Heart of the Mafia King

Long Day

{Maisie’s POV}

[Reader Discretion is Advised! This chapter contains themes of domestic abuse, s/a, and miscarriage.]

“Come on Maisie, you can ride back with me to get your friend’s car.” Margo said, interlocking her arm with mine. “Do you not have a car?” She asked.

I nodded. “I do.. but I’m having to get the drivers side window replaced.. it’s too cold to drive around without it.”

“Oh, what happened?” She asked, looking over me as we walked out.

“I-It’s a long story, I’ll tell you on the drive back.” I answered.

On the way back to her house, I told her about my awful experience with Doctor Reggie.. how he attacked me on my way home. “I’m sorry that happened to you.” She said, looking back over to me.

“Sometimes people do crazy things.. and there’s nothing we can do about it..” I said, pulling my knees up to my chest in the passenger seat. “I can’t control what other people do, I can only control how I react to it.”

“That’s.. probably one of the smartest things I’ve ever heard.” She said, reaching over and placing her hand on mine. “Still, I am sorry you had to go through that.. and that you had to deal with it alone.”

She turned her attention back to driving, as I stared out the window. “I’ve learned how to deal with it.. but sometimes, I still have nightmares, one’s that take me back to that place, then it feels like I’ve lost all the progress that I made.” I said.

She nodded. “I understand that, sometimes it’s a certain scent, a sight, a place, even the time of day.” She said, her voice soft.

“Blood.. the sight of it.. large amounts of it anyways.. the smell of rum.. the odor of bleach..” I replied. “A raised hand.. a dark room..”

“I’m sorry that he did those things to you..” she said. “I can’t believe that a husband would do those things to his wife..”

I shook my head. “He was so kind when we first met.. but he changed, and he changed quickly. It was as though a switch flipped when I married him. He only wanted me when he needed something.. or when he wanted something done. I was his chef, his maid, his wh***.. and if I weren’t, then I was useless.. beaten, used, and discarded..” I leaned my head back in my seat. “I couldn’t say no to him.. not about anything.. he would just take it anyways.. when he found out I was pregnant.. he beat me so badly that I couldn’t walk for a while.. telling me over and over again that it was my fault. That he never wanted to be a father, and I knew that. How could I get pregnant, and ruin his childfree life..” tears began to stream down my face, and I quickly wiped them away. “I believed him.. I listened to him, hung onto every word he said! I’m so angry.. I’m angry that I let him destroy me.. I’m angry that I didn’t leave sooner..”

“It’s not your fault..” she said, her voice breaking. “It really isn’t your fault, it’s his.. he’s a monster! He deserves to be in prison!”

She was right.. he did deserve to rot in prison.. he deserved to be forced to face the things that he did to me.. to spend the rest of his life being tormented by the thought of me. Though, it’s all redundant now.. “You’re right.. but none of it matters now.. I’ve moved on.. I moved cities, I escaped from him, and now I have my best friend back.. and I’m even making new friends..” I said, smiling softly over to her.

She smiled back. “I just hope he doesn’t do it to anyone else..” she said, turning her attention back to the road.

“He won’t..” I answered, not really meaning to, I knew that he wouldn’t be able to do anyone the way he did me. I took care of everything before I left, even holding up the evidence of my abuse, all of the photos that I carefully documented, the death certificate of my baby.. everything that I could use as leverage, he knew about it, it’s why he signed the papers.

“How do you know?” She asked, turning her attention back to me, a stunned look on her face.

“I just know.. I showed him all of the evidence I had of my abuse.. he wouldn’t get away with doing it to anyone else.. that’s all..” I turned back towards the window.

She nodded, I could see her reflection, as we pulled up to their house. “Thank you so much for taking care of my brothers! Are you sure I can’t get you anything? You don’t want to come in for a drink?” She asked, as we stepped out of the car.

I shook my head, grabbing the keys to Heather’s car and smiling. “I really need to be getting back, Heather will need her car, and honestly I’m sure she’s worried about me!” I walked over, stepping into Heather’s car. “Tell everyone I said bye, I’ll be seeing Mikey, Max, and Angelo at the hospital next week anyways!” I said, starting up the car and driving off. I needed to get back home, I needed some peace, these past few days had been a lot.

I pulled into the driveway and quickly made my way inside. Heather’s head poked around the corner, and she smiled at me, running to me and pulling me into her arms. “You have been gone all night, that never happens! Are you okay?” She asked, looking me up and down.

“I’m fine.. I ended up crashing at their place cause I was exhausted.. then this morning I checked on Mikey and Max.. and Angelo fell down the stairs, so I had to take him to the hospital.. it was a lot..” I sighed, walking over and plopping down on the couch.

“Sounds like it.. and looks like it!” She wiggled her eyebrows pointing to the shirt I was wearing.. Sh** I was still in Angelo’s shirt!

I groaned, wiping my hand down my face. “I’ll have to give it back to him when he comes into the hospital.”