I was late to work again. Having a four-year-old isn’t easy.
This morning, Leon woke up sick, burning with a fever. I couldn’t take him to daycare or just leave him alone, so I had to ask my neighbour, Tracy, for help. She agreed after I promised to pay her with my tips. I handed her some money, gave Leon one last worried glance, and a kiss and then ran out the door. The minute I stepped into the restaurant, I knew something was different today. There was a tension in the air, an unease that I couldn’t quite place. I barely made it to the back room to change into my uniform before the manager appeared. "Where have you been, Ariella?" he barked. He never yelled. He was always composed, even under pressure. But today, he seemed agitated—nervous, even. I swallowed hard. It hadn’t been easy to land this job. This wasn’t just any restaurant—it was an exclusive, high-end place, the kind where getting hired was nearly impossible. The only reason I was here was because of Damien. I had met him in difficult circumstances and saved him on the street one day, and when he asked what he could do in return, I asked for a job. I only finished high school and barely completed a year and a half of college before I had to drop out. S I have had to take whatever work I could find—two, sometimes three jobs a day—just to take care of Leon. It’s true what they say: from riches to nothing. That is the definition of my story. And that’s why I can’t afford to lose this job "Hurry up, Ariella. Today is important, and we can’t afford to mess this up," Damien says, his tone sharp. "I need you in my office. Pronto." "Yes, Damien. I promise I’ll be quick." "And look presentable," he adds before turning on his heel and walking away. I change in record time, run my fingers through my hair, and dab on just enough makeup to look polished. Then, I rush to his office, my heart hammering. When I step in, I find him deep in conversation with two men I’ve never seen before. Their faces are unreadable. They exchange a few last words before nodding at Damien and leaving. "Close the door," he instructs the second they’re gone. I do as he says, and he gets straight to the point. "I need you to serve the upstairs VIP room." My brows knit together. I’ve worked here long enough, but I’ve never been allowed up there. "The exclusive VIP room?" "Yeah," he says briskly. "And before you ask—don’t ask anything else. Just do your job." Something about his voice is off. Agitated. Rushed. "People seem tense today," I point out. "That’s none of your concern. I need you to focus. You’re good at what you do, you worked here long enough, you look the part, and you’ve got the guts. But listen to me carefully, Ariella." His voice drops. "When you go up there, you’re a statue. A ghost." A chill runs down my spine. "You do not listen to what they say. You do not make eye contact. You don’t see anyone. You don’t hear anything. You take orders. You serve. You leave. Do you understand?" I swallow hard. "Yes, Damien. I understand." "Good. Gina was handling it, but she had a mental breakdown. So you’ll cover for her." His gaze is firm. "Be strong, Ariella." I nod and walk out, my nerves tightening with every step toward the VIP room. When I open the door, my breath catches. The room is full. Men sit sprawled on the luxurious sofas, women draped over them, their hands roaming freely. Some are talking in hushed voices. Some are kissing. The air is thick with something I can’t quite name—but I recognize this world. I used to be in it. And I swore I’d never come back. I remind myself of Damien’s instructions. You don’t see anything. You don’t hear anything. Just serve and leave. I move through the room, collecting empty bottles and glasses, and replacing them with fresh ones. I don’t make eye contact. I don’t linger. But I know who they are. I catch glimpses of tattoos, the suits, the presence—they scream Mafia. I take orders, keeping my head down, pretending not to hear the murmurs, the deals being made in hushed voices. Then I feel it. A hand on my ass. Instinct takes over. I slap it away without thinking. Laughter erupts. I keep my face blank, pretending it didn’t happen. I’ve already taken all the orders, so I turn to leave, but before I can, a hand grips my wrist. "Where are you running off to, sweet thing?" A low voice murmurs, dripping with amusement. "Don’t you want to have a good time?" I don’t make eye contact. I keep my voice neutral. "I’ll just get your orders." I try to pull away, but his grip tightens. He pulls out a wad of cash, peels off several bills, and tosses them onto my chest. "This money could feed you for a year," he smirks. "So what do you say? Why don’t we take this to the bathroom and get it over with quickly?" My stomach turns, but I force my expression to stay blank. I need this job. I just have to endure this for a few hours. "Thank you, but I’m working right now," I say as steadily as I can. Another man grabs my arm, trying to pull me onto his lap. I struggle against him, my pulse spiking. Laughter rings in my ears, the air thick with amusement at my humiliation. Then— "Stop!" The single word cuts through the noise, deep and commanding. Strong. The room stills. The laughter dies instantly. And for the first