"Are you lost, sweetheart?"
The words didn't just echo in the alley.
They crawled down my spine.
My fingers went numb. My throat dried instantly. I could hear my own heartbeat. It was loud, uneven, humiliating.
There were three of them.
Huge and cruel looking.
They surrounded me like they already owned the space. Like they already owned me.
I forced my chin up even though my knees wanted to fold.
"I'm not lost," I said.
But my voice shook.
God, it shook.
Their smiles widened.
One of them tilted his head, studying me like I was something he'd just bought at a market.
"Feisty," he muttered, chewing his gum loudly.
Heat burned behind my eyes but it wasn't tears. It was Anger. I refused to let them see fear.
My hand blindly searched behind me until my fingers closed around the glass. I didn't think. I just smashed the bottle against the brick wall beside me.
The sound cracked through the alley.
The jagged edge glinted in my trembling hand.
"Don't," I warned pointing it at them.
My arm was shaking so badly I wasn't sure I could even stab straight.
They didn't back away.
They looked at each other for a second and bursted into laugher.
The biggest one spat to the side, wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.
"This one will make a good maid," he said lazily. His eyes dragging along my body disgustingly "She just needs a little… discipline."
Something inside me snapped.
I wasn't going to be their damn property.
He lifted his hand and casually said, "Grab her," my body moved before my mind could.
They lunged.
I tore out a scream not from fear, but fury and slashed wildly.
The glass sliced across one man's arm. Warm blood sprayed across my fingers.
"Fuck!"
He roared.
Another grabbed my wrist, twisting hard. Pain shot up my arm but I shoved the bottle into his shoulder anyway. I felt it tear skin.
I had never hurt someone before.
The feeling made me sick.
But I didn't stop even as he groaned in pain.
But then my victory didn't last.
A massive hand wrapped around my throat from behind.
The biggest one.
He lifted me slightly off the ground like I weighed nothing.
My feet left the ground. The bottle fell from my hand.
Air disappeared from my lungs and my eyes bulged out as I struggled against his tight grip swinging my legs in the air.
I clawed at his arm desperately, my nails digging into skin, but he didn't budge.
My vision started to blur.
"Puttana. I'll make sure to break your neck and teach you a lesson"
He snickered in delight as he drained the life out of me.
In a brief moment I thought about what Danye said. Was I only safe when I was with him?
I was starting to lose consciousness…
No..I don't want to die.
Please someone…anyone.
Then I heard a sharp thud.
His grip disappeared.
I dropped to my knees, gasping desperately for air.
A hooded figure stood in front of me.
They kicked the big man hard in the chest, sending him crashing into stacked crates.
"Run!" The voice hissed and grabbed my hand.
And we ran.
Behind us, the three men shouted angrily.
"Get them!"
"Don't lose that bitch!"
"I'll kill her and that damn Red Riding Hood!"
My heart pounded so loud I could barely hear my own thoughts.
I struggled even harder to keep up the pace with this hooded figure.
Who was this person?
Was this another trap?
I tried to pull my hand free once, but when I glanced back and saw the three men gaining on us, I stopped resisting.
It would be worse to get involved with them.
We turned sharply into another alley.
The hooded figure shoved open a metal door and dragged me inside a dark storage room.
"Shush,"
We crouched behind old boxes.
Heavy footsteps thundered past outside.
"Find them!"
"They can't be far!"
My breathing felt too loud. My pulse screamed in my ears.
Please don't let them hear me.
Please don't let them see me.
After what felt like forever, the footsteps faded and everywhere was pin drop silent.
The hooded person waited a few seconds more before standing.
"It's clear"
We stepped back into the dim alley light.
The person reached up slowly… and pulled the hood down.
I blinked.
It was a woman.
She was strikingly beautiful.
Black wavy hair fell over her shoulders. Piercing blue eyes that studied me carefully. She was tall, confident, and when she spoke again, her thick Italian accent curled around my name.
"Amalia, right? Dante's wife."
My entire body stiffened.
I grabbed a wooden stick leaning against the wall and pointed it at her.
"H-How do you know that?" I demanded.
She laughed softly and raised both hands in surrender.
"Is it wise," she said calmly, "to threaten the person who just saved your life?"
I didn't lower the stick immediately.
"Who are you?"
She tilted her head slightly.
"Lucia. I used to work under Dante. An acquaintance."
Used to?
That word echoed.
"It's not safe here," she continued. "We should talk somewhere else."
I hesitated only a moment before nodding.
Was she an enemy or someone I could trust?
She didn't seem to be unkind yet I kept my guard up.
Yet again, I was entangled in Dante's world.
꧁ ❀ ꧂
Lucia's house was small.
Modest but warm.
The moment I stepped in, the tension in my shoulders loosened slightly.
"Make yourself comfortable," she said, disappearing briefly into the kitchen.
That's when I saw her.
A little girl sat cross-legged on the carpet, quietly playing with dolls. She had black hair like Lucia.
And the same striking blue eyes.
She looked up at me shyly.
Lucia returned with a cup and noticed where i was looking.
"Ah that's my daughter. Camelia."
Her voice softened instantly.
"She's beautiful," I murmured.
Lucia gave a small smile as she handed me a cup of coffee.
"My husband left when he found out I was pregnant. Ran away like a coward. I don't know if he's dead or alive."
There was no bitterness in her tone. Just numbness.
"Dante warned me about him," she continued quietly. "Told me to stay away. I was stubborn. I didn't listen."
She let out a soft breath.
"He was right. I couldn't face him after that. So I left. It's not like a pregnant woman could do anything in the mafia. Weakness is a threat…ans I didn't want anyone to see me as a weakling"
My chest tightened.
"Oh…I'm sorry you had to go through that"
I wondered how such a beautiful woman like this ended up working for Dante. There was still so much I didn't know about him.
"I heard about his wedding," she added. "Word travel fast."
I swallowed.
She studied me carefully.
"I won't ask why you're not with him," she said. "But you can stay here tonight if you wish."
I sent her a small smile.
She seemed so kind yet the world was cruel to her.
A loud bang caused me to jump.
The knock was so violent it made Camelia flinch.
Then another bang. Louder this time.
My blood ran cold.
Lucia's expression changed instantly.
"Hide," she whispered sharply. "Take Camelia into the other room. Don't make a sound."
"What—?"
"Just Go!"
I grabbed the little girl's hand and rushed into the bedroom, shutting the door quietly.
My heart pounded violently as I pressed my ear to the wood.
I could hear the front door opened.
Muffled voices.
Heavy footsteps thundering into the house and then…
I heard Lucia scream.
The bedroom door burst open.
Six men stormed in.
One grabbed me violently by the arm.
The other yanked Camelia away from me.
"No! Let her go! She's a child!" I screamed.
"You think we're stupid?" one of them barked. His breath reeked of booze. "Stealing from us?!"
"I didn't steal anything!" I shouted, struggling.
The biggest one stepped forward, eyes cold.
"They're thieves! An accomplice with Lucia that thieving bitch! Take them all!"