The Mafias Debt Bride

"Phoenix please.." Noah's eyes softened as he watched his sister. "You have to do whatever they say. They'll come after everything you care about if you don't."

"You're badly wounded.." Phoenix hushed. Her eyes kept raking the sight beneath her in. Her brother's brown hair was stuck on his face with sweat, his eyelids were shutting softly, hiding his honey brown eyes. His breath was raspy and filled with utterances that Phoenix paid no heed to.

"Who did this? Why would someone do this?" Phoenix worried under her breath.

Noah could have spoken but when he made eye contact with his sister, all he could do was shift glances between his sister's eyes and the ruffled paper she threw.

Upon hearing the siren's wail of the ambulance, Phoenix lifted her head up, her eyes softened as she yelled. "In here!!".

The paramedics pushed through the doorway, quickly setting down the carrier. Some drew Noah away from his sister, lifting him up with a -ho!- and carefully leaving his body on the stretcher. As they pushed Noah out of the house and into the back of their ambulance, Phoenix grabbed the ruffled paper she once threw away, threw her father's black tee that was lying on the couch on and hurriedly joined them inside the ambulance, her gaze never leaving Noah.

***

After receiving news that her brother would recover for a few months, Phoenix knew that she could finally breathe. Her once shaky hands now softly smoothened out the crumpled paper that was folded messily in the back pocket of her jeans.

Her eyes scanned through the paper. The thing about words is that they are easily misunderstood. The reader reads through their own filtered life experiences, jumbled with insecurities and judgement.

The paper read...

SALVADOR MANOR.

Phoenix grimaced at it. She studied the paper. Old like it's been soaked in warm coffee and left to dry. And the ink was exquisite, rare and insanely thin like hardened thread. Some parts of the paper had tiny stains, like crimson freckles.

"Miss Saur..."

Phoenix lifted her head and turned to find an older man, his hands tightly entwined with each other, dangling below his torso.

"Yes?" She answered.

"You can see your brother now. He's awake."

Phoenix smiled warmly at the man. "Thank you." She replied and she made her way down the white eerie hall and stopped in front of a sky blue door with the numbers; 26.

Phoenix huffed, shook her arms and flexed her fingers, releasing whatever negative energy had consumed her seven hours ago. Phoenix pushed the door open and winced at the scratching sound it made. She walked in to find her brother looking better than seven hours ago.

There wasn't sweat, there wasn't blood, there wasn't heavy medical equipment surrounding him any longer like he was in the ambulance. He was just there, smiling at his sister. A bruise on the corner of his lips and his arm still wrapped around his torso.

"Well..." Noah sucked in his breath "Don't you look amazing."

He meant it jokingly, she knew. Because her brown hair was up in a messy bun, the greasy strands slipped off. She was in a big black tee and silk pyjamas pants. She wore an oversized Ugg since she left the house hurriedly.

But her brother; always the jokester.

She frowned. "You scared me."

Noah knew the talk had to come about anyway. It was long and horrible but he would keep his sister safe. No matter what it took.

Phoenix drew nearer to him, sitting down on the edge of the bed, studying him. Her eyes were full of concern, worry and tiredness.

"What happened Noah?" she inquired. "We can talk about it."

Noah gave Phoenix a long look, contemplating whether to tell his twin sister or not. "You.." he started, suddenly hushing himself and watching his sister. It was a secret. A secret that if exposed, could cost her life and his as well.

"You cannot tell anyone about this."

Phoenix chuckled lightly. Her brother was never the type to be awfully serious.

"I'm serious Nix." Noah said quite firmly casting a dark shadow on Phoenix's once lightened face. "I work for the Salvadors."

Noah expected his sister to shudder in fear but he remembered that she hadn't a clue about who the Salvadors were or about their influence in the world. She was always stuck in books and real crime series.

With a sigh Noah continued. "They are dangerous people and I let some money slip."