THE MAFIA’S CAPTIVE ANGEL

To celebrate my graduation, we decided to have lunch at a very fancy and expensive restaurant.

When we stepped in, the hostess was already leading us to a table in the left corner, giving us a perfect view. We got seated and ordered our drinks first, then food. I ordered a chicken salad, Stephanie ordered a shrimp salad, Aunt Sera got soup, and Aunt Amelia and Uncle Carson ordered steaks, saying they were hungry.

“So Mani, Steph told us, you plan on going for a short vacation. Do you have a place in mind?” Aunt Amelia asked.

“I still don’t know where I’m going; I haven’t decided yet. Now that I’ve graduated, I figured I’d pack up and go on a short trip. You know, enjoy the things I couldn’t, even if it’s for a short while”. I replied.

“I understand, dear, and you need it. If you ever need anything, don’t hesitate to call.” Uncle Carson said, and I nodded in response.

“Same here, Mani. Keep in touch and visit.” My aunt Sera said

“I will, aunt Sera. I’m grateful to have you all there for me. I couldn’t have done any of this without you. I love you all.”

“We love you too,” they all responded simultaneously.

Lunch went smoothly, and it was a blast. We talked about a lot of things, laughing while telling each other silly jokes and stories.

In the middle of our meal, the waitress came with a cocktail and a cake with the inscription “congratulations.” She put it in front of me. I looked up at her, confused.

“I’m sorry, you must have the wrong table. I didn’t order this.”

“Aren’t you Normani Parker?” She asked with a smile on her face. I nodded in response, not trusting my voice.

“Then this is definitely yours.”

“From whom?” Steph asked, confusion sipping from her tone.

“SIN.” I stilled at the mention of his name, looking around the restaurant to see if he was here, but wasn’t able to spot him, only his goons. “Have a nice day,” the waitress said before leaving.

” Sin. I mean, do people really call themselves that? Stephanie asked, letting out a laugh, but stopped when she saw the seriousness on my face, and soon confusion sipped in: “Why are you acting so tense?. Do you know who this person is?”

“No, I’m as confused as you.” My heart spiked as I spit out these lies, knowing fully well who he was.

“Are you sure about that?” Uncle Carson asked, looking agitated. I gave him a puzzled look, wondering why he seemed to be on high alert. His eyes wandered around the restaurant, like he was looking for someone, which made me curious to know if that someone was who I thought it was.

That would be totally absurd. There is no way Uncle Carson would have ever met the likes of Nikolai Violante, let alone known him.

I cleared the thought from my head and gave him a smile before responding. “I’m positive; they probably just got the wrong table.”

I watched as his features calmed down a little before he nodded. “Let’s just have our lunch and go,”

We all carried on with our lunch, ignoring the cake placed on the table. I could feel my anxiety growing with each passing second.

When getting home, not before dropping Aunt Sera and Stephanie’s parents at the airport. Stephanie went out with some friends after I persuaded her to go. I didn’t waste any time rushing toward my room.

I took out a duffle bag from my closet. It quickly became overflowing with clothes, money I had saved, and other necessities.

A part of me thought this was a foolish act, an attempt to escape from Sin. But I knew I would regret it if I didn’t try, even if I didn’t have a proper plan. All I want to do is get as far away as I can from New York. I had to act now, and the distance was the only thing that mattered.

I zipped up the duffle bag, tossing it around my shoulder. I knew Sin was very capable of tracking me down. That’s why I needed to be careful, especially with his goons watching me.

The window frame rattled when I opened it. I quickly looked around. My legs dangled from the second-floor window as I tried not to fall to my death. I was thankful it was already dark outside; I didn’t want the neighbours to call the cops on me.

My heart beat faster with every step I took. The second my foot touched the floor, I sprinted off across the street, not minding the looks I was getting.

I didn’t care if I looked at all insane; the only thought I had was the need to leave here, to escape.

No one knew about the danger chasing me or what the train wreck in my life had become. I sprinted past the buildings, passed the crowds, passed the streetlights, and boarded the first cab I saw to the train station.ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

I was barely able to catch the train leaving the city. My body slumped against the seat, my chest heaving. The ticket I had purchased was crumbling between my shaking hands.

Free at last!

I rested my head on the window sill, letting out a shaken breath. The driver let out a series of details about the journey. I placed my bag on my lap, holding onto it like my life depended on it,

Which it actually does.

A sigh of relief left my lips. I forced my eyes closed.

The chatter of people sitting behind me could be heard as I paid no mind to their words. The train began to move only to stop abruptly. I sat up quickly, much like everyone else watching in confusion, trying to understand what was happening.

The train door burst open, and a man clad in black suit stepped in. Colour drained from my face as a particular man came into view.

Please, no…

His cold, unwavering stare fell on me, shattering every hope I had to safely escape.

I pressed myself deeper into the seat, wishing it would absorb me. If only a black hole could just appear and swallow me up, I would gladly appreciate it. My blue eyes fell to the ground. I didn’t bother looking up when he came to stand beside me. His cold gaze was drilling holes into my skull.

How did he find me so fast?

“Come with me.” His firm tone spoke louder than words, leaving no room for argument.

I was too scared to move, so I stayed rooted to my seat.

“I hate repeating myself, amore.” His eyes were cold, his face blank. “Come with me, or I won’t hesitate to shoot every single person on this train before dragging you out.”

I looked to see a gun strapped to his belt. Without any words, I stood up and followed him out of the train.

“Get in,” Sin ordered, jutting his chin towards a black SUV. “And don’t even think about doing anything stupid.” He threatened

Nervously, I got into the backseat of the car. He got in beside me before slamming and locking the door.

“I thought you were smart,” he said, his expression hard. “Not that I wasn’t expecting this, but did you really think you could escape from me?” He didn’t bother looking at me. His jaw moved as he clenched and unclenched his teeth.

I pressed myself against the edge of the locked car, putting as much distance as possible between the two of us.

“What did you expect me to do?. You left me with no choice. I have a life of my own.” My voice was surprisingly steady, which gave me a boost, even though I was scared off my ass. “You can’t just expect me to leave everything behind just because you have a silly obsession with me.”

In a heartbeat, Sin reached over to me, capturing my chin in his hand. “I don’t care if it is a silly obsession, little temptress, but you are mine.” His thumb flicked across my bottom lip. “I’ve been too soft on you. I need to punish you because you can’t seem to grasp the fact that you belong to me, and I would be damned if I ever let you go.”

My body trembled; his voice sent chills of fear down my spine. He slowly let go of my chin but still sat close to me. I tried to speak, but I couldn’t make a full sentence as I felt the prick of a needle on my neck. I felt my body go limp and couldn’t move or talk. My eyes became drowsy, and I welcomed the darkness.