His Princess; The Devils Daughter - Book 2

Chapter 15

Mayah woke up feeling surprisingly refreshed.  After she brushed her teeth and threw on a pair of jeans and a long sleeved shirt  to head down stairs. After pulling her hair back into a messy bun she stopped in front of the mirror for a moment.

“Mayah?  Are you awake?” Adriano called from the other side of the door.

“I’m awake…  you can come in Adriano.” she responded as he opened the door.  “Besides, it's your house.” 

He smiled.  “Princess, this might be my house but this is your room.  Breakfast is ready.”

She smiled as he led her downstairs hand in hand.  “Adriano, wait” she said once they arrived to the dining room entrance.  “I didn't get to thank you for saving me, I thought I would never see you guys ever again.”  

“Princess, you must know by now how I feel about you.  I would go to the ends of the earth for you.” He kissed her gently on the forehead before guiding her into the dining room where Roach, Krista, Carlos and Kace were already seated.  

“Morning,” she said meekly taking her seat next to Adriano.

Everyone gave a soft smile as the kitchen staff began to bring out platters full of eggs, bacon, sausage, waffles and french toast.  They ate in silence, every so often glancing at each other. Even though everyone had questions, no one knew what to say. Feeling uncomfortable with the deafening silence around her Mayah cleared her throat.

“Um...everyone?  Thank you for coming to get me.  I can't tell you how grateful I am that you guys showed up when you did.”  

“You're a daughter of the Devils Angels  You and your sister are the most important thing to me...blood or not.”  Roach smiled at her.

There was a long pregnant pause before Mayah spoke again.  “How did you guys know where to find me?”

Adriano reached for Mayah’s hand  “An ex military friend of me and my brother.  He called my brother and told him about how he was hired to fix a tattoo of a guys fiance.”  He studied Mayah’s face before continuing with his story. “After talking to my brother, he told him to give me a call so he did.  Mayah, the guy who did your tattoo told us where to find you.”

“He did?  But Marco threatened him that if he-”

“Yeah, he told me.  He felt guilty having to tattoo you against your will so naturally, him being him...he came up with a plan as soon as he finished.  He actually is supposed to be joining us for breakfast but he’s late as usual.”  

Mayah chuckled.  “Small world.” She took a sip of her coffee as a maid came into the room.

“Senor, Mateo is here.  Should I show him in?” asked the maid.

“Si, por favor.”  Adriano responded.

A few moments later Mateo followed the maid in.  “Adriano man-” he started as he walked in but stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Mayah.  He wanted to apologize but felt that simply saying ‘I’m sorry’ wasn't enough. He walked over to her and stood between Adriano.  “Look...I know there's nothing I can say that excuses what I-”

“Hey, Adriano said you helped find me.”  Mayah stood from her seat and hugged Mateo.  “And I know you had no choice...You know he would've killed you if you didn't.”

He smiled at her and then Adriano before taking a seat on the other side of him.  “So, what's for breakfast?”

The rest of breakfast was mostly full of small talk to break the tension in the room.  Once everyone had enough to eat, they filed into the family room. Adriano and Carlos took a seat on a couch with Mayah and Krista snuggled up to their loves in between them.  Adriano winced when the bottom of Mayah’s shirt came up a bit in the back making the scars on her back visible. He reached to pull it back down, brushing his knuckles over one of the scars making her flinch.

“I’m sorry... I didn't mean to hurt you.” he said to her.

“You didn't.  It just bothers me that they're there.  They’re ugly.” She took a deep breath as she sat up.  She leaned forward pulling the back of her shirt up higher so that he could get a better look.

“Princess...I’m so sorry,” he whispered as he gently traced the marks.

“Mayah, what happened?” asked Roach as he and Kace came over to see Mayah’s back.

“I ran away again...well I tried to.  They caught me so for my punishment, he whipped me by the pool before throwing me in.”  Her voice was quiet when she responded. “God only knows what he’ll do to me next time when he takes me back.”

“No!  There won't be a next time Mayah.  He can't keep getting way with this!”  Krista stood up from the couch. “The system can’t touch him because all the evidence disappears.  It's not fair!”

“Kris, he’s going to get away with it.  He always has and he always will.” She looked at her sister with pain in her eyes.  She knew that Marco would come for her and this time, he would most likely kill her whether he meant to or not.  

“No Mayah, your sisters right,”  added Mateo. “He needs to be stopped.  Obviously he isn't going to give up.”

“Mateo, charges were brought against him and it did no good.  He paid for the evidence to disappear. He has too much power here in the states.”

“Mayah, I’m not talking about him getting arrested and going to jail.”  Mateo’s tone was low and intimidating.

“You mean kill him?”

“Princess, he’s right. He wont stop coming after you...I know how much you wanted to be able to go to college and try to have a normal life but that will be impossible for both you and Krista as long as Marco is out there.”

“We can't kill him...I’m not a murderer,” she responded.  As much as she hated him for everything he’s done to her and for killing her parents, she couldn't bear to take another life… even if it was Marco’s.

“You won't be killing him.” said Roach.  “We will. He deserves to die for what he did to you two.”

“That will be hard to do.  Marco moves around too much.”  Krista sighed plopping back down on the couch between Carlos and Mayah.  “I remember one of the girls said that the only time he stayed in one place is when he had a fundraiser or when…” her voice trailed off.  

“When he had me there as his prisoner.”  Mayah finished Krista’s sentence giving her a weak but reassuring smile.  

“I think until we find a way to get him taken care of, Princess.. You and Krista should go on a vacation.”

“Vacation?”  asked Mayah and Krista in unison.

“Marco wont look for you guys out of the country.  You can go with me and my brother. We can travel until we figure out a plan.”

“Adriano, are you serious?  You can't just take them out of the country like that.”  Roach responded. “It's dangerous! And I just got them both back.”  His voice cracked not hiding the sadness in his voice.  

“Daddy, can we please?”  asked Krista not trying to hide her excitement ignoring the sadness in her father's voice.

“Sir, it's even more dangerous for them to stay,” interrupted Mateo.  “From what I’ve learned, each successful attempt on either one or both girls has happened while your friend here, Mace was in or around the area conducting business.”  He motioned towards Kace not bothering to show the accusing look on his face.

“My name is Kace you dip-s**t.  And I didn't have anything to do with the attempts on them.”  Kace had his jaw tightly clenched with his hands drawn into fists.  “Don't you ever accuse me-”

“Whoa hotshot.  I’m not accusing anyone.  I’m just saying that with your track record maybe you're the weak link or who the hell knows but I do know that every time you're in the equation, They seem to keep getting hurt.”

Kace took an angry step towards Mateo.  “Hah! Like you got room to talk about people getting hurt.  You f*****g inked her against her will! You even said so yourself so don't sit here and talk to me about people getting hurt!”  

“Stop it!  Both of you!”  Mayah yelled pulling against Adriano.  “Pointing fingers isn't going to take back what happened to us.”  She altered her gaze between Mateo and Kace. “No ones blaming you for what happened Kace.”

With Mayah’s response, Adriano stood up.  “Princess, you might not blame him but I do.”

Mayah took a step back from Adriano unable to believe her ears.  “Adriano-”

“Mateo’s right Mayah.  Kace has been careless too many times.”  He reached out to touch her face with the back of his knuckles.  “Jesus Christ Princess. Do you realize how close you were to being married off to that asshole?  Marco whipped you by the f*****g pool.”

“Adriano...listen to yourself.  Your own words...Marco whipped me...Not Kace.”  she looked at the others for assistance but everyone kept quiet except Roach who stepped forward.

“Adriano...don't.  Don't do this to her,” he warned.

“Don't do what dad?  What's wrong? What don't I know?”  she was growing more impatient by the second.  “Krista?”

Seeing her sister confused and seeing how upset her father was becoming, she stood up.  “Adriano... come on. Dad’s right.”

“You two are defending him?  Really?” Adriano yelled.

