Chapter 3: Mafia's Claim

Maria

Elvis is badly injured and It is all my fault.

“I pronounce you as one,” the priest concludes, making a cross sign in the air.

A gruesome cry follows immediately as a dagger is buried at the center of the priest's chest, making him fall lifeless in front of me.

In the midst of my shock, he turns around, backing me,

"I've no need of you too," he says. Then I realize he is referring to Elvis, aiming a pistol at him.

"No! We had a deal!" I scream, every cell in me fighting to set my hands loose from the constrains.

"Deals are made to be broken, darling wife. You must have learned that from your father."

One after the other, the bullet flies across the room, drilling into him, my only hope at a happy life. Elvis. Luca wouldn’t stop sending those bullets into the stiff body.

I bow my head in grief, unable to stand the sight, my ears deafened from the shots.

The voice of his wails drilled into my ears until everything around me becomes still. So still that the loudest noise comes from my thumping heart. It suddenly dawns on me how helpless, lonely and stuck I am. Terrified, I watch the blood fill the room, some splattered on my face. 

Now, with my new husband, no doubt, my life has taken a new turn down miserable street.

There is no strength left in me for tears as they drag Elvis' body out of the room. His blood splattered on every side.

Another man drags out the priest. Now, it’s just I and the beast in the room. With all that has happened tonight, i know it's just the beginning of my nightmares.

“The night is young…Our guests have left. I guess it's time to fulfil your role.” 

He picks up another small knife from the table, licking the blades seductively. The single bulb in the room only exaggerates the horrible scar on his face, qualifying him to be the most ugly human I ever met.

My heart is about to pull out of my chest as he approaches me.

I try to back away, but there’s only little distance I can get away from him.

I feel the cold tip of the knife on my neck, trickling down to my wedding dress on my chest region.

There's an instant ripping sound.

I shudder as Luca rips off a portion of my wedding dress, exposing my chest.

"You know…your father and I used to be good friends. Until he betrayed me. I never forgive betrayals."

My eyes are horridly following the blades pointing against my skin.

“Let's see what we have down here…” he says in a whisper, 

I can feel the cold blade on the parting of my laps.

“Please,” I say with a nervous gulp, as he slices off the g-string off my waist with precision, the tip of the knife barely cutting through my skin.

He makes an irritating sigh, drawing close to my exposed laps.

“What a beauty to behold.”

I shut my eyes knowing fully well that nothing could save me. 

If only my legs weren't tied down, i would have made an attempt to kick him right under his balls. To suffer the consequences later.

My teeth are clenched as I feel his moist tongue on my laps, traveling up to the parting of my legs.

“Master! Big Tom is here. The goods are ready,” one of Luca's men announces at the entrance.

I let out a heavy sigh as he backs away, resuming his full height. 

"I smell lots of money. I'll be right back for you, darling." He places a kiss on my cheeks and resumes smoking his pipe.

As he approaches the door, he concludes,

"Get her some food."

A temporary relief falls on me as I watch him leave. A woman walks in. She seems to be in charge. 

There’s a tray of food in her hands as she squats in front of me, setting it on the floor. She reaches for the anchor above me, releasing my hands that has been suspended in the air for hours long. Weakly, I slump to the floor, crashing on the fetters on my wrist.

Luca is gone for a while. My chains are finally off. If only I could seize this moment.

I stare at the lady watching me as she unlocks the cuffs on my legs. 

An escape is pointless, especially with how weak my body feels.

“I need to use the restroom,” I asks, barely above a whisper.

“Whatever you've to do, you do it right there,” the lady spits angrily, kicking the tray of food closer to me, her eyes constantly darting towards the entrance where a male guard stands.

I’m famished but I know better than to accept food from the likes of them. It could be drugged.

The man guarding the entrance, steps out to receive a phone call.

Immediately, the woman rushes towards me,

“You need enough strength for the task ahead,” the woman suddenly whispers, grabbing my neck to face the food tray.

There's fear in her eyes as she keeps watch of the entrance.

"Who are you?" I ask, my brows furrowed in confusion.

"Doesn't matter. We don't have much time. Luca will be here anytime from now and you know what that means, don’t you?."

I rush the food, my eyes fixed on the short blond woman risking her life for me. I watch as she puts out the fire in the fireplace with a bucket of water and ice.

“It's the fastest way out of here,” she says.

I rush into a shirt, as she walks over to the door to shut it properly, before squatting in front of the fireplace. Without hesitation, I follow behind her as she crawls into it, trusting the lead of a stranger, enduring the burning woods under my skin. As long as it takes me away from Luca, I didn’t care what lay at the other side, even if it is death.

The fireplace leads out of the room, linking to an underground tunnel that led out of the warehouse.

There's a car parked ahead of a deserted track as we finally arrive at the open end.

"Why did you choose to save me?" I ask in disbelief as she throws a car key at me.

“Are you going to question my help or buy yourself some more time to get lost?”

Her reply shuts me up immediately.

"Anyways, I need your help for a bigger mission and that can't happen if I watch you die. You can call me Betty. Your new ID is in the car. Start a new life and stay hidden. We'll keep in touch."

Before I can say another word, Betty is out of sight.

I hurry into the car, finding my new ID that reads,

“Sarah Mayhill.”