama and Cora’s sake.

“They—they will kill us, Erika.” Mama sobs “—because of your Father’s debt.”

“They can’t!” I looked at the man with anger “He can’t.”

“They can, Darling. They are the American mafia.” Papa explained briefly that made me stop and just wanted to kill myself right on the stop. “Pack your things, Honey.”

The man didn’t even blink when he’s watching me intently, he didn’t even spoke another word, he’s just standing there. waiting calmly.

He looks like a wild animal waiting for his prey.

I am now shaking just like Mama’s. “I need to call Nigel.” I turn around but Papa stopped me.

“Enough of your drama, Mister Mayhem is getting impatient.”

“I don’t care!” I snap at Papa and that earn me a hard slap, Mama gasped and one thing I see is the scary Man holding my Papa’s hand stopping him from hitting me more.

“I dare you to try.” He growls at Papa. Even his voice is scary.

Now, I don’t know who I am afraid of more, My family or this stranger who barge unexpectedly in my life?