The Mafia's Little Raven

E

tired of existence and clung to the air, melding with the stale rot of spilled beer and t

ound the damp bills in my hands. The wetness didn

I was never good at. Mom's hospital bi

building, or the termite-infested wooden sta

the door open, I knew

urning with the pungent smell of cheap beer, his washed black singlet ha

m. The men who stood beneath the light. Tall. Huge.

is throat to the back of his ear,

ight think he had won the lottery. "Sh

st of ways. This wasn't the first time men came in looking for him. They a

e something else. An organ, maybe,

eren't her

t

, his eyes raking over me like was

t out, clamping

ressed into my jaw, forcing my lips ope

ll on us. "Is she en

s per

rtbeat

it." The man ad

k of my neck and I snapped my head

om the weight of th

ear this debt, I can start

he took ended up in the hands of

d and sweat- and handed it over. "I have the money. Take. This should be enough." My trembling hands fumbled a

s the man's lips. Followed by a scoff. "You think this is a negotiation." Hi

ut tightened as he t

houlder pressing hard into my stomach. I twisted, kicked, nail

ed pitch, one that echoed off

ulled me out of my home, the last sight was my fa

m-she was sleeping, too sick

r hell they had in store for me, one though

care of her, no

***

been locked up in a windowless room, so there was neither da

ght food. Food that remained untouched, abandoned in the corner of the

decide my fate-their underboss, Leonardo Alvaro. I still remember the

h fear and terror that made the stree

as here, in

ugh sheets felt sticky against my s

here everything had gone

nd a room to myself. Step siblings who loved me like their own. And my mother-A husb

im then? Why had she

o

people stupid and reckless? If that was love then,

my thoughts. I lurched to a sitting position

before me. "The boss is here." He tur

ed behind. I trudged behind his trail, through the d

epted it gratefully. At least I could

the room an

soon." He stood still b

he door swung open and

-black hair, a hue that lo

ide cl

grey eyes that held some

d as his gaze bu

a stranger. Not him. Not my

uldn't be here.