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The Mafia's Crazy Obsession 45
Solana“Good morning,” Abel said softly after I'd disconnected the call and slipped the phone into my purse. A weighty silence enveloped us, threatened to collide our bodies together. It was a healthy silence though. “How was your night?”“It was...” I trailed off, trying to think up the right words, “... awkward? I don't know. I thought you'd already left.”“What? No. I'd never do that to you.” The silence pressed on. “Come here.”I moved closer, the scent of coffee wafting off him feeling like home.“You okay, sunflower?”I shrugged a shoulder, lost for words, and dropped my gaze on the floor to shield my eyes. I could no longer trust the feelings swirling inside me, just beneath the surface whenever he was around. Why did his asking make me feel so fucking needy? Why did him taking me into his arms made me want to cling on to him like a leech and bawl my eyes out? Because that's what it did. That's what having his arms around me right now, like he would protect and keep my safe fro
The Mafia's Crazy Obsession 46
Solana“Alright. Fine, Abel. She's your property. Your whore. But remember that I gave her to you. And I can easily take her back if I please. I warned you not to involve business with pleasure, but you keep showing me how recklessly you'll handle the Stravkos name when I'm gone. Take care of Wyatt Williams before there are any more substantial supporters. Two fucking weeks, or I'll pass up the task to Andrew. I'm done playing hide-and-seek.”I slapped a hand over my mouth in shock. What? What did he mean, take care of Wyatt? What did Wyatt do?But most importantly, how was Abel going to take care of my cousin?I wanted to hear more. To press my ear more firmly against the door and hear Abel's response, but the sound of footsteps, heavy and moving fast chilled my feet and made it impossible for me to move. Sweat trickled down my temples, raced down my back as I struggled to unglue my feet from the tiled floor. At last they came off, and I charged toward the stairs. I bolted up, gown f
The Mafia's Crazy Obsession 47
AbelI hated being this helpless. I couldn't go against my father and come out successful. No one could, and it was so painful that Solana thought she stood a chance against him. Norman Stravkos could destroy her without lifting a finger. Without even moving a limb, he could wipe her from the face of the Earth.I'd once wanted to wield that sort of power. Raw, encompassing, frightening. I'd once wanted to have everyone at the tip of their toes. Have them tremble and pledge their utmost allegiance to me. But now? I'd be damned repeating such a lame, damaging cycle.Solana went upstairs, straight to her room when we got back to the house, and though exhausted, I shut myself in my private office and tried to drown myself in paperwork to stop my mind from whirling. She hadn't said another word to me after our little exchange back in the car, and I suspected that she was pissed, as expected. But I wouldn't try to pacify her now. That would be later, when both our tensions had cooled off. I
The Mafia's Crazy Obsession 48
Abel/Solana“Why does it feel like you're pushing me away? What have I — ”She sat down on the edge of the couch, delicately, so the upper part of her butt rested on the tip. Guilt assaulted me, made me unable to look her way. Was she innocent? Or did she know more than she chose to reveal? And if Wyatt wasn't Frank's father, then who was?Who else was Helen Williams having an affair with? Or better yet, before Wyatt, who had been spending his nights on her bed?“You did nothing to me, Lana. Stop stressing yourself.”“Then why this sudden change of behavior? I thought...”I tilted my head to the side. “Thought what?”“You said some things last night.”She shook her head then brought her hands to her face, rubbing it before looking at me again. “I don't understand anything. I don't understand you. I mean, I thought I did before, but now... I don't know where I stand. All my life, I've always been in the middle of things I know nothing about. It's not fair.”Watching her, witnessing her
The Mafia's Crazy Obsession 49
SolanaHe made a fool out of me. I was a fucking idiot to ever think that he could have the barest amount of feelings for me. A fucking idiot for thinking that a Stravkos could be capable of anything good. Anything that didn't involve lies and deceit.He wanted Erin, right? Fine. He could have her. He could marry her. I wouldn't sit back and let myself be used again. I wouldn't sit back and let myself be disrespected. It wasn't in our nature, the Williams family.I took a deep breath as I finally came to a decision. I would leave the mansion once and for all.I strode into the balcony that adjourned his study and flung the cell phone into the woods, watching it go through the thick foliage and crashing to the floor somewhere before I ran upstairs to my bedroom. I threw the closet doors open and began putting a few necessities together in a duffel bag. I simply didn't care about anything anymore. I wasn't permitted to leave the grounds without proper supervision? I had to tell him wher
The Mafia's Crazy Obsession 50
Solana“Abel has a sister?”She nodded. “Abigail. She was your age when she passed away. Poisoned in the hospital. She has a son, Abel's nephew whom Erin is taking care of.”“Oh.” Shit, I had no idea about this at all. “But how is that possible? How can he be having an affair with his nephew's caretaker?”“Why are you jumping into that conclusion? Have they done anything to make you believe they're having an affair? It could be anything. We might know soon enough.”“Are you... defending him?”“Of course not.” She sat back and folded her arms over her chest, levelling a steady gaze on me. “I'm only curious. Why do you care so much about them shagging? It's not in your nature. You hate him, so why are you so agitated now? Is there something you're not telling me, Lana?”I couldn't look up and meet her eyes, but I could feel their scrutiny — the harshness in the gaze she leveled me with. I sighed as I rested my elbows on the table, and dropped my forehead into my hand, feeling a migraine