time, I lift my eyes. They land on the man at the head of the table. Oh my God. I freeze. I never thought—not in a million years—that my past would catch up to me. That I would ever see him again. Not so soon. Not here. But here he is. I stand there, paralyzed, my mind blank. I don’t know what to do. What to say. The man gripping my wrist chuckles, oblivious to my turmoil. "What is it, Don? I’m just having a little fun. It’s not like I’m forcing her or anything. She wants it." Another voice joins in, mocking. "Yeah, what’s the problem? Is she one of your whore or something?" I flinch at the word. And then— "As a matter of fact," he says, his voice smooth, cold. "She is." My breath catches. Shock holds me in place, but he isn’t done. He leans forward slightly, his eyes locking onto mine. "She is my little toy," he continues. "And I don’t like other people playing with my toys." The grip on my wrist vanishes as if I’ve turned to fire. The man stumbles back, hands raised, his face paling. "I—I’m sorry, Don. I’m sorry. It won’t happen again. I didn’t know—" Don. My heart slams against my ribs. He’s the Don? My pulse roars in my ears. How? What happened to his father? How did he become the Don? A low snicker cuts through my racing thoughts. "Your pretty little Russian wife wouldn’t like that."I don't even turn towards the voice. I feel like I'm going to turn to stone. I guess I should have expected that, given everything that happened years ago. Of course, he's married. Did I think he was going to wait for me his whole life?But I still can't believe it. I'm still not ready for the pain that envelops me when I hear that he's moved on, he's married, and he has a family.I feel like I'm going to cry.Asher doesn't say anything. He just looks at me, and I just stand there. Frozen into place.All of a sudden, he barks. "get out!" the sound of his voice, the power in it—there seems to be some anger in it, and I can't help myself but scramble and start running towards the door.But then he stops me again."Not you," he says."Everybody out," he continues.Everybody stands up, and the whole room clears out in an instant.I'm left standing there, looking at him as he looks back, he just stares at me blankly. There is no expression on his face.I don't know how to react. I'm nervou
I shake my head. No.Again and again, I shake my head, willing this moment to be a nightmare.But Asher just watches me, his lips curling into a cold, calculated smile. His eyes gleam with amusement as if he’s enjoying the way I’m crumbling before him.He isn’t speaking. Just watching. Like a predator toying with his prey.I try to absorb his words, to make sense of them, but they don’t fit. They don’t make sense."But you’re married," I whisper, my voice shaking. "You’ve moved on. What are you saying? I don’t understand."He laughs, low and cold, his mockery slicing through me."It looks like you got caught up in your feelings, Ariella." His voice is taunting, cruel."I never said I loved you. I never said I was going to marry you. I never even said you had any significance."My breath catches."What I did say," he continues, his tone dripping with venom, "is that you my toy. I am going to use you until there’s nothing left. Until you don’t recognize yourself. Until nobody can recogn
He smiles. It’s slow, calculating."Whatever it is," he murmurs, "if they find out, you know the rules of the famiglia."His eyes darken, his voice almost a whisper. "You. Are. Dead."A shudder of fear runs through me. I flinch. Because I know he’s telling the truth. The moment he takes me back, I am dead.Nobody will save me. I can’t leave Leon. I won’t leave Leon. He needs me.He sees the fear in my eyes. And he likes it."So you better just tell me why," he says, his voice quieter. "Why did you run away, Ariella?"He leans in slightly, watching me. "Were you scared I was going to hurt you?" His voice is almost teasing, taunting. "Was it fear—after breaking my trust—that made you run away?"I am desperate for a way out. I can see that he wants me to say yes. He wants me to admit I was scared of him.So I do. I nod. Trembling. Avoiding his eyes. He smirks."Good."He tilts my chin up, forcing me to meet his gaze."I like your fear." He says licking his lip. Then, he moves. His hands
Asher stood still, frozen, as seconds ticked by before he turned towards me. He looked at me, and I could see the anger, the fury, the fire burning hot in his eyes, and it made me scared. I took a step back, and that little movement seemed to be the thing that broke him from his trance because before I could blink an eye, he was already there—right there in front of mAs he looked at me, I tried avoiding eye contact. His gaze was too piercing, too intense, and it made me too scared, so I looked down.But he gritted out angrily, commanding, “Look at me.”I raised my head up, forcing myself to meet his gaze.“Look. At. Me.” He gritted out each syllable, his voice sharp. Then, he asked me, “What did you say?”I shook my head. I was afraid to speak out, afraid to repeat the words that had already left my mouth. Just moments ago, he had mocked the idea of me having a boyfriend, of being with someone else, of being married. And now, now he was acting so mad because I told him I had a son.
