The Mafia Boss's Obsession

Flashback (11 years ago) Rykes is going to die. They are beating him-torturing him-and I am powerless to stop it. I don't know what I'll do without him. He has always been my anchor, the one who helped me navigate this unforgiving world. And now, I have to watch as they tear him away from me. Rines is already gone. He was the first to fall, murdered before my eyes. Now it's Rykes, suffering the same cruel fate. The only two people who ever cared about me-ripped away, one after the other, while I am forced to witness every excruciating second. Flashback (10 years ago) I sit up, my heart pounding as I scan my surroundings. My mind races, trying to make sense of the impossible. And then I hear it- the voice that chills me to my core. The voice I never thought I would hear again. It can't be. It's impossible. I killed him ten years ago. "You're dead," I whisper, my breath hitching in my throat. My body is frozen, my eyes wide with horror. "This isn't real. It can't be. It's impossible." A slow menacing chuckle fills the room. "Oh, trust me, Riles. This is very real. And I am very much alive and well." I swallow hard, my pulse racing as I try to process his words. "Why are you here?" I manage to ask, my voice barely more than a whisper. Lyle steps forward, his presence suffocating. He lifts the knife, the blade gleaming in the dim light. "I'm here to finish you off." His grin chilling. "Let's get started shall we?" He raises the knife aiming for my chest-when suddenly, the door crashes open. A gunshot echoes through the air. Then, everything fades to black. (End Of Flashback) I sit up in bed, drenched in cold sweat, and rub my hands down my face. The nightmare came again-the same one I've had for over ten years, replaying the day I lost them. Rines and Rykes. Rines isn't his real name; it's his street name. We were all street kids. His real name was Jace. Rykes isn't his real name either; it's the name he went by on the streets. His real name was Ryan. My street name is Riles. No one knows Rines' and Rykes' real names except for me. Just like no one knows my real name- except for them. The three of us are known as "The Triple R's". What happened next I wished hadn't happened to me. If I had known, I would never have gotten involved with the one person who unearthed everything for everyone, especially for him, allowing to see how weak and vulnerable I am. I worked so hard to bury that night deep, deep down. But, the moment he found out he didn't find me as weak or vulnerable. "You're not weak or vulnerable. You're strong-the most beautiful woman and the strongest person that I know" he said. "You don't know that," I replied. "You're wrong. I do know that. I also know this-I know who and the kind of person you are" he said, his voice steady and sure. "How, how do you know that?" I asked, searching his face for answers. "I just do" he replied, as if it were the simplest truth in the world. I looked away, the weight of his words pressing against my heart. "I'm too hard on myself aren't I?". "Yes you are" he said gently, his gaze unwaivering. "Don't be so hard on yourself. That night wasn't your fault." He paused, hesitating as though he was battling with something unsaid. His expression shifted, emotions flickering across his face, each one more complex than the last. "What's wrong?" I asked, my voice softer now, bracing for whatever truth he was holding back. Silence stretched between us, thick with meaning. Then, finally, he spoke the words I had needed to hear my whole life. "I love you" he said, his voice carrying a certainty that left no room for doubt. The words settled deep inside me, anchoring me in a way I had never felt before.