Married to the Mafia Boss

Sofia

Once I stop, I start to count to ten, and while I do that, Dominic hits Amancio in the head with the butt of his gun before kicking him out of the vehicle to the curb. I finish counting and hit the gas, racing down the road.

“They’ll hopefully stop and pick up their boss before they get around to tracking us,” Dominic says. “Pull off at the first mall you come across.”

Zipping through the streets, I’m concentrating too hard to make conversation. Dominic breathes heavily and points out a mall. “There! Pull into that one. We need to get out of here quickly.”

I pull haphazardly into a parking space, and we get out. Dominic limps beside me, looking around for our new getaway vehicle.

“The bus,” he says suddenly, pointing to the bus approaching the nearby stop.

We hurry to where it stops, and the driver gives Dominic a horrified look when he sees how beaten up he is. “You’re not going to be trouble, are you?”

“No trouble,” Dominic hands him a fifty. “And keep the change.”

The driver turns back to face the road and waits for the rest of the people to get onto the bus. Dominic leads me to the back, and we sit down, each on the aisle seat but in the same row.

As the bus pulls out, I sigh in relief, sitting back in my seat. I look out the window because I can’t bring myself to face Dominic, not after what he did to Carmila. I’ve always known the kind of things that my father did to ensure that his business operations ran smoothly. I knew people died. I just never, I don’t know, thought about it. I never thought how innocent people might lose their lives in the name of money and power.

But I cannot deny I’ve benefited from that money and power.

I don’t know how I feel about it because I’ve always known. I just never really cared. Yet now, I want to crucify Dominic for killing Carmila because she was my friend.

We sit in silence, and all I have are my thoughts to sit with because I just don’t have the words to express what I’m feeling to Dominic, and I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t care anyway.

We get off the bus we’re on after a few stops, and we get onto another going in a different direction. Again, he pays off the driver, and we sit in silence. A part of me wants to mourn and cry and grieve for my friend, but there’s the tiniest seed planted in my heart-what if she did betray me? It just couldn’t be true. She couldn’t be involved in this world-I would know. I’ve grown up in this world.

I can’t stand it anymore and finally turn to Dominic. “How do you know Carmila betrayed me? What evidence did you have?”

Dominic opens his one good eye and looks at me. “I knew because I knew,” he says.

“That’s not a good enough reason to shoot someone,” I say.

“You’re a princess. You don’t understand this world and what it takes to survive. When you’ve been doing this as long as I have been, then you know what you know when you know it.”

I frown and look away. “And if you’re wrong?”

“I’m seldom wrong,” he says.

“But what if you are?” I ask.

Dominic sighs. “I’m not sorry if that’s what you’re looking for. I don’t have time to regret my decisions. I have to do what I must to protect my family and ensure they survive. Your father’s probably done similar things. I doubt worse, though.”

I feel sick and hold my stomach. I can’t believe this guy. He doesn’t even regret killing innocent people. The bus approaches the next stop, and he stands. “We’ll get off here. Come on.”

It’s outside another mall, and he leads me inside. It’s getting late, but some stores are still open. “Get some clothes,” he says as we walk into a general store. “And anything else you might need, get an overnight bag as well.”

“Okay,” I say quietly, heading off on my own. It’s weird to be alone after being with him for so long, but I’m happy for the respite. I pick out three outfits and find some underwear, toiletries, and a bag to put it all in. When I’m done, I find him in the men’s section, picking out his own stuff.

Everything happens in silence.

Checkout, back outside, stealing a car.

Silence.

We pull into another motel, and he checks us in and lets me into the room.Têxt © NôvelDrama.Org.

I set my stuff down on the bed and look around. “I’m going to go shower.”

“Look, Princess, you can hate me for what I did. But your friend betrayed you. I didn’t do that. What I did was to do you a favor by removing her toxicity from your life. You’d always be in danger with her.”

I can’t help myself. Before I even blink, I raise my hand and strike him through the face. There’s a tense moment where we look at each other.

He grabs me, and I gasp as he plants his lips over mine, kissing me hungrily. Clearly, aggression turns him on.

I push him off me and slap him again. “Stay off me. I’m not yours to touch.”

He chuckles and rubs his face. “You hit hard for a princess.”

“I’m not a fucking princess,” I shout.

“Own it. Own what you are, and then you can live free of the shame people attach to it. I’m a killer. It’s what I am. I’m not ashamed of who I am or what I do. I don’t have time for that bullshit. It’s always moving forward, onto the next task, the next job.”

I stare at him and shake my head. “What you are is a monster!”

“Maybe I am, but I know I’ve killed more killers than I’ve killed innocent people. No one is perfect,” he says calmly. “No one is sin free. No one is so-called innocent.”

I pick up my things. “I’m going to shower. I need to wash…everything away.”

Tears well up in my eyes, and for a moment, I almost think I see a flash of concern on his face, but I know it isn’t real. Dominic has no heart.

I go to the bathroom and shut the door, locking it behind me. I run the water so it can warm up while I get undressed. I feel tired, my whole body aches, and I start to cry. I let the sadness wash over me until I climb into the shower, slide to the bottom, and hug myself, sobbing.

I don’t care if Dominic can hear me. I just need a fucking moment. I was always sheltered from this part of my father’s life. I don’t want to be involved or near death, destruction, and cruelty.

I know Dominic thinks he can reason his way out of being a killer, but I just can’t understand it. My heart is breaking for Carmila. She was a huge part of my life, and I don’t know if I believe him that she betrayed me. You can’t just believe someone has betrayed you. You need evidence.

I rest my head against my knees and let the water wash away my grief.