Life in the Underworld

35

Jamie dropped me off back at the Montessori mansion at ten o'clock the next morning, and not surprisingly, everyone was up and waiting for me.

They tried talking to me, but I just brushed them off, not in the mood. Judging by the expression on their faces, they realised that I must know the secret.

I went upstairs to my bedroom, laying down and staring at the ceiling as I reminisced on my life. All i could was breath as held back all the traumatising memories I have already let take over once this week.

A small knock on the bedroom door disturbed my laziness and anxiety.

"Come in."

I was expecting Tommaso or Tristan. Maybe even Antonio. Who I wasn't expecting however, was Mateo.

His face was no longer emotionless, but now holding a frown. Unlike Tristan and Tommaso, he didn't take a seat on my bed, but pulled out my desk chair. He rolled it closer to the bed before sitting down.

"So Anthony told you what's going on?" Mateo said, a solemn look on his face.

"No, Aidan did." I corrected.

"Aidan Rossi?" I could hear the anger in his tone, but he didn't say anything. "What exactly do you want to do about this Spencer Gatwick?"

"He has something of mine, I want it back." I began, not emphasising the 'it' as a 'he' "After that, as long as he suffers I really don't care."

One thing I like about Mateo is, I know family comes first with him. And he'd do anything in his power to grant my wish.

"Can I ask what he took?" Mateo asked. "And how you know him?"

"You'll find out eventually." Was all I said.

"Kalina, it could help us seriously if we know what to get off of him." Mateo said, urging me to give him the answers I have tried to keep secret for so long.

I considered Mateo's words, and realised, something bad could happen to him if they are unaware he is there. So I confessed everything -absolutely everything from the ages five to now- to my oldest, deadliest and most powerful brother. The boss of the Italian Mafia.

I could literally feel the fury radiating off of him as I laid my life bare before him. I was scared for a moment, but then I realised he wasn't mad at me, but at the people who had harmed me.

When I thought he would leave me in a pool of tears and snot from crying during my confession, he didn't. Instead, he put the chair back under the desk, and lifted the quilt on my bed.

Understanding what he was doing, I shuffled over and let him do in my previous spot.  Despite his neatly steamed three piece suit, I could feel the warmth radiating off of his body. For the first time in my life, I cuddled with my big bad mafia boss brother.

Who's actually a giant teddy bear.

He rested his stubbly chin ontop of my head, my own resting on his chest. His giant hand stroked my hair, holding me close to him.

"Kalina-"

I instantly cut Mateo off, not ready for the whole pity party speech. "You don't have to give me sympathy or some shit."

"Kalina." Mateo shut me up with his silencing tone. "I'm not going to give you my sympathy because I know it won't change anything. What I am going to say is, I'm so proud of you."

My eyes snapped up to his, no doubt confusion spread across my face.

"Everything you've just told me, no one should have to go through that. Especially not a seventeen year old. You're so strong tesoro and you don't even notice it. You brush all this shit off your shoulder like it's a simply hiccup on your life, but it's not, it's horrible what you suffered.

The fact that you can overcome this with a... semi sane state," I laughed at his words, noting how he was being as honest as he could, "is beyond impressive."

That night, I stayed cuddled up to Mateo as he held me close.

I knew why he was being so sweet and caring compared to the gruff and emotionless person he usually is. One because I'm his traumatised baby sister, and two, because it's our final moment of peace for a long while.

The moment Spencer or our guys strike, an all out underworld war will break out. The Italians, Irish and biggest gang in the world against the most ruthless, psychotic cunt and his mafia.

And apparently the Dutch mafia too.

So I embraced this calming few hours with Mateo, as, while Christopher may be consigliere (advisor to the Don) Mateo holds the ultimate power in our mafia. If anyone could protect me the most, it's him.

And if Spencer is coming to get me again, I'll need all the protection there is to offer.

It's what I remember most from him, what the majority of my nightmares contain.

The night sky had already risen above the city of Birmingham. I had told Ace that I was with Spencer this evening, and with extreme reluctance, he agreed as long as I checked in.

Laid in the silk sheets, I sucked the lollipop in between my lips. My tanned, naked body sprawled across the bed, legs bent as I looked through the floor to ceiling windows of the penthouse.

The bathroom door opened, and steam followed behind his tall, lean figure. With a red towel wrapped around his waist, he brushed his blonde hair away from his face.

He collapsed on the bed beside me, eyes staring over my naked frame.

"Always so sexy." He murmured, hands raking up and down my body. As his lips covered every in of my skin, I opened my eyes that had closed in pleasure, feeling a coldness around my wrists.

"You'll stay here, naked, forever." He growled out, a look in his eyes that awakened every fear within my soul.

Because I'd seen that look countless times before. With every man that would buy some time with me off of my mother. The worst ones that tormented me for years.

"Because you Kalina, are mine. I don't want anyone else to get a glimpse of what's mine."

Slowly he undid his towel, and the man I thought lived me disappeared. And I was shown the true monster of Spencer Gatwick.

No matter how loud I screamed or how hard I cried, no one had the nerve to help me. Till him...

For days and nights. So many days and nights I didn't realise how long it had been till he saved me.

Lorenzo