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SolanaI spent an hour lounging on my back in the living room, before going into the kitchen to heat up the leftover lasagna Helen and Frank had for breakfast. After I'd eaten it, I'd gone up to my old bedroom to sleep, the sinking feeling of hurt and jealousy still curled tight in my stomach. I couldn't wave it off, and it was a miracle when I managed to catch a few hours of sleep. When I woke up later to the heavy sound of terse raindrops beating down the roof, it had subsided a bit. There were voices down in the kitchen arguing and yelling. I sat up, puzzled, wondering who was driving my sister nuts. I glanced at my phone on the nightstand — the time read that it was a little after one o'clock in the morning. The display column on the lock screen showed fourteen missed calls, all from — surprise, surprise — Abel fucking Stravkos.I guess he'd fucked Erin a little too early and had decided to come home only to find me missing. Heartless bastard.I unlocked the phone, and without ev
The Mafia's Crazy Obsession 52
Abel“You can't force me to go with you. I told you, I'm staying here. Go back to Erin. She needs you more.”I chuckled. “Figured you'd say that. Game on.”“What? Put me down, you freak!” she squealed as I swept her off her feet and heaved her over my shoulder, spanking her ass hard when she kicked her legs wildly and pounded my back with her fists. “I'll scream and wake up the neighbours.”“Feel free to do so.”“That's it, I'm calling the local authorities!” Helen shrieked, running into the kitchen to get her phone.I paid her no mind and moved us out the door into the rain. We were both soaked in no time. “Can't you wait for the rain to stop at least?”“No. You shouldn't have left in the first place.”“Let me down!”I opened the passenger door and dropped her onto the seat, pressing her back down when she attempted to spring out. “I gave you a fucking choice. And just as always, you chose wrong.”I clicked her seatbelt in place and slammed her door shut, keeping it locked until I t
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The Mafia's Crazy Obsession Epilogue
AbelWe didn't speak for the rest of the drive. There were so many things to say, so many demons to confront, and they hovered right above up, making the air thick with a dense foreboding. Once we reached the mansion, I climbed out of the car, and straightened my shirt, clutching the envelope containing the new contract. It was not necessary getting Father to sign it — his signature mattered less — but for closure to be properly achieved, I had to do it this way.“Ready, sweetheart?”Before I could nod and respond, Lana wound her arm through mine. Since I got shot, we'd gotten much closer to each other. We enjoyed each other's company, craved each other's opinions and bodies, and when she did stuff like this, touching me like this, it made me feel lucky, special. It made my heartbeat quicken, my heart filling with a joy I'd never thought possible.I pulled her back. “You don't have to go in with me. I won't waste any time. Once he signs it, I'm getting right out of there.” I watched h
The Mafia's Crazy Obsession 83
AbelFulfilling my promise to Lana had got to be the most liberating thing I'd ever done.It took away the guilt I'd felt on that day I saw her for the first time; star-strucked by those bright-eyes that dimmed when her father announced the purpose of our visit with tears in his eyes. It took away the feeling of possessiveness — the need to control her. It took away a lot of things I wasn't proud about, and left me with a warm glow in my chest. What it didn't take away, however, was my ever-increasing love for her.Andre came over to the house the following morning, and handed me the initial contract she and I had signed. I couldn't look at it — I set it aside, and had him draw up a new one. This one wrote off any debt the Williams family owed any Stravkos, real or perceived, and the two families were no longer bound in any way. In any form. I also directed him, to make that part possible to be overturned in the future at any time.I signed it immediately and had a copy sent to Helen
The Mafia's Crazy Obsession 82
SolanaAbel moved into the guest room downstairs while he recovered. The doctor was against him stressing himself, and climbing stairs would be fatal to his health since he was still very much fragile. I moved into the room with him and slept beside him, taking extreme care not to touch the still tender spot the bullet had ripped into. I knew he still felt pain, but insisted on less and less medication, saying he could wing it. After a day of being home, he could walk to the bathroom and house entrance on his own, although it wore him out.“This is sickening,” he complained a week later after one of his visits to the bathroom. I looked up at him from where I was sitting on the bed. “I hate being weak. That's not the Stravkos way.”He lay back down and I helped him tuck the blanket up to his waist. “Stop whining. You're getting stronger everyday. I can feel it.”“Well I can't feel anything but my weak bones and side. I'm not healing fast enough.”“You are, but you won't notice because
The Mafia's Crazy Obsession 81
AbelLana walked them out then returned to me shortly. “Frank is mischievous.”“Yes, he is. He's Andrew's son through and through. Which is why I'm staying away from that pea soup. I don't trust that kid.”The room returned to it's revered solitude as our smiles faded. Her eyes glazed over, and I could have felt like I imagined the tears if she hadn't subtly raised a finger to dab them off.“I thought I had lost you too. I couldn't feel your pulse. I couldn't feel you breathe, and you were so still. So calm. The blood was all over...oh God...” she trailed off, her voice breaking, eyes filled with tears.I was so close to crying too. Reaching up to touch her face, although my arm felt sore even with that small, gentle movement, I whispered with a nervous chuckle. “Takes more than one gunshot to kill me off. A Stravkos never dies that easily.”She sniffled, a hint of a smile on her lips. “You have no idea how grateful I am to death for not taking you. You've become my whole world, Abel.
