In the Shadows of the Mafia Lord

sol'

ide was relent

ows as if trying to break

e flickered against the walls

layed in the corner, thei

le Mama hummed softly

able, my finge

trying to push away the

ay. Papa's voice echoed i

ing laced with

night, Marisol.

r siblin

in his voice

y skin like a

the door ca

ing the

he ladle slip

nto the floor. Luis and

laced by wid

pered, glancin

feet, his express

he said, his

man

to thicken as

ng like a drumbeat. I sto

ser to th

ed the door, t

with it a group of shadow

light, his face a mas

" he said, his

omo

ghtened. "You

re

ed, a dark, ch

me for ho

uld react, the

shing into the table. The

e suffo

s one of them g

ding. "No!" she cried

the leader ba

and

ard instinctiv

My heart pounded so loudl

t

ant?" Papa dem

he struggl

the leader

icked to Mama,

thing f

led, but it di

we'll take

s deafening, t

aling the air from my lu

lood pooling

m tore from my

d st

d to me, his

"Pretty thing

r me, and I s

ing through me. His smirk

, his grip

Papa shouted,

encing him with

" the leader or

st

rred with tea

r. Luis clung to my leg,

ol!" h

ed at him, kic

pt

ng I saw bef

's terrified face, framed

ad dragged me

es piercing through the ha

ll. "Not so tou

nd. Couldn't.

y limbs trembling as I

e barked to hi

lance. "She'll die here

his boots fade

teps should have been a r

worse. It pressed down on

I was

gh my body as I

he fire licking at my b

hrough me, but I refu

dge of the door

d wood. My vision blurre

gainst the flames. My fam

faces flashi

.. Luis... Ana

ken whisper, each one

en, da

he world was co

ith the blood that had d

ng droplets, my bo

mehow, against

viv

p, the memorie

e a tidal wave. The fire.

destroyed ever

in my throat,

I wouldn't give them the

if they wer

led into fists

drew blood. I would not

elf to stand

d washed away most of th

ody. My reflection in a

matted hair, and a face st

died tonight,"

ing but firm. "But so

ough they blurr

ion. I stumbled into the

ment. People stared but d

ace lik

f in front of

owner a man whispered abo

nt

the door snee

battered form. "Yo

in, forcing st

need to se

sound grating.

n this city.

or his bed," I

. "I have inform

d from my lips

ion fueling

ised an eyebro

vinced him. He stepped a

te

stepped ins

s of the music vibrated

hat danced like specters.

their movements sed

here

sat in the cent

is dark eyes scanned th

ng. When his gaze landed

ful in the wa

ll-consuming. His sharp f

, his lips curling into

roa

ittle bird in?"

ow and

n," I replied,

nees threatened to b

ned, and he lea

as if to invite me close

ou w

ve

on my tongue,

ad, I sai

rich, dark so

"You think you can h

can handl

in my tone mad

owering over me as he clos

pensive cologne enveloped

his fingers br

touch was deceptively gent

reminder o

" he murmured,

riosity. "But the

e, refusing to

full of s

returned, and h

en. "Clean her up. If she

she's m

away, I glanced

ael Montoya was dan

t taken my fi

eanc