Mafia Obsession

Alicia

The roaring fire casts a pretty, dancing, amber light across the living room, bathing the stone walls. I stretch my arms above my head, yawning.

It’s been a long day, and that film choice made it feel longer.

The credits of the action movie roll down the screen, and I’m ready to drop into bed. Action movies are never my choice, but my dad’s. It was his turn to pick the film, not that he watched much of it, as he punches away at his phone. As don to a mafia family, he works too much.This content © Nôv/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

“I’m exhausted, Dad,” I say, getting his attention.

He tears his eyes from his phone and smiles at me. “I know, princess, we’ve had a busy day, haven’t we?” He sets his phone down for the first time in hours. “Get some rest.”

I notice the rings beneath his eyes, and the way he always looks stressed. He has tried to keep his work away from me, protecting me from the terrible things he’s involved in. He could never shield me from everything.

I don’t know how he lives with himself, but I try not to let it bother me.

I push it from my mind when I’m with him.

“You should get some rest too,” I say, pushing myself up from the plush sofa and walking over to him in his leather armchair. “Good night.” I lean down to kiss his cheek. “Thank you for a lovely day.”

“I will get some rest soon. I loved spending time with you, just the two of us, for once.” He squeezes my hand. “Good night, princess, sweet dreams.”

For the first time in months, I’ve spent the entire day with my father. It was a good day. Ever since he married my bitch of a step-mom, Janice, two years ago, he’s been more distant.

She is away this weekend with friends, leaving us to spend some rare and much needed time together. When she is here, all she does is get in between us.

Everyone knows she married my dad for money and power. She doesn’t love him, not really. Dad doesn’t care because he is too infatuated with the younger, beautiful woman who appears to be interested in him.

I turn and walk out of the living room. Alex, my bodyguard, follows me, making me sigh. He is a damn shadow. “Do you have to follow me when I go to bed?” I ask, glancing at him over my shoulder. “What do you think will happen? The bogeyman will jump out and grab me.” I roll my eyes.

All I get in reply is a nonchalant shrug. Alex never says much, but he has followed me around for as long as I can remember. I mean, he even had to come with me to high-school for fuck’s sake. Let’s just say, I didn’t have a normal childhood.

No matter how much I try to ignore what my dad does, I have no rest from the mad world of the mafia.

I run my hand along the brass stair rail, as I walk up the steps. Alex’s heavy footsteps following behind as I make my way to my room.

I open the door, glancing back at Alex. For once, he smirks at me. He knows how much his constant presence pisses me off. “Goodnight, Alicia.”

Instead of replying, I slam the door in his face.

When will I ever get to live a normal life?

Alex will be out there for a couple more hours. Until one of the night watch guards comes to take over from him. He has to sleep like any human being. It’s like being a prisoner in my own home. The constant bodyguards have always been unnerving, and it doesn’t help my dating prospects.

Most of the guys I’ve met set eyes on Alex and run the other way. He’s six foot eight tall and bound in muscle. Not to mention, the glare he gives any boy that so much as talks to me is enough to scare the living daylights out of them.

I chuck my coat on the chair in the corner, before walking into the bathroom. The fresh air did me a world of good, making my cheeks look more colorful than usual.

We spent the day on the lake in my dad’s boat, something we hadn’t done since I was a little kid. It was lovely, I wish we got to do things together more often.

I dress in my beige, silk slip and get into bed, relaxing the moment my head hits the pillow. My phone buzzes on my nightstand, and I grab it, checking the text. It’s my friend, Henry. He’s been texting me lately, bugging me about going on a date.

He’s the only guy that hasn’t run away, knowing who I am or seeing Alex. The thing is, he’s grown up around me and used to it. It will never happen, though. Henry is a friend, and that is all it is. He doesn’t appeal to me in that way at all, and I feel awful for shooting him down.

I hoped he would take the hint when I told him my dad would kill him. Also, I told him I’m not allowed to date. Instead, he is persistent. I know I have to say I don’t feel that way, even if it will hurt him.

I type out a text to him.

Henry, I’m sorry. It will never happen between us. I don’t see you in that way, but I still want to be friends.

My finger hovers over the send button for a moment, indecision plaguing me. He will be upset with me, but I can’t lie to him. I hit the send button and switch my phone to silent, setting it on the nightstand.

I flick the bedside light off and turn over, clamping my eyes shut. Guilt claws at me as I wonder what Henry’s reaction will be. It’s the first time I’ve had to reject someone before.

As I ponder on that, I can feel myself drifting off to sleep. I don’t know how much time passes before I hear a smash. My brow furrows as I spring bolt upright in bed, trying to gather my thoughts.

Did I hear the noise in my dream?

It sounded like it was in my room. I squint through the darkness, listening. The silence is almost deafening, and I realize I must have been dreaming. My head plops back onto the pillow, and I shut my eyes.

A crunch has them shooting back open. A shadow looms over my bed. I’m about to scream when a hand flies over my mouth, stifling the sound. Two other figures have come forward from my window, and at that moment, I realize what I’d heard. They smashed the bedroom window.

How the fuck hasn’t Alex or the night watch heard what is going on?

I try to break free from the man’s grip, but he is too strong. Somehow, I need to make enough commotion to draw a guard in here. My heart pounds in my ears as I fight against him.

Another man approaches and ties a gag around my mouth. I attempt to scream while he does, but before I can make a sound, I’m punched in the gut. The impact steals the breath from my lungs.

The guy who punched me hoists me into the air, while the other one ties my hands together with rope. It burns as I try to break free, struggling with all the strength I have. This isn’t the first time someone has kidnapped me, but I sure as hell don’t want to go through it again.

They walk me toward the window, boots crunching on the broken glass. I wince as I step on a piece, cutting my foot open. Dark red blood stains my beige carpet.

One guy shakes his head and lifts me over the glass. I watch as the other guy who stayed by the window lowers himself onto a rope, holding himself up at the top.

The other guy hoist me into his arms, and I can’t help but clamp my eyes shut out of instinct. I hate heights, and this guy is dangling me out of a damn window, ten feet in the air. My captor’s arms remain around me, as the other guys lower us to the ground with the rope.

Whoever they are, they know what they are doing. They are professionals. I shiver as the cold air rushes up my thin nightgown. The guy carrying me touches the ground, stumbling a little as he does. He lets go of me, offering me my first chance to break free.

I sprint as fast as I can, which isn’t fast, considering they tied my hands behind my back. Not to mention the cut on the base of my foot kills. The front door isn’t too far away. If I can reach it, my father’s security will help me.

The thud of heavy, fast footsteps chasing me makes me spring harder. I run straight into a branch sticking out of a hedge along the border of the house. My yelp of pain is muffled because of the gag in my mouth. The thorny branch cuts my leg, bringing me down to the floor in agony.

The kidnapper’s hands are on me within seconds, dragging me to my feet. I wince at the pain pulsing through my leg and the blood dripping down it.

I try to fight, squirming against his firm grasp despite being bound. The thud of more heavy footsteps approaching makes my heart speed up in my chest, hoping it’s one of my dad’s men.

He comes into view, and my heart sinks. It is the man that passed me out the window. The same one who punched me in the stomach earlier. He is a fucking asshole.

“This one is too fucking feisty. We’ve got no choice,” the asshole says, barely above a whisper.

The other guy glances at me, before giving him a nod.

Before I can register what is going on, a heavy elbow connects with my face. I fall backward. Stars bursting into my vision, as it blurs and fades. My head is splitting with agony.

As I hit the floor, the back of my head smacks into it hard, making me squeal in pain. My eyes shut, and darkness filters my mind, enveloping me.