Kiss My Feet, Mr. Mafia

Episode 4

Flashback

“Daddy, I want to stay with you.’’ I cried, but my father wiped my tears.

“I know little girl, I know. But daddy’s work is very dangerous, and bad men might try to hurt you if they knew I’m your daddy. Do you see why daddy has to protect you Maria?’’ My father looked at me, pulling me to sit on his lap. I was only six years old. My father was my life. My mother had died a short while after my birth. The thought of being sent away didn’t appeal to my six year old mind.

“Will you come visit me?’’ I looked up with watery eyes.

“Of Course darling. But you need to be my brave little girl. Study, work hard. Know that daddy loves you.’’ He booped the tip of my nose, making me giggle. He was my father. The burden of having a father who’d climbed ranks in the FBI was this. Being put into witness protection because my father is too important a man. Because the men he chases are terrible men who wouldn’t hesitate violence against a little girl. They were monsters.

End of Flashback

“Let me out!’’ I shouted, banging my fists against the hard door. No one was coming to my rescue, no one could hear me.

Spike!

That name repeated in my head, exactly in my boss's voice. That name had been the source of all my pain. All my abandonment issues. My father hadn't been around to raise me. My mother died of postpartum depression a few months after my birth. My dad didn’t tell me much about it, and I chose not to ask more. Dad had only moved from LAPD to detective, he was moving up the ranks quickly. All across it, only one name seemed to come up: Spike! He was my father’s demon. A name passed from father to son. His father, a man whose identity had never been revealed yet, wreaked havoc. Yet, this new pike, he did much worse. Crime in the United states increased by forty percent ever since he was rumored to take over the crime clan.

All these years, I never thought I’d be the one to find my father’s tail. The man he chases like a shadow, like a tail in his back.

“Tired of shouting and acting like a child?’’ Luca raised a brow as he entered the room. I stepped back, my legs hitting the foot of the bed. I was scared of him. “I have to admit, you’re not what I thought you’d be, puta.’’

“Could say the same for you.’’ I shot back, following him with my eyes.

He smirked, approaching me. I circled around the bed, putting as much distance between us.

“Nervous? This isn’t you darling, not when we first met of course..’’ His eyes were intense, his demeanor questionable.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.’’ I answered, and to which he laughed. Something about his laugh made me feel all the way down my stomach. What was it about him? How he made me fear?

“Come on Maria, I distinctly remember you begging me to bend you over and f**k you senseless.’’

I gasped, a short small sound. I escaped his eyes, still looking for my exit.

“You can’t escape. I see the wheels moving at the back of your head. There’s no way out unless with my say so Maria.’’

Each step he took closer, I took one back. Why was I spineless? I wanted to hit him, fight him. But his presence paralyzed me with fear. I felt my butt touch the lamb across the nightstand. I was just about to jolt across the room when his hand came rough, hitting the wall so hard a little dust came out. His hand blocked my way, his face was a mix of so many emotions. I set his other hand right next to my head, then, his body was almost pressed against mine. I didn’t want to look into his eyes. Instead, I turned my head, and I felt his hot breath on my neck.

I moaned, something I’d embarrassingly tried holding back. I clenched my legs as I shook with fear. All that was left was for me to cry.

“You don’t need to worry, kitten.’’ He whispers, with this low voice that appeals to my femininity. “As long as you obey, you’ll be fine.’’

“What do you want from me?’’

Luca's eyes roamed over me, making my skin crawl. "It's quite simple, really," he said, his voice smooth as silk. "I want you to marry me."

For a long moment, I just stared at him, certain I had misheard. Then, a nervous laugh bubbled up from my chest. "Very funny. Is this some kind of sick joke?"

But Luca's expression remained deadly serious. He took a step closer, and I instinctively backed away.

"Oh, kitten," he said, shaking his head. "I never joke about business."

The reality of his words began to sink in, and I felt my heart rate quicken. "No," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "No, that's... that's insane. I won't do it!"

Luca's lips curved into a predatory smile. "I don't recall giving you a choice in the matter."

I shook my head vehemently, backing away until I felt the cold wall against my back. "You can't force me to marry you. It's illegal!"

He laughed then, a cold sound that sent shivers down my spine. "Oh, Maria. When has legality ever been a concern of mine?"

Before I could react, Luca closed the distance between us. He placed one hand on the wall beside my head, effectively trapping me. With his other hand, he gently brushed a strand of hair from my face.

"Don't touch me," I hissed, trying to sound braver than I felt.

Luca ignored my protest, his fingers trailing down my cheek. "You know, for someone in your position, you're awfully defiant. I like that about you."

I turned my head away, unable to meet his intense gaze. "Please," I whispered, hating how weak my voice sounded. "Just let me go. I won't tell anyone about this, I swear."

"Shh," Luca murmured, his lips close to my ear. "It's not about keeping secrets, kitten. It's about so much more than that."

I felt his warm breath on my neck, and to my horror, my body betrayed me with an involuntary shiver. Luca noticed, of course, and I could hear the smirk in his voice when he spoke again.

"You're afraid of me," he said, "but there's something else there too, isn't there? A part of you that's drawn to the danger."

"You're wrong," I said, but even to my own ears, the words lacked conviction.

Luca pulled back slightly, his eyes searching mine. "Am I? I don't think so. I think you're just starting to realize how exciting life could be as Mrs. Luca Reynolds."

The use of that name – his name paired with mine – snapped me back to reality. I pushed against his chest, surprising both of us with my sudden burst of strength.

"No!" I shouted. "I won't do it. You can't make me!"

Luca stumbled back a step, his eyes flashing with a mixture of anger and admiration. "Oh, Maria," he said, his voice low and dangerous. "I think you'll find there's very little I can't make you do."

As he advanced on me again, I felt a wave of despair wash over me. This man – this monster – held all the cards. And I was just beginning to realize how dangerous the game truly was.

“You’re a monster, Luca. A cruel disgusting monster!’’

Luca's eyes hardened as he pulled out his phone, showing me a live feed of my father leaving the FBI building. My heart stopped.

"One call, Maria. That's all it takes," he said, his finger hovering over a contact labeled 'Cleaner'.

"You wouldn't," I whispered, but the cold certainty in his eyes told me otherwise.

"I’m a monster, you said it yourself. Last chance, kitten. Marry me, or daddy dearest has an unfortunate accident on his way home."

I closed my eyes, feeling tears slip down my cheeks. "Fine," I choked out. "You win. I'll... I'll marry you."

Luca's triumphant smile made my stomach churn. "Smart choice."

As the weight of what I'd just agreed to settled over me, a thought occurred. "Wait," I said, my voice trembling. "If I'm going to do this, I have one condition."

Luca raised an eyebrow, amused. "Oh? And what might that be?"

I took a deep breath, steeling myself. "I want to tell my father myself. In person."

For a long moment, Luca just stared at me, his expression unreadable. Then, slowly, a wicked grin spread across his face.

"Now that," he said, leaning in close, "could be very interesting indeed."

He had a smile on his face. Amusement, wickedness? I wasn't sure. I pried myself from him, walking across the carpet, finally getting to breathe. His scent was on me, that expensive cologne I was starting to hate. I picked up my sweater, already trying to plan how I'd break the news to my father. Yet, a thought popped in my mind. All I needed was to find a way to let my father know that I was being coerced.

"Then let's go now. To tell him. I'll present you as my fiancé," I faked courage, even though my heart was beating out of my chest.

He smiled, shaking his head, his eyes stuck on me. "I see what you're thinking puta." Puta! I hated that word. "I've been in this business for long, trained from birth. There'll be a sniper situated at the top adjacent building of the FBI headquarters. If I give him my signal, Daddy dearest gets a bullet in his brain. I hate that I have to do this, but I'm beginning to think you don't understand just how serious I am. Your dad is not coming to save you, Maria. You will become my wife. You belong to me now darling, and anyone who gets in my way, even your father, will pay with their life!"