Mafia Connections

Forty Two

Four weeks.

Four weeks of being stuck in this house with nothing to do until Kat and Chris get home.

Kat is an amazing lawyer and Chris is on his way to being CEO of a business. All to pay for me. For me to sit in the house all day and hide from the outside world.

I miss Rya. I miss Alexander and Artie. I even miss Oliver even though he is still a dick. I miss Viktor the most. Well, joint first with Rya.

I still pissed at him but my rage has died down a bit. I just really want to have him beside me again.

As I think about him, I find myself twisting my ring around my finger. I pull at the strings on my hoodie and cross my legs on the coffee table. I hadn't been bothered changing this morning so I was still in leggings and a hoodie.

I stare out the window at the street outside. It's a quiet street. You wouldn't expect a serial killer to be holed up inside blasting Halsey into her earphones and dancing embarrassingly around the house.

'Ghost' was playing now and I jump up to dance around the living room. Lip syncing along to the lyrics.

There's a loud crash, interrupting my dancing and I scream as the glass in the window shatters. Bullets fly through the open space and I drop to the ground as the living room is shot up.

My earphones are still in so all I can hear is a combination of Halsey, gunfire and my own screams.

The firing stops and I jump to my feet. I run to the back door and swing it open. I'm dialing Chris as I jump the white picket fence.

"Chris!" I yell as he answers. 

"What? I'm busy Bella!" He shouts.

I run out onto the street and see someone holding a massive gun. "Em... Sean's here. And he's got a massive fucking gun"

He spots me at the same time and I start sprinting. I can hear him firing behind me but he was always a shitty shot. I manage to reach the next street and jump a six foot fence into a garden party.

"Run!" I shout as I sprint through. I run through the open doors into the house and through, past startled guests and out through the front door.

I hear more shots and pain rips through my thigh. Oh shit. Ernie's here.

Remember Bert? The one Viktor had in the basement. Yeah, Ernie's his brother. And he just shot me.

I fall to one knee and he fires again, this time he misses and I manage to get up and run as best I can to the next street where I hide behind a house for a few minutes.

I realise Chris is still on the phone and Halsey is still playing. "Hey Chris. I might have been seen"

"Where are you? I'll come get you" His voice is frantic and I hear him faintly as if he's pulled the phone from his ear "For the last time Janice. Click the fucking button!"

I can't help but laugh through the pain as my brain could conjure up no way as to how that would fit into a conversation. "How did you get a job here when you can't push a fucking button! Do you know what? Forget the coffee! It tastes like shit anyway!"

"I'll be fine. As long as he didn't change his number" I say.

Chris sighs "Phone me if anything happens"

I hang up and dial the number I memorised years ago. "Hey dad" I say.

****

"You're not dead?" He asks as we take a fourth right. He has no clue where we're going.

"Nope" I saying popping the 'p'. "I'm very much alive. Do you know how to get here?"

He nods "Where are we going again?"

I sigh "Angel's nightclub" I stare at the makeshift bandage I had made out of a torn shirt around my thigh.

He nods again "Be there in five" he looks down. "Is that a wedding ring?"

"Yes" I say.

He nods and I'm starting to compare him to the Churchill dog. "How come I haven't met him. Have you met his parents?"

"His father bought me" I shrug "Then got me shot. That was fun"

"You don't seem to have a problem doing that yourself" he smirks and I do laugh slightly. I knew I could count on him to pick me up and not ask too many questions.

"We're here. Is that all you need?" He asks.

I smile and nod "Thanks dad. See you around?"

"Sure thing" he smiles. "Keep safe"

"Where's the fun in that?" I ask and climb out the car.

I walk towards the nightclub and push in through the crowds even though it's eleven in the morning.

"Liam!" I shout. His hair was a bright yellow now and I think he got his nose done. His makeup is better than I can dream of however.

He grins "Haven't seen you in a while? Where have you been? A gutter?"

I laugh dryly. "I've had to explain this so many times. So let's get this over with. Yes, I faked my death. Yes, I have a daughter. Yes, my husband is a mafia boss and a complete asshole. Yes, I need your help"

He continues on clean the glass in his hand until I finish. Then he just shrugs. "What happened?"

"Sean came back. I got shot. I need you to get the bullet out" I say.

He sighs and reaches into his pocket. His apartment keys fly into my hand and I grin. "Give me ten minutes. I'll have you stitched up faster than you can nick a necklace" I shake my head at him and limp up the stairs.

"Bella!" I hear an excited voice. Becky.

I turn slowly. She's in a hot pink dress that's at least four sizes too small and the past four years have not been good to her. She's had so much plastic surgery, she's got a permanent smile and looks almost constipated. All in all, it's not a good look.

"Where have you been?" She asks. 

I groan. I'm fed up answering that question. I turn and walk into Liam's apartment, slamming the door behind me.