Lahat ng Kabanata ng Innocence Interrupted - A Mafia Story: Kabanata 21 - Kabanata 27

MadeleineWith Marco’s help, I somehow manage to make my way up the three flights of stairs, but I’m exhausted and out of breath when we reach the landing. I sit on the top step and cling to the railing, taking in large gulps of air.Just over a week ago, I ran from the casino to my flat without breaking a sweat. Now I can’t even climb a flight of stairs.It’s sad. And humiliating. Marco fafs over me like a mother hen, desperately trying to get me up and into bed without outright overstepping his boundaries by picking me up.“I’m fine, Marco,” I wave him away. “I’m just tired. I’ll get up in a second.”“If you fall down these stairs, the boss will never forgive me,” he says, his voice filled with urgency. “You are my responsibility.”“Tsk,” I click my tongue, but stop myself before I can say anything else.Marco is just doing his job. And he can’t speak badly of Rafael, he’ll be punished for it. The poor man just stands there, wringing his hands and looking terrified, waiting for me

RafaelI stand with my foot on the first stair, hand on the railing, when my phone starts ringing. The incessant pring-pring-pring echoes off the walls, setting my damn teeth on edge.I reach inside my pocket, and for some reason look up, straight at Madeleine who has a phone to her ear, and is leaning over the barrier, looking down into the foyer.With a grim smile, I glace at the number on the screen, knowing she’s the one using Enzo’s phone. I answer the call regardless. “Yeah?” I keep my eyes on her, unable to see her expression in the gloom, but I can feel her exasperation all the way down here.“Can you come up?” she asks.“You are supposed to be in bed.” I am trying with everything inside me not to laugh. I haven’t laughed in years - not a proper, feel it down in your belly, laugh at any rate.“Something happened,” Madeleine says.The laughter dies as abruptly as it started. “I’ll come up.”She ends the call and disappears from view. I can hear her hushed conversation with Enzo

MadeleineBetsy is still peacefully sleeping when we go back to the bedroom. Rafael leans over the bed and picks her up, folding his arms almost protectively around her. Betsy moans softly in her sleep, then turns into Rafael, trustingly resting her head on his shoulder.“No,” I whisper. “What are you doing?”Now that I’m back, I don’t want to let Betsy out of my sight. I kind of trust Rafael with her - he kept her safe when I couldn't - but I want my sister near me. I feel better when she’s close.“If you want me to stick around,” he answers in a hushed voice. “She needs to go to her own bed or we’ll wake her.”My heart tumbles in my chest. I just invited a man into my bedroom. Anything could happen. But the more time I spend with Rafael, the more I can see Dom. He’s hidden by a hardened shell, but I know what is under that exterior.He’s just like me in a way. Shedding one skin for another so he can cope, so he can do his job.At long last, I nod and walk over to the bed to sit down