The Mafia's Crazy Obsession 80
AbelI was dreaming.It was one of those dreams where nothing basically happens. One of those dreams you feel your legs can't touch the ground. You feel as though you're drifting in space, not recalling anything. Not seeing, nor feeling anything but fire in your side.And then you hear voices. They sound so far away, bold, spoken words that sound like the faintest whispers. And then you're falling from space. And then you catch glimpses of the incidents that led to you having that terrible burn in your side.And then you make out one of the voices talking to belong to the only woman you had ever loved.The monitors bleeped like an endless, buzzing swarm of bees. I heard the doctor asking Lana to go home and get some rest, but she was adamant. I heard her refer to me as stubborn, and it made me smile all the time. Whenever I managed to drift back to consciousness, she was there, sitting by my side and holding my hand. Sometimes she cried, and I knew it wasn't tears of sadness. At first
The Mafia's Crazy Obsession 79
SolanaWhen we arrived at the hospital, he was taken straight to the emergency unit. Andre screamed orders that they should commence surgery immediately. It was the same ward Wyatt had been into.Life truly does come full circle, doesn't it?Only this time, the doctors wouldn't even look at us. Hospital policy instructed that they only provided information about a patient to his immediate family. Helen and I weren't.“Fucking distasteful! I just want to know if he's going to live! Don't you understand?”“Ma'am,” the doctor said, exhaling calmly. “Please calm down. This is not my doing. It's just how things work over here.”“Lana,” a deep voice called behind us. I turned to see Andre striding into the waiting room, his face cleaned of blood, although his shirt was still coated in deep crimson. He placed a hand on my shoulder and squeezed gently. I relaxed.“They've begun operating. There's no news if he'll make it or not for the moment.” He turned to the doctor. “Please add Lana Willia
The Mafia's Crazy Obsession 78
Solana“Abel, no!”I surged forward, almost knocking Helen to the floor and sank down on my knees beside his limp body. Tears welled up as I held his face with one hand and pressed my other hand to his side that was gushing out so much blood, I felt it'd never stop. Without thinking, I slammed my lips against him. I kissed him madly. Uncontrollably, again and again. When I tried to push his hair back from his forehead, I left blood in it's place. His blood. There was so much of it, more than I'd ever seen in my entire life. Too much.“Please don't die. Stay with me, please. Please, Abel.”It was then I realized I didn't make him promise to live. I thought he was invincible. That he could never die. That he'd always be alive, and would always be by my side. He'd made me three promises — selfish promises — and he'd never promised me that he wouldn't die.I'd never asked him to promise that. God, all these while... I didn't think he could ever be defeated. I thought Death held no candle
The Mafia's Crazy Obsession 77
Abel“Andrew, give me the gun,” I said, shadowing him as he moved around the table, advancing to where Father stood, but it was like I was talking to a rock. He couldn't hear or see me. Couldn't hear or see anything but Father.“You're such a tyrant. Everything always has to go your way, and now that I'm older, I realize how stupid I've been, letting you dictate my life. I was too much of a wimp to let you know that we loved each other and she was carrying my baby. Mine, you dirty old man.”“Andrew,” I said, more firmly this time. “Hand me the damn gun. Now. Don't do something you'll regret later.”Father was unperturbed by the pistol, dragging his eyes from him to Helen for a few minutes. I couldn't practically imagine the wheels in his mind turning into place as he finally understood. But Andrew wasn't through with his ranting.“You've never loved me. Never cared. It's always about Abel. Always about Andre!”“That's not true, and you know it,” Father exhaled, too calm for a man who
The Mafia's Crazy Obsession 76
Abel“Last chance to tell me everything, little bro. It's for your own good.”“It's going to be a peaceful meeting, right? You have nothing to worry about. Go get everyone under control, now. I'll see you when it's time for the meeting.”“Suit yourself.”I strode out of the room, taking no detours to see how my Father and Andre were doing, and heading straight for Lana's room.She and Helen sat side by side on the bed conversing in low tones when I walked in. Feeling guilty, Lana shot me a nervous smile, getting up at once.I looked past her at Helen. “The meeting is downstairs, not here,” I said, then turned to Lana. “You disobeyed me.”“I had to talk to her first, Abel. She's my sister.”“Why do you always miss the point every fucking time? It's driving me to my limits,” I said.“I know this might come as a shock to you, sis, but for once I'd say listen to him. He's right. This whole thing concerns me and me alone. We've already lost so much people. I don't want you getting involved