"Nobody! It is nobody!" I cried out, my voice breaking with desperation. "I have never cheated on you, Asher. It’s always been you. It has always been only you.""Shut up, you bitch!" he snapped, his voice laced with pure fury. "You think I’m foolish? Do you think I’m stupid? You think I—" He cut himself off, running a hand through his hair before glaring down at me again. "Then where did this son come from? You think you're the virgin Mary?""No. I never said that, I....""You think I haven’t heard the rumours? People whispering behind my back, saying you were sneaking around? You think I don’t know why you were after me, the Don’s son?"I shook my head, my lips parting to speak, but he wasn’t done."You think I don’t know why you forced me to sleep with you just weeks before you faked your own death?" His voice dropped lower, more dangerous. "Staged it, I should say.""I don’t know what you’re talking about, Asher," I whispered, still curled up on the floor, my arms wrapped around m
"Do you want me to get someone else?" Damien asked hesitantly. "A woman, maybe? Do you think you'll feel better talking to a woman rather than talking to me?"For the first time since this nightmare began, I answered. "No," my voice was barely above a whisper. "I just… I’d like to take a shower. Maybe a change of clothes?""Yes, of course!" His voice lifted as if I had finally given him something sensible to do—something that could help, even if just a little.He practically bolted out the door, his footsteps fading down the hall. For a few moments, I just stood there, hugging myself, my mind still reeling from everything. Then, not too long after, Damien returned, his arms full of clothes and toiletries."I brought everything I thought you might need," he said, placing them on a broken chair. One of its legs was missing, making it tilt slightly. "I asked Maddie to prepare it." He motioned toward the back of the room. "There's a bathroom right there behind you. You can use it. It has
I went straight to my apartment.It was small—just one tiny room divided into a kitchen, a cramped bathroom, a bedroom, and a barely-there sitting area. The walls were dull, the furniture mismatched, but it was home.I prepared Leon’s soup first, making sure it was just the right temperature before heading out to Tracy’s place to get him.When she opened the door, her eyes widened in surprise. “Ariella? I thought you wouldn’t be back until later tonight. Doesn’t your shift end at eight? What are you doing here?”I forced a small smile. “Yeah… I just felt bad leaving Leon by himself.”Tracy scoffed playfully. “He was with me, silly.”“Yeah, I know. But he’s sick… and I just felt bad, so I asked to come back and take care of him.”She shrugged. “Okay, that’s fine.”Tracy and I were neighbours, but like most people in the city, we had separate lives. We were always working, always chasing money, always trying to survive. I was lucky she helped me watch Leon when she could—especially sin
The officer reached my car and knocked on the window, signalling for me to roll it down. My heart raced, my palms sweating as I took a deep breath and lowered the window. The officer didn’t crouch down to look me in the face, standing tall as he asked in a voice that was calm but firm, "Where are you going, ma'am?"I froze, my mind scrambling for an answer. "I'm just going to visit a friend... a little out of town.""Where to exactly?" he asked, his tone still measured.I felt the panic set in as my mind searched for a place. Westwood. The name popped into my head before I could think better of it. "Westwood," I stammered, praying he wouldn’t ask anything else. It was far from the city, but it was the only thing I could think of."Yeah? Is there a problem? Did I do something wrong? Was I speeding?" I managed to ask, trying to keep my voice steady.That’s when the officer crouched down to look at me through the window. My breath caught in my throat as he still kept his cap low, hidin
