Endless Darkness

Chapter 24

Everything went to plan. He put me in the cell with my secret way out. I just had to figure out what he really wants.

***

I wait a day. One day before I finally make some noise to get him down here.

"Mike! Mikey! Michelangelo! Micheal! Mickey! Mick!" I shout every nickname I could think of.

I hear him storm down the steps. I laugh as the bottom one breaks on him.

"What do you want?" he practically growls at me.

"What do you want?" I tilt my jeans to the side in a calculating manner. "You could kill me right now and take my mafia. So why haven't you?"

I see him grind his teeth, "I knew your father trained you well. I knew I should have killed him sooner." He sighs, "I signed a contract with your father. I could not take the mafia from his heir through force. Only through marriage. If I kill you, the mafia goes to his secret contact that he didn't tell me."

He finishes talking but I wait. He says nothing more.

"The whole story."

Mike rolls his eyes, "I killed him thinking that I could then burn the contract only to find written in the contract that if I killed him I would have no right to your mafia whatsoever and never will. But Koa was not part of that contract."

"It's a shame really. Men should start reading the entire contract before they sign it. It got my ex-husband Roberto and your own son Josh in trouble before and it got you, too. It's not hard to read contracts you know? I read the one you signed. If you read it, the whole thing, you would have seen that my father's signature wasn't his at all. It was mine. This means if you kill me you have no right to my mafia. You would've had it all those years ago if you just would have read a few simple words. 'Attention to detail' that's what my father would always preach to me," I smile at the memories of my father, "Thank you. For being so stupid that you involuntarily looked right at the answer, and missed it."

I watch his face morph into pure anger.

"That doesn't change the fact that Koa can take your mafia!" he yells.

"Like I said before. If you read the entire thing, you would know that Koa has actually been the second in command to me since before I told him I wanted him to be my second. Since you signed the papers," I yawn and flip my knife in the air.

"You bitch!" he opens the cell door, walks in, and punches me. Right to the temple.

Overwhelming pain sweeps over my body and I pass out.

***

Yeah, I lied. I didn't pass out. I listen as he walks up the steps and leaves the basement. I open my eyes and move to the keyboard. I type in my password and watch as the cell door opens.

I walk silently to my room, avoiding the office that I hear being trashed. Glass shatters against the wall and the sound of papers fluttering the ground is never-ending.

I walk into my old bedroom and look around. The dust has collected on everything. I carefully pull a book out and push the secret door open. I close it quietly and wait in my little bunker.

***

A day later I listen as the house is searched. Head to toe. Probably a hundred men. I think the issue is men. If they had a single educated woman then they would come in here and pull every book off the bookshelf to see if it would spin.

I think about Koa. I hope he's not worried sick. The look in his eyes when I left makes my heart hurt. I need to get back quickly. It's already been two days.

"Look harder! She didn't leave this house! I know she didn't." The voices are muffled but I can still hear Micheal yelling.

I am coming Koa. I promise I am safe.

***

When I no longer hear footsteps-when I no longer hear any voices-I open up my computer and hack into my security system. I make the alarms for the front door go off at the same time I make it open.

I watch from my computer as Micheal runs outside and looks around. I wait for him to drive off before I leave my bunker and head to the garage. I grab my keys and drive home to Koa. It has been almost three days now and I cannot wait to see him.

I speed down every street and go through every red light. I barely have the car in park when I open my door and walk inside my home.

Koa is sitting in the chair that faces the front door. His knee is bobbing up and down. He keeps shaking his head. I can faintly make out him whispering to himself.

I slowly walk over to him, "Koa?"

When Koa looks up my heart drops. He looks as if he hasn't slept at all.

I sprint over to him. He stands up as I crash into him. I hold him close to my body. Koa breaks down crying. We both fall to the ground as I hold his head to my chest. His arms wrapped firmly around my waist.

"I thought I lost you. I thought I lost you for good. It is day three and you weren't back. I had Jake getting men together. I thought I lost you," Koa sobs into my chest

"I'm right here. You didn't lose me. I am right here," I run my fingers through his hair. "I love you Koa. I am not leaving you anytime soon. I love you so much."

His grip tightens on my waist. He stands up bringing me with him. He walks us up to our room. When we lay down his head is on my stomach and his arms around my waist. He whispers my name over and over.

"I love you. Please don't ever leave me," Koas voice breaks.

"Koa Lombardi, I love you. Til death do us part."

"Til death do us part."

I hold Koa until he stops shaking. I hold him as long as he wants me to. Even when he has calmed himself down he still holds me as if I may be taken away at any moment.

"Now what?" Koa whispers to me.

"Now," I pause, "we kill a bitch." A small smile forms on my lips at the thought.

"I am assuming you already have a plan?" Koa mumbles into my stomach.

"Of course I do."

(1120 words)