It's really dark. There's a long hallway with doors and doors and more doors. At the end of the hallway there's a door with light coming out. The door has my name written on it.
I'm trying to turn around but it's like I'm not in control of my body. My body keeps moving towards the door against my will. I try screaming for help but as normal no one comes. I finally make it to the door and it opens. I'm pushed into the door and tied into a chair. I try to move but I can't.
I see someone come in front of me. I know that face from anywhere. All of a sudden he's shot in the stomach. There's blood coming from everywhere.
"This is your fault. ALL YOUR FAULT!" He screams.
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry I couldn't save you," I screamed.
All of a sudden I hear more voices. They start to overpower my senses and I'm paralyzed for a few seconds.
"It's your fault Aniyah."
"Why didn't you save us?"
"You let us die."
"It should have been you."
"You watched us die."
"It's all your fault."
"It's all your fault."
"I'm sorry. I should have saved you."
All of a sudden I'm taken to a memory. No. No. No. No. No.
It's the day I was beaten to the brink of death. I was cleaning in the kitchen and John came in. He looked drunk and high. I already knew I was going to end up hurt but I didn't see the punch coming.
He punched me straight in my jaw. I stumbled back into the stove and winced when the fire hit my back. John (A/N stepfather if you forgot) came over to me and punched me in the stomach causing me to double over. He came over and grabbed me by the neck. As the seconds went by he began squeezing tighter and tighter. I tried clawing at his hands but he didn't budge. I soon felt myself losing consciousness. Before I completely fell into the darkness I felt a kick to my ribs and a blow to my head. I welcomed the darkness with open arms.
I woke up panting for air and not able to move. My dad and Allessandro were on either side of me holding my arms while Nicolo and Franco were holding my legs.
Leonardo's POV
I woke up and noticed all the boys were asleep but Aniyah was missing. I shook it off and just thought she went to her room. I was about to try to get up when I heard a scream. At this time all the boys woke up. Another scream was heard but this time louder.
The boys and I raced up the stairs to Aniyah's room. She was in the bed shaking, sweating, and mumbling under her breath. I went to her side and was ready to comfort her. When I touched her she kicked me. I was ready to try again but Nicolo stopped me.
"Dad. Stop. If we keep trying to touch her it could make the nightmare worse. Although I think it's more of a memory."
I stepped back and waited for the nightmare to run its course. All of us were in the room with tears in our eyes trying not to break down. She kept screaming for help and saying how something wasn't her fault.
After a while it calmed down. But then she brought her hands to her neck choking herself. She was gasping for air and I couldn't not help her. I tried grabbing one of her arms and looked at the boys.
"Alessandro grab her other arm. Nicolo and Franco grab her legs. If we don't she'll kill herself."
After everyone grabbed her she started to calm down. But then she woke up gasping for air. We were still holding onto her when Rafael spoke up.
"What's on your stomach piccolo?" (Little one)
We all looked down at her shirt that had ridden up and there was a nasty purple and green bruise there. She tried to get us to let her go but we didn't. The boys were looking at me to see what to do.
I know I said I would respect her privacy. But I need to know if she's hiding any more injuries.
"Rafael lift her shirt up some more. We need to know if there are more injuries and I already know she won't tell us."
"NO STOP! You can't do this. Stop!"
"I'm sorry bambina. But we both know you won't tell us the truth."
He lifted her shirt up to see the rest of her stomach. We all gasped at the sight. There were bruises, cuts, scars and blisters everywhere. Her stomach was littered in them and there were all different colors.
All I want to know is who the hell had the nerve to hurt my daughter?
Aniyah's POV
I calmed down and saw them all crying. Like literally crying. These are mafia men crying. But then again I am the only girl in the family minus the two gold diggers.
"W-W-Who did this to you?" Franco asked, still crying.
I honestly forgot that they saw my bruising. Dang it. Now I need to find a really good lie.
"I don't know."
Really Aniyah. Really. Out of all the things you could've said. You said I don't know.
They all looked at me like I was crazy. Let's try again.
"I was walking down the street and some guys came up trying to mug me. When they realized I wouldn't give anything up they roughed me up a bit.
With this they started crying harder. I'm bad when people start crying. I get VERY awkward. Like I'm so freaking confused on what I'm supposed to do. (A/N okay this is like really seriously me. I don't know what to do when people start crying. Like I really have to stop myself from laughing.)
Before anyone could say anything about my pretty obvious lie I got up from the bed and went downstairs. After a few minutes the boys came to the kitchen where I was and demanded answers.
"Remember when I said that if you needed to know something I would tell you? Yea. Okay. I didn't tell you so you didn't need to know. Now please mind your own business. I'm going upstairs to try to go to sleep. Good night or morning or whatever."
Again, before they could say anything I left the kitchen to my room and locked the door. Since I knew that I wouldn't be able to go back to sleep I decided to do some more work. Having so many companies can be tiring but at the same time I love it.
I look up from my laptop and see that the sun is beginning to rise. I sighed and went to take a shower. I finished everything up and went to the closet. I changed into a black and blue crop top and matching joggers.
I went into the kitchen to see all the boys there eating cereal. I grabbed a bowl and Honey Nut Cheerios then went to the table. No one was talking and for that I was happy. I finished eating my cereal and was headed to leave the kitchen before Leonardo stopped me.
"We're leaving to go to the hospital in twenty minutes. I don't want to hear any protests."
I rolled my eyes and went upstairs to get my bag. I got my black Michael Kors and filled it up with weapons and snacks. I'm going to the hospital and from my injuries I know I'll be there for a while.
"Aniyah let's go."
I left my room and met the others downstairs. We all left the foyer to the garage and piled into the SUV.
Ten minutes later we were at the hospital and headed to the 8th floor where apparently my family has a room set up.
"Okayy. Good morning Moretti family. It says here that today I'm supposed to be checking injuries in someone," came an all to familiar voice. I looked up from my phone and saw Mateo Santiago.
He's part of the Santiago family but he's a mafia doctor. Although his family is part of the Spanish Mafia he can't say anything when he treats other members of mafias. He knows me very well. And he knows him too. In other words I'm doomed. This is where my story ends. I'm dead.
"Aniyah! Why are you here? And why are you here with the Morettis? Oh god he's going to kill me and you."
My brothers and dad looked confused as I kept my straight face.
"How's he going to know if we don't tell him?"
"You're playing with fire. And you know it."
"Yea well it's not the first time."
He rolled his eyes and faced my families confused stares.
"I need you all to leave so I can give her a proper check."
"We're not leaving," Leonardo said with no room for discussion.
"How do you two know each other? Why are you so comfortable with each other? And who is he?"
Alessandro asked.
"I've treated Aniyah here for a while. We're friends and as for your last question you'll find out soon. I hope later than sooner for her sake. And Aniyah you know the drill. Let's get started."
Really he had to say the drill? Ugh. Thanks Mateo. I took off my shirt and joggers and that left me in my underwear and bra. All of my old and new bruises are out in the open.
My dad and brother gasped while Mateo looked livid. Here we go.
"Ulidanganya. Umesema ni bora. Umesema utatuambia ikiwa angeanza kukupiga tena. Uliahidi. Wewe umevunjika." He all but screamed in Swahili.
(You lied. You said it was better. You said you would tell us if he started hitting you again. You promised. You broke a promise.)
"Samahani. Najua lakini sikuweza. Sikutaka kuwa kero kwako. Na angeipiga bila sababu," I stated calmly.
(I'm sorry. I know but I couldn't. I didn't want to be a nuisance to you. And he would have blown it up for no reason.)
"No reason. Are you serious? Look at you. You're bruised from head to toe. That would be for no reason. It would be because we care. We care, idiot."
Mateo's POV
I feel bad for screaming at her. I do but she doesn't get how many people care about her. I just can't believe she let it get this bad. She has third degree burns on her body. Third degree. I want to kill whoever did this but I already know that she won't confirm who I think did this.
Aniyah's POV
I know that he's mad. I did lie. I told them I was fine and that they didn't need to worry. I know they care but I can't put my baggage on someone else. They'll just leave. And I don't want that to happen. So I sat there and let him clean my wounds. I winced every now and then but it didn't hurt too much.
After Mateo finished everything he took my blood and left to get it checked. I forgot about the biologicals until someone cleared their throat.
"Bambina please. Tell us who did this to you. You have old and new wounds. I know you don't trust us but we deserve to know who did this to you,"Leonardo all but begged.
Really. They deserve to know what happened. They deserve to know who did this? They think they deserve everything. But they don't. They deserve nothing.
"You don't deserve anything. I didn't deserve to be alone for basically all 16 years of my life. I didn't deserve anything that's happened to me in those 16 years. I deserved to be loved and cherished yet I received the opposite. So no you don't deserve answers. You don't deserve anything."
They looked hurt but who cares. I didn't deserve any of this. And I'm not giving them the answer that they so desperately want.
"We don't know what's happened. But you're right. You didn't deserve any of that. But we looked for you. For years. We came up empty. You weren't in any system. We looked, I promise," Leornado said.
"That's a lie. If you were looking for me you would have found me. I found you. I found all of you. Yet you couldn't find a 16 year old girl. And even if you looked in the system why wouldn't you ask your allies for help. You really would have found me then. But no. I was stuck looking for help and wanting a savior. And I got one. But all good things come to an end."
"We did ask for help from allies. No one could find you. Please. Let us in," Nicolo cried.
I scoffed. Really. I got dressed and headed to the door.
"If you really wanted to find me I think you could. I mean you are the Italian Mafia right?"
With that I opened the door and left them in the room stunned. I walked outside and headed to their house.