Tamed By The Mafia King

He's Back

VIOLET’S POV.

“Wha— What are— what the hell is—” I was utterly stunned by the sight of my father, my tongue felt as though it was tied and stuck down in my mouth.

My heart thumped crazily as I stared at my father, the only family I had left, the one that had left me drowning in debts and breaking my back just so I could live to see another day.

My jaw dropped, mouth hanging open but no matter how hard I thought about what to say, I still couldn’t make a single sound.

I felt like I’d been punched really hard in my guts, my breath completely knocked out of me as fear and anger rose in my throat like a hard lump.

“What are you doing here and what the hell did you get yourself into?!” I questioned, the worry I’d tried really hard to conceal was evident in my voice.

I didn’t want to worry about him, I didn’t even want to feel bad for him because I had taught myself to not be moved the next time I see him but how could I not worry about him?

He’s covered in his own blood, breathing heavily with bruises on almost every part of his body.

“Dad!” I called with a shaky voice as my father staggered and fell right in my arms, he felt thinner than the last time I held him and his eye-bags were bigger than the last time I saw him too.

“Violet, I’m—” my father gulped, his arm wrapping tight around me as he tried to hold me and his head lifted so that he could look directly into my eyes.

I felt my world shake, my eyes fixed on my father as tears streamed down his eyes and remorse was written evidently all over his face.

“I’m sorry, baby,” he apologized, more tears rolling down his cheeks. This is probably the first time I’ve seen my father show regret and tears.

My mind was reeling, trying to make sense of what was going on and before I knew it, I was crying too. My eyes stung as the dam in my eyes opened and my face flooded.

“I’m sorry I left you to deal with all of my troubles,” he groaned as I helped him stand, “that’s not my intention, I swear.” He continued even though I’d tried to tell him not to say anything for now.

I was still angry, I could feel it deep down inside of me but that anger was watering down and getting overpowered by something far greater. Love.

My father is back, he’s here now and even though it shouldn’t be, it’s all that matters.

“Although, what I intended to do doesn't matter anymore,” he chuckled bitterly as I walked him to the dining and helped him sit, “what matters most is how I made you feel and I understand if you hate me, I deserve it.”

“I’m an excuse for a father, an even more pathetic excuse for a human too but what could I do?” He cried, covering his face with his palm, “I have nowhere else to go.”

“No one would accept me and even after causing trouble for you, you were the only one I could think of, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to—”

“It’s okay,” I cut in, blinking back the tears that were trying to force their way out, “we can talk about that when you’re warm, you look pathetic.” I added, putting up a brave front.

“I’m sorry,” my father apologized as he sat on quietly and I still couldn’t believe that this man in my house was really my father, not only was he crying, not only did he show regret, he was awfully quiet.

What happened to him out there?

Shaking the thought out of my head, I made up my mind to make him toast and eggs. I whipped up dinner while my father remained quiet.

It didn’t take long for me to finish and set the table. Seeing my father eat like an animal tugged at my heart but I didn’t want to show any more weakness than I’d already shown.

I watched as he ate, the sound of him coughing and wheezing jolted me out of the thought that I had no idea I was lost in.

My father clutched his chest as he breathed, fear overwhelmed me as my heart raced and with no idea what to do, I felt something chilly course through my being as my father reached out to me.

“DAD?!” I yelled, sprinting towards him and holding him, “What’s wrong? Hold on, I’ll get you a glass of water.” I was confused, my own emotions felt too much to control.

Hurriedly, I made my way to the kitchen and rushed back to the living room but my father had already recovered from the cough.

“I’m sorry I scared you,” he sighed as he apologized, “that bite went down the wrong way.” He added, chuckling dryly and my teeth gritted as I slammed the glass of water on the table.

Picking up my plate of toast and egg, I finished the last bite and downed the glass of juice that I’d poured for myself and my father earlier.

My father and I sat in silence, the tension that settled over the room thickened with each breath we took.

“So?” I started, doing my best to break the ice, “now that you’re back, do you have any plan of paying your debt?” I questioned and watched as my father scratched the back of his head.

“I guess we were going to talk about that sooner or later,” he responded even though it wasn’t the kind of response I was expecting, I raised an eyebrow, probing him to continue talking.

“About the debt, yes, I do have a plan to pay it all back.” He finished with conviction and relief washed over me as I let out a sigh.

“Thank goodness, how are we going to—” my words drowned out as my heart palpitated suddenly, my fingers shook and I felt paralyzed from my neck down.

What is this? What’s happening to me?

I shook internally and felt an unbearable cold from within me as I tried to make sense of what was happening to my body.

Beads of sweat broke out of my forehead and trickled down my temple. I couldn’t move any part of my body, not even my hand.

“You know, baby girl, the only good thing I did in my entire life was giving birth to you.” My father’s voice resounded in my head and I felt my stomach tighten.

Lifting my eyelid, I felt my resolve shattering when I saw the wide grin on my father’s face. The regret he had on his face when he showed up at my doorstep was completely gone.

The emotion that made me feel bad for him had totally disappeared, the tears had dried off and his eyes were as cold as I always remembered them to be when he’d hit and curse me for being good for nothing.

It was a set up.

It had all been an act. The tears, the apologies, everything was all a lie and I’d stupidly fallen for it. I fell right into the trap he had set out for me.

“Wh— What are you—” I didn’t get to finish what I wanted to say when I heard a loud bang behind me and soon, thugs had barged into my apartment, surrounding my father and I.

They grabbed me, pulled me out of the chair but I felt nothing and it wasn’t until my eyes landed on my glass of juice that it all started making sense.

I could see particles at the bottom of the glass. Tears welled up in my eyes but I couldn’t do anything about it. He had lied about the food going down the wrong way and when I went to get him a glass of water, he had drugged my drink.

Why did I trust him? Why did I believe that he had really repented and intended to do right by me?

How stupid can I be? Just, how?

“I didn’t think you were going to welcome me in like you did but thanks for doing that.” He laughed as he stood in front of me and patted my head.

I wanted to fight back, to scream at him but I couldn’t. Hot tears dribbled down my cheeks as I wallowed in my father’s betrayal.

No, he didn’t betray me, I was just stupid to believe he had changed.

My eyes could barely remain open, I knew he was talking but I couldn’t hear a thing because every word he said sounded slurred.

Silence soon started taking over, my raging heartbeat began calming and weakness kicked in. I was unable to hold my own but I could hear my father’s laughter as I started to lose grip.

“You’re enough to settle all of my debts.” I heard my father say as I slowly lost consciousness and soon, everywhere became dark.