His grip tightened.With each struggle, with each desperate attempt to push him away, his fingers pressed deeper into my throat. My lungs burned, my vision blurred, and I realized—I was going to die.Here. Like this. Beneath him. Panic seized me.I couldn’t die. I couldn’t.Leon—he needed me. I had to stay alive for him.What would happen to him if I was gone?What would Asher do to him if I wasn’t here to protect him?Tears spilt from my eyes as I started to beg."Asher, please… please let me go. Please, I’m begging you." My voice was weak, hoarse, barely a whisper. "Please, don’t do this. I’m sorry."My vision started to fade. The edges of the room darkened, my body growing weaker by the second. My limbs felt heavy and useless. The fight was slipping out of me.And then—He let go.I gasped, sucking in air so violently that my lungs screamed in pain. My body convulsed as I coughed, trying to get oxygen back, my tears hot and endless. My hands clutched my throat as I struggled to bre
I was eager to feel him inside me. I wanted him to fill me. I wanted him everywhere. I especially wanted him somewhere that was calling out to him. Somewhere that needed him more than anything right now. I wanted him to fuck me. My hands went towards him as I started touching his chest, the firm muscle beneath my fingertips a stark contrast to my own trembling flesh. Planning to make my way towards his defined abs and go down there towards his member to touch him, to ignite the fire that was already burning within me. But just as my hands went towards him, he immediately caught my hands, his grip like steel, and put them in a grip on one of his hands. A little too rough for my liking, the sudden constraint sending a jolt of unease through me. Then he stopped what he was doing, the whirlwind of passion abruptly ceasing. The two of us were now breathing heavily, the air thick with unspoken desires and a tension that crackled between us. He looked into my eyes, his gaze piercing, and
When we got home, Luca carried Leon to his room, took off his shoes, and tucked him into bed. Watching him drift off, I couldn’t help but feel love and sadness. It was hard to put into words, but I knew that, somehow, I was giving him the world, even though I wasn’t sure of my own place.Just as Luca turned to leave, I stopped him. The words came out before I could second-guess myself. “What about the tutors you mentioned? Leon hasn’t been to school yet, and I haven’t heard anything.”Luca paused his hand on the door. “Don’t worry. Everything’s under control. People are being verified, and by next week, you’ll have the timetable for everything. Just trust that they’re getting everything sorted out for Leon.”I nodded, even though I wasn’t entirely convinced. At least they were doing what they promised. For now, I should be grateful for that.It was getting late, and I figured Maria must be in her room next door to Leon by now. I didn’t want to disturb her, especially not when she nee
I stood there, staring at him, speechless.Luca turned to leave, but then he stopped. Slowly, he came back toward me, taking my hand in his. His gaze locked with mine, softer than I had ever seen it."I always liked you, Ari. I am so sorry about what happened to you. I know the next few days won’t be easy. I know Asher will push you, but…" He exhaled. "I think he still has feelings for you, even if he won’t admit it."I pulled my hand away and scoffed. "Yeah, I can see how much he loves me."Luca shook his head as if there was more he wanted to say but decided against it. Before he turned to leave, he added one last thing."I haven’t turned the cameras on yet. But as soon as I walk out that door, I will. So take care of yourself, Ari."I nodded, though I wasn’t sure if I was agreeing or simply acknowledging what he said.I felt my throat tighten, my vision blurring. I swallowed the lump forming, forcing the tears back.As Luca stepped toward the door, he paused one last time. "Take ca
"You wanna go and choose your room upstairs, buddy?" Luca asked Leon.Leon’s eyes went wide. "I can choose my own room?"Luca smirked. "Yes. You can even choose your wing. Do you want the west wing or the right wing?"Leon gasped, spinning toward the grand staircase. "I'm going to see all of the rooms!" He bolted up the stairs, his laughter echoing through the house."Leon, wait! Be careful!" I called after him. My heart clenched at the thought of him running through an unfamiliar place. What if there were stairs he could trip on? Something he could knock over?"Relax," Luca said, waving me off before calling out, "Maria!"A young woman appeared from the hallway, moving swiftly toward us. She was petite, dressed in a neat uniform, her dark hair pulled into a tight bun."Mr. Morelli. Madam," she greeted formally.Luca turned to me. "Ariella, this is Maria. She’s your maid-slash-nanny."I blinked. "My what?"Maria gave a small bow. "Hello, Madam Ariella."I forced a polite nod. "Hello,
My mouth hung open, but Luca just smiled, like this was all some funny joke."You ain't planning on keeping the money so you can run away from Asher again, are you?" he asked, amused.I stared at him, frozen, like a deer caught in headlights. That only made him chuckle. Then, as if I had just told the funniest joke in the world, he burst into laughter.Luca laughed so hard I didn’t think I had ever seen him like this. It wasn’t just a chuckle—it was a full, uncontrollable laugh, his shoulders shaking, his head thrown back.I frowned, growing more irritated by the second."You can't be serious," he said, still laughing.I just stared at him.Then, still chuckling to himself, he turned and walked out of the diner, shaking his head as he headed toward the car.Thank God Leon was too busy with his food to pay attention. He hadn’t noticed our exchange or pretended not to.I paid the bill and followed him outside. By now, I was mad. No—fuming.I got into the car, sitting stiffly, arms cross
There was a way that Luca was treating the whole thing. If we were to put him into terms, we would say he was here to kidnap me.But can you even call it kidnapping if you're being forced into doing things?It was the way he was so sure of himself, so certain that I was going to do everything he said just because he was Mafia, just because Asher had asked him to.But he didn’t know me. Not this new version of me.I wasn’t just going to let them pick me up and throw me into their cage, controlling me with their batons. I had survived too much, fought too hard, to let them take me without a fight.So, I decided to use Luca’s weakness against him.He hit the top of the roof of my car twice as he said, "Come on, let's go." Then, without another word, he started walking back toward his police cruiser.No. He wasn’t taking me that easily.I turned the car back on, gripping the wheel tightly. Just as I was about to press my foot on the gas, a hand shot out and held mine in place.I stiffene
The officer reached my car and knocked on the window, signalling for me to roll it down. My heart raced, my palms sweating as I took a deep breath and lowered the window. The officer didn’t crouch down to look me in the face, standing tall as he asked in a voice that was calm but firm, "Where are you going, ma'am?"I froze, my mind scrambling for an answer. "I'm just going to visit a friend... a little out of town.""Where to exactly?" he asked, his tone still measured.I felt the panic set in as my mind searched for a place. Westwood. The name popped into my head before I could think better of it. "Westwood," I stammered, praying he wouldn’t ask anything else. It was far from the city, but it was the only thing I could think of."Yeah? Is there a problem? Did I do something wrong? Was I speeding?" I managed to ask, trying to keep my voice steady.That’s when the officer crouched down to look at me through the window. My breath caught in my throat as he still kept his cap low, hidin
I went straight to my apartment.It was small—just one tiny room divided into a kitchen, a cramped bathroom, a bedroom, and a barely-there sitting area. The walls were dull, the furniture mismatched, but it was home.I prepared Leon’s soup first, making sure it was just the right temperature before heading out to Tracy’s place to get him.When she opened the door, her eyes widened in surprise. “Ariella? I thought you wouldn’t be back until later tonight. Doesn’t your shift end at eight? What are you doing here?”I forced a small smile. “Yeah… I just felt bad leaving Leon by himself.”Tracy scoffed playfully. “He was with me, silly.”“Yeah, I know. But he’s sick… and I just felt bad, so I asked to come back and take care of him.”She shrugged. “Okay, that’s fine.”Tracy and I were neighbours, but like most people in the city, we had separate lives. We were always working, always chasing money, always trying to survive. I was lucky she helped me watch Leon when she could—especially sin