The Billionaire Mafia Husband

As she ran through the streets she grew up in, her ragged breath echoed off the graffiti-covered walls, and her legs felt like lead weights, heavy with fatigue. She darted into a narrow, dark alley, the smell of urine and decay enveloping her like a toxic cloud. The sound of cockroaches scurrying across the asphalt and the rustling of rats in the shadows made her skin crawl. She stood panting, her back against the damp wall, her light blue cotton t-shirt clinging to her sweat-drenched skin like a second skin. The taste of fear was bitter in her mouth, and her heart raced like a wild animal trapped in her chest. It had definitely been a long day, the worst of days really. She was filled with dread and anxiety as she tried to escape the nightmare that was apparently her life. She never thought her father would have gone through with it all. Certainly there was never a time when she thought her father cared deeply for her well-being, the insults she had received from him all her life made that clear enough. The memory of her father's words still lingered in her mind, his voice dripping with malice and manipulation. She could almost smell the stench of his rum-soaked breath and see the calculating glint in his eye. The restaurant where they had lunch was a blur, but the feeling of unease and betrayal lingered, like a festering wound. Ordinarily, when he offered to take her to lunch at her favorite restaurant on Fifth Street she was suspicious, yet a part of her was eager to believe that he was finally reaching out for that father and daughter relationship she had been hoping for 21 years. Also, she was never one to refuse free food. Her father drank his rum quietly, he had his thinking face on, his forehead was wrinkled at the sides, his brown eyes dimmed and far away. Sofia wasn't going to kid herself any longer, she leaned towards him, resting her arms on the table. "Hum ugh, ugh" she cleared her throat dramatically to get his attention. "Daddy, let's cut the crap, what is it that you want" her voice was laced with annoyance as she was already getting tired of their routine, "What do you mean? Can't I simply decide to take my daughter out" he asked so innocently that if Ama didn't know him too well she just might have believed him. "Yes you absolutely can, but we both know you won't. Please, cut to the chase, I need to get to my job in like 1 hour", she replied. "Erhn, you might know I owe The Omertà Some money-" he paused, waiting for her to affirm. She shrugged. This old man had better not be about to ask her for money, she thought. She knew slightly about it but never cared to get the details of it. In fact, whenever her mum brought up the topic, she simply allowed her brain to take it as background noise. She had no interest in knowing the details, her father must be mad to actually get in any sort of business with The Omertà He continued when he realized she wasn't going to say anything, "I have defaulted in the payment for months now but its all fine you see, because we have made a deal". Sofia couldn't miss the excitement in his voice. "Okay and what does any of this have to do with me then?" she really was confused. She couldn't imagine why her father was telling her all of this. "He likes you, he wants to marry you. I will be free of my loan if you marry him." She laughed loudly, drawing the attention of other people in the restaurant. What was he saying? Had old age made him lose his mind more than usual? "What are you saying?" she asked, amused. He looked at her, his face suddenly serious. "You will be marrying Dominic. We have already made the agreement, signed in contract. It is either that or I die." "What?" she had never been as angry as at that moment. "You did what? I am not yours to give away. You really hate me so? You'd give me away to a notorious criminal?" "It was either this or my life," he said passively. "What does that have to do with me? What did you spend the money on? Was it not on prostitutes, drugs and gambling? In what world do you think I'm supposed to pay for that? " Sofia could not believe her ears. Her father had always been selfish and uncaring, but this was the height. He pointed his index finger at her. "Stop acting like a child, this is supposed to be good news for you. I mean I have no idea why he would even be interested in you, you're just an impudent little girl with nothing to offer. He is rich and powerful, certainly you do realize this is all better than you deserve." She stared at him, her whole body threatening to break from the hatred that was running through her. "You disgust me" she hissed. Then she took her bag and walked quickly out of the restaurant into the streets that were no longer safe for her because the Omertà owned everything and had eyes everywhere. As she hastened through the darkness, the sudden creak of footsteps behind her scent her heart racing. With a gasp, she instinctively darted to the left, her feet pounding the ground in a frantic bid to escape. But her body collided with a solid mass, the impact knocking the wind out of her. The scent of tobacco and masculinity enveloped her, making her head spin. Stumbling backward, she tripped over an unseen obstacle, her arms flailing wildly to regain balance. But before she could steady herself, strong arms clamped down on her, holding her in a vice-like grip. "Think you can outrun us?" a deep, amused voice taunted, the words sending a shiver down her spine. She struggled against his grasp, but it was like trying to break free from steel cuffs. His fingers dug deep into her arms, the pain making her wince. "Leave me alone!" she shouted, her voice hoarse with desperation. But her words were met with a cruel laugh. She wasn't going to let them take her without a fight. She swept her leg up, aiming a kick at her assailant's groin in front of her. "you little-" he shouted. A hard palm landed on her cheek and all she could hear was a high pitched ringing in her ear. A hand clamped over her mouth and nose, the soft cloth pressing hard against her face. Her vision blurred, her eyes feeling heavy and unfocused. A metallic taste filled her mouth, and her world began to spin out of control...