The Don And His Flower

3

Imani was avoiding Valis.

It's been almost three months since he'd last touched the dark skinned flower.

Almost a full week since he's last seen her outside the compound.

Was he that bad at it?

He missed the smell of her neck, the silk of her skin. The soft touch of her dark coils. He missed hearing her moan his name.

He was missing her wholeheartedly.

Valis listened to the same chorus of manic cheering as he held the flag in his hand once again. Ignoring the pain in his body, Valis hopped off the platform. The men gathered around him, replaying the footage they recorded and giving unwanted advice and tips for his next spar.

He could care less. With every fiber in his body, he could care less about what they talked about with him. The young man was focused on his distant woman. He watched her talk with one of the farmers, accepting the massive basket that was overfilled with fruits.

The things he'd do with those melons.

"Hey Valis, your dad is calling for you."

He nodded, brushing past the men before making his way back into the main compound. The marble floors were reflecting his body as he made the beeline right to his father's office. Taking turn after turn, he walked down the hall. After another sharp corner he stopped. His father's door closed with Imani's mother standing in front of it.

"Faina..Mrs. Milton-"

She walked up to him with glossy eyes. The tangles in her coiled hair told him that those weren't her natural coils. Dark mesh stockings, torn, were fisted in her hands. Her chest heaved as she wiped underneath her eyes that kicked out the tears she tried so hard to hold. "If you cared about my baby..you'd stay away from her." She spoke softly, walking slowly out the hall.

Cared about her? He loved Imani.

He planned on making the woman his wife. Considering that not only his father, but now her mother, wouldn't approve. He was at multiple crossroads.

Valis sighed and turned the black doorknob. The aroma of sex hit him faintly as his father gulped down a clear liquid from the glass in his hand.

"Moy mal'chik, come in."
My boy, come in.

Valis closed the door behind him, sitting in the seat opposite. "Ivan Giovanni. Have you heard of him?"

Giovanni? Italian. Giovanni.

He slowly nodded his head, remembering the name a bit more. "The Giovanni family. Italian Mafia...or a gang if I'm being realistic."

The Giovanni family have been around since the day Don Michael Kholodov was born. Although they hold great access to money shares, they hold quite the reputation of backstabbing their partners.

Valis's father was a partner of the Giovanni's. Considering that his father summoned him, he could assume that he lost out on some good money shares. He picked up the manila folder that was on his father's desk. Information on the oldest son was nearly ripping the folder apart.

Attempted murder.

Kidnapping.

Assault.

Valis looked over the file. The boy had a rap sheet for his rap sheet. "The Giovanni's screwed me out seventy billion dollars."

Valis wasn't even surprised to hear the news. His father made poor decisions when it came to things regarding money.

"Their boy, Ivan Giovanni. Kill him."

***

"I heard that Giovanni boy, Ivan? I heard he likes you."

Imani looked up from her plate, a roll of her eyes as she sipped her tea. "Ivan? I haven't talked to him or his sister since graduation. And that was what? Two years ago."

"And on such a rare occasion of our school system, I'd like to present the three youngest graduates. At the age of sixteen, Ivan Giovanni. At the age of sixteen also, Imani Milton...."

Imani accepted her diploma, smiling at the principal and shaking hands while walking the long stage.

Soon after the ceremony she took off her cap and gown, giving her hugs and goodbyes to everyone she knew. They were going straight to college, while she wanted to pass on it.

Sontarc schooling was practically run by the underground. Since the majority were kids of soldiers involved with Kholodov, their education was covered regardless of going to school then or later. Other kids were there from family alliances or mutual arranged marriages.

Which is where she met Ivan Giovanni.

Imani hugged him, his arms around her waist as he kissed her temple. "It's good to graduate, are you coming back for the senior credits next year?" Imani shook her head, deciding to pause on her education for the time being. The two talked for a bit more, his arms around her body again as she simply patted him.

She knew for a fact that he liked her. It was obvious from the day they met. But it was always one sided. Imani simply didn't feel the same way for him.. not when she was in a private relationship with Valis Kholodov.

"I heard about that amusement park opening up in a few weeks. How about you go? Ivan might be going for all you know." Her mother urged her daughter to get out of the house for herself.

Faina didn't want her daughter to leave her. She didn't want her babygirl to go anywhere near a thug like Valis Kholodov or Ivan Giovanni.

But she had to get her out of the house by the end of next week.

She couldn't be home that night. Not on the anniversary night of Michael Kholodov had killed his wife.

Faina whimpered, feeling her hair get tugged.

The rough slap on her face made her eyes finally open. She muffled her cry, looking at the time before feeling the Don tower over her.

Imani will be home soon.

Michael Kholodov let go of her waist, his hand around Kalia's neck as his knees sunk into the long couch. She stared at the small single picture before her. The only picture that remained of her deceased husband. Quickly, her eyes began watering as she choked.

"This is how I killed her. I fucked her just like this," he grunted, hips slamming against her flesh as small droplets of blood stained his ungloved flesh.

"I choked her. And every year, I celebrate by tearing your holes open. Look at you, fucking bleeding on me. Never had your ass cherry popped huh?"

She muffled her groan, feeling him ground against her. He grabbed the edge of the chair, slamming his whole body forward as he remained balls deep. "Please-"

"I've been using spit, lotion, Vaseline, cum... All this time," he grunted, fast paced as he trapped the woman of his deceased soldier. She wailed as he pounded into her. "Your bleeding ass was the perfect lube. Fucking good. All in your ass, bitch."

"Mom?"

Imani watched that one tear leave her mom's eye, her hand quickly wiping it as she looked at her daughter.

"Yes baby? You all done? Good!" She smiled, taking up the half-eaten plates and began cleaning. Imani watched her mother's posture, her body shaking as she washed the dishes.

"I'll go. I'll uhm, I'll go to the park that night..thank you for dinner."

"Great baby. That's great." Her mother responded, not once looking back at the young woman she birthed.

Imani nodded slowly, retreating to her room for the evening.