STUCK BETWEEN THE MAFIA BROTHERS

NO WAY OUT

OLIVIA

“Send me the files. I will look into it once I get to Charlie's place." I ended the call, slipping into the car assigned to me by Charlie.

It's been three days since I started working with him. And boy, my life has taken a switch. The luxury cars, clothes, shoes. Charlie claimed that if I was working with him I had to evaluate my appearance.

"Mommy, are you going to pick me up after school?" Adrian asked.

I was on my way to drop him off to school before heading to Charlie's club house.

"No, I am sorry. Mommy has work to do. But aunty Julie will come for you," I said, patting his head as he sighed dejected.

"Okay."

I couldn't miss a note on any file sent to me by Charlie's secretary. I continued with the file, arranging each data in the appropriate column in order to analyze today's meeting.

After dropping Adrian, we went straight to the clubhouse. The bar was scanty with few folks. I greeted the bartender with a gentle nod before climbing up to the upper floor.

"She has no idea what she has signed up for. A slut playing business partner. What a joke." I overheard two employees gossiping along the stairs.

“I heard Charlie caught a rat and had him killed last night. His mood isn't good today. So try not to offend him."

I staggered back gripping the rail for balance.

Killed?

What do they mean by killed someone?

My phone vibrated in my pocket drawing their attention to me from below. They darted their eyes immediately and scurried off to the opposite direction.

Julie was the one calling.

I answered without delay. "Hello."

“Olly, I need you to get out of there right now!"

"What do you mean?" I swallowed hard.

“Your new boss is not just a club owner. I am sorry I should have done proper research on him before telling you about the gig."

“Explain to me what is going on." My grip tightened around the rail anxiously waiting for her answer.

"I asked a few friends and word around the city is that Charlie is connected to serious criminal dealings. The kind of things normal people are supposed to stay away from," she said.

My heart dropped, tension coursed through my body. I turned to leave but a hand touched my shoulder and I froze in place unable to move a muscle.

“Where are you going?" Charlie's voice heightened my heart pounding against my rib cage.

“I…I thought I forgot something."

He narrowed his eyes on me but didn't say a word again. Without being told I followed him up to the room where we usually held our meetings.

I acted as if everything was okay to avoid raising any suspicion. After the day's work, I returned to the apartment assigned to me by Charlie.

My mind still lingered on the information Julie passed to me. Pulling off my shoes by the door, I quietly went to check up on Adrian.

He was fast asleep with his teddy bear next to him. I sat by his bed, brushing off a loose strand away from his face.

He was all I got. For years, I have done everything in my power to keep him away from the dangerous life I once lived. But it kept coming back, now I had to deal with Charlie.

I quietly left his room and went down to the kitchen and brewed a cup of coffee while thinking about Julie's suggestion to bolt.

Charlie hasn't done anything that would warrant my suspicion or waiver my safety. He pays me good money, gives me a house and has done a lot for me these past few days.

Even his business network has helped me gain more information about Boyle's activities over my father's company. If I leave now, I would go back to where I started.

But Adrian is still young and I can't expose him to that kind of criminal life.

Taking in a deep breath, I grab my phone from the counter and dial Julie's number.

“Text me the address, we will leave the city tonight," I said.

She told me a few times to be cautious before I ended the call. Without hesitating, I went to my room and began to pack a few things that we would need to escape.

Carrying Adrian in my arms without waking him up, I left the apartment and began to trek down the street.

I looked back each time making sure no one was following us. Charlie might be a good person to me but Mafia men were extremely meticulous about those they worked with.

Just as I was about to flag a cab down, a hand drew me back.

"Miss Olivia, you are not allowed to leave without the boss's permission," a man in black cornered my path, stopping me from entering the cab.

Another stalked behind me. I knew they were Charlie's men. He had tailed me and found out what I was up to.

My heart slammed against my chest. Panic surging in from being caught.

"If you want to protect your son and keep him safe then come with us instead of running," the man said again with a calm voice that mirrored no threat.

Left with no choice, I entered their car and followed them. It was better than fighting while holding my son at risk.

I held onto Adrian, patting his back with shaky hands while trying to stay clear headed. They drove back to Charlie's Mansion and I knew there was no way I was going to be able to escape this.

On entering the mansion, the men that brought me in left after showing me to the rooms Adrian and I would be staying in.

I placed Adrian in one of the rooms and began to wander around trying to get familiar with the passages around the house.

As I approached the end of the hall, I heard Charlie's voice through the walls speaking to someone on the phone in a low and controlled manner. Then he says a name I could never forget: Harry.