“Defending Kace?”  Mayah looked between her sister, Roach and then Adriano.  Annoyed by the fact they were bickering among themselves, she pushed past Krista and Roach to Kace.  “Kace...what are they talking about?”

He ran his hand through his hair.  “Look Mayah, your dads right. Its best you don't know.”  He shot an angry glance at Mateo and Adriano before trying to walk to the door before Mayah intercepted him.  

“Kace...what is it that I shouldn't know?”

Realizing he cant get out of telling her he groaned before taking a deep breath.  “Jason is Jackson’s cousin.” he began slowly.

“Yeah, I know...Jackson told me”

“I didn't run into you by accident all those times.  I really wasn't just in the neighborhood,” he confessed.  “Jason was a dealer for my dad's business and every time I was there, it was to collect payments.”  His eyes darted to Krista and back to Mayah as he continued. “I didn't check him out. I didn't check out his associates or his family when he said his cousin was going to lend him the money.  I assumed his cousin was just another spoiled little rich boy like Jason was.”

Mayah frowned.  She felt bad that Kace felt guilty about not being as thorough as he said he was taught but she still didn't blame him for what happened, and no one else should either.  Not being able to find the right words at the moment, she hugged Kace. He hugged her back and began to say how sorry he was for being sloppy and that she suffered because of him.  She pulled out of the hug and looked around at everyone before turning back to Kace. “Kace, I don't blame you for what happened, and neither should anyone else.” She angled herself next to Kace so that she could look at everyone's faces.  

“Princess, you might not blame him for what happened but I do.  With his job, mistakes can cause people their lives and his mistake nearly cost you yours.  We thought...I thought I lost you.” 

“You guys can't blame Kace for Marco’s actions.  He’s been torturing me long before-” she stopped herself realizing she hadn't ever gone into detail about Marco and how he treated her with anyone except Krista.  “Just let it go. I’m back. He helped bring me home so that should count, okay?” 

Adriano let out an unhappy sigh.  “This is his last get out of jail free card.”

Roach gave a smack on Kace’s back.  “Now that's settled...let's talk about you thinking your taking my girls away from me.”

“Daddy!”  Krista pouted.  

“No Krista, don't you daddy me.  You two aren't going. Get your stuff, we’re going home.” he said as he turned towards the exit.  

Adriano followed him close behind.  “Roach...it's not safe for them to stay-”

“Listen here...they are the Devil's Daughters...My daughters.  You don't dictate how I take care of my girls.” he hissed. “I appreciate everything you've done for them both but I need to draw the line somewhere.”

“And what is that supposed to mean?”  Adriano shot back.

Ignoring Adriano, he decided not to answer.  “Mayah! Krista! Let's go!”

“Roach...maybe he’s right,” Kace piped.  “Maybe the girls-”

“Your defending him now?  He just accused you and your going to take his side?”  roared Roach.

“I’m not defending or taking sides.  It's been rough for them. It’ll do them some good to get away until Marco and Jackson aren't a threat anymore.”

Roach’s shoulders sagged in defeat as he walked back into the house where Mayah and Krista stood waiting.  “Girls...I can't lose you again.” His voice was low and pained.

“Your not losing us daddy.”  Krista leaned towards her father.  “I know you're worried about us and Carlos and Adriano will take care of us.”

Without speaking, Roach pulled Mayah and Krista into a tight hug.  “I just got you girls back...I’m gonna miss my girls so much.”

He eventually gave his blessing for Adriano to take the girls out of the country.  Even though he wasn't thrilled with the idea of them going on a ‘vacation’ with their boyfriends, deep down he knew it was the smart thing to do.  After saying his goodbyes to Mayah and Krista, he left with Kace leaving Krista, Mayah, Mateo, Carlos and Adriano behind to discuss travel plans. They agreed that it would be best to leave as soon as possible, that way they would be gone if Marco or his men came looking for them.

“So...where are we going?” asked Mayah.

Adriano grinned.  “Somewhere nice… First stop, Costa Rica.”