CHAPTER 1 : The Beginning of a Love Story.

***Amelia***

"Don't do this papa," I screamed with tears gushing down my eyes "Papa please" I half cried out the words from my throat.

My father turned his back to me, his only child, and with his mind made up, started walking away, amidst my sobs I watched him as he walked away, not turning back, my father had left his daughter in the mercies of the Mafia king, Alexander Gomez, this was my reality.

I fell to the ground, crying my eyes out as though that's all I was made for, but little to no solace did I find in my tears before I was bundled over the shoulder upside down by a hefty-looking man, my red hair flowing in locks across my face whilst being bundled up the stairs of the mansion I now found myself in.

The hefty-looking man stopped in front of a room, kicked the door open, then with no care in the world coldly dropped me on the bed, I tumbled but found my balance in a moment, and when I did found my balance, the man was already making his way out the door.

"Stay here," he said as he walked further to the door "Quietly," he added as he disappeared out of the room.

I could hear the lock of the door turning and with no further explanation, I knew I had been locked inside the room, when I'd be out, I didn't know, but I knew, that even if I came out of the room, there's no way I'd be able to leave the house anytime soon, and maybe never. I sighed at the realization of this.

I took a slow yet intense glance around the room, taking in all of the details, right from the little window by the bedside, showcasing what went on down below, looking out the window, I could see my father making his way down and walking out without as much as sparing a glance back at the building his only daughter now stays against her will.

My dad had always not been one who would ever show me love or any form of compassion right from birth, neither had he ever looked at me twice, for within him, he hated me so much, he couldn't bear to look into my face.

I was the witch that killed his beloved wife, my mother, Flo.

My mum had died while giving birth to me, and I knew my father never forgave me for that, so selling me off to clear his gambling debts was something I might not have expected, but it wasn't something I thought was impossible.

I did the one thing I could do with ease in this situation, which was to sigh, and so, I sighed, then shifted my gaze from the tiny window that lightened the room and gave room for me to watch my father go. I wondered if that's exactly why I was brought here, to see no one cared for me.

I stood up and walked around the room, taking in every object in it, there wasn't much to the room, safe for the bed, a table, and a chair, with a Bible placed on the table. The sight of the holy book made me wonder if gangsters also pray to God.

I took a tour around the room and then sat back on the bed, the softness of the bed invited me and I gave in, lying on the bed with different thoughts running through my mind but no solutions, I gave up then slowly drifted into a soft slumber.

***

***Alex***

"We need to find a way to sell out these batch boss, but I'm afraid with the cops on our tails monitoring every movement, it'll be hard, our supply has reduced, and the Sanchez has started getting supplies from a new route" Vinny, my right-hand man said, as he and I walked through their warehouse inspecting the products and supplies.

"Hmmmm, the Sanchez" I noted, "they dare to betray the order? Find out who now supplies them Vinny, and for how much" I commanded, my voice still very much at ease as though the news did not bother me, it's a characteristic I had managed to develop through the years, not showcasing exactly how I felt about situations.

"I did, news has it that, there's this new supplier in town, people rumor that he came from California" Vinny replied, "and not only the Sanchez, the deal with the Morales also went to him, I fear different gangs will sort after him now and we will no longer be feared on these streets man" Vinny added.

Vinny was not only a partner of mine, but he was also my dearest cousin with whom I started the business, while Vinny worked the streets and the supplies, I was the brain behind the whole process, I laundered the money through various streams of businesses I set down, and gave orders behind the show, but everyone knew it's always been I running the show here in New York City. I knew I was geared throughout the streets of New York City.

But never had I or any of those who worked for him been convicted for any felony, the Gomez empire operation was thorough in dealings, never leaving a loophole behind for any government agency to act on. But it seemed with this new bird in town from California, things were about to get messy.

"Then we bring him under us," I said, my tone final, more like a command than a request. I knew my voice sure didn't sound friendly. Vinny smiled at this, to him I had gone soft over the years since we conquered the city of New York, and now, he believed I was about to come back to the brutal old me.

"And Roger?" I asked, "Did he pay back?" I added

Roger was a man who kept borrowing from our private loan and kept wasting it on his gambling and drinking, the man sure is hopeless, but business is business, he couldn't pay back, but the old fool willingly said he could sell his daughter to pay back, what an old cunt.

"I've word his daughter is in this very house right now, I'm still surprised he willingly gave his daughter away, poor thing," Vinny said pitifully, "I heard she is but a young girl and cried her eyes out as her father handed her over"

"And of what use could she be here" I said.

"She could go into delivery or the kitchen," he said, "or warm the beds, I hear she's a beauty" he added almost as though he was muttering.

"Where is she being held, I should see to her," I said as we rounded up the inspection on the warehouse and started walking out with Vinny.

"She's up there, right where we hold them" Vinny replied, his hand making an upward sign.

I entered the elevator and Vinny followed suit, the warehouse was miles way below the main building, in the undergrounds of the house, a place where even hunting dogs could never sniff, the space was a secret known only to Vinny and me, no one else knew the location.

After a long ride in the elevator, it stopped, I and Vinny step out into a mini room, pressed a button and a door opened, we stepped out and the door closed back, with a painting in our hallway covering the door. Then, we started making our way to the holding room to check on the payment Roger had earlier delivered to us.

***Narrator***

As they walked out of their secret door, right in a corner around the hallway lay a shadowy figure, unconvincingly the shadow of a human, the person watched as they went in and watched as they came out, and now, their secret warehouse isn't so secret